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Red Pandas are just the cutest animals around and

Red Pandas are just the cutest animals around and their walk is so distinctive the way they waddle. This exhibit at the @okczoo gives the animals plenty of room to move about and provides plenty of angles to position yourself to get a nice shot of them coming toward you. Patience is very important here to get the photo you want to get. Take your time to watch them move about and find locations where you can anticipate the pose you want.

Hog Island Boa at the @TheOmahaZoo has a wonderful

Hog Island Boa at the @TheOmahaZoo has a wonderful exhibit that allows you to move all around it to get different angles and compositions of this beautiful snake. When shooting in low light we typically use a wide open aperture that makes for some very shallow depth of field. Notice in the first shot how the shallow depth of field allows the tongue and nose to be in focus, but the eyes are soft and out of focus. In the 2nd shot, I've moved to the side and now the entire head is the same distance from the camera and in focus. Which photo do you like better?

Arrgh, it's Monday again. After a weekend of phot

Arrgh, it's Monday again. After a weekend of photography, Mondays are a great time to go through and organize your gear. Charge those batteries, format your memory cards and repack your camera bag so you are ready to go on your next adventure. Check all your equipment to make sure it is in good working order. Things can get knocked around and get loose when out and about. Check out everything now so you can adjust, clean or repair before you are headed out the door.

Love this camel's facial expression here at the St

Love this camel's facial expression here at the St Louis Zoo. But what really makes this photo is how the light highlights the fine strands of hair and really separates him from the background. It's always important for us to be aware of our lighting on our subjects. This light is behind and to the side of this camel. The backlighting creates this rim light that highlights the hair. Be careful in these situations that the camera doesn't underexpose the subject's face. Use the exposure compensation dial on your camera to find the right balance.

Green Tree Python has beautiful eyes and wonderful

Green Tree Python has beautiful eyes and wonderful texture of its scales. These low light exhibits force the photographer to use a multitude of techniques to get sharp photos. A couple of tips are to make sure the glass is clean, the camera is held against the glass to minimize glare and to provide an additional point of stability. Focus and aperture choices are important to make sure the part of the image you want in focus is sharp. I always want the subject's eye to be in sharp focus, but here we also got the nose and front coil of scales in focus.

Backgrounds matter! Here is a flamingo at the @sa

Backgrounds matter! Here is a flamingo at the @sandiegozoo against a soft background that allows the subject to stand out. What allows it to stand out? ⁣
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Color - The contrasting color of the greens vs the bright color of the flamingo. ⁣
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Brightness - The foliage of the background is darker than the subject. Our eyes are drawn to the bright objects in our photos. ⁣
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Focus - The subject is in sharp focus against a softly out of focus background. ⁣
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All 3 of these things help the subject pop and the background stays in the background. While adding to the photo it isn't subtracting from the subject. Move around and watch your backgrounds to help your subjects stand out.

When photographing baby / young animals it's nice

When photographing baby / young animals it's nice to have them with their parent or full sized adult for comparison. If the little one is the only animal in the photo, then how do we tell it is small?

Mandrills like this one at the @DenverZoo are dist

Mandrills like this one at the @DenverZoo are distinctive with their bright colors. They are the largest of the monkeys and they are wonderful photography subjects with the bright colors and variety of textures. I've always recommended carrying a cloth to clean off smudges from the glass on exhibits to get clean photos. Now to be extra careful we should also carry hand sanitizer and a spray sanitizer to use before and after we touch anything. Let's be safe out there.

Today the @sdzsafaripark announced that some of th

Today the @sdzsafaripark announced that some of their gorillas have tested positive for the virus. Let's keep these magnificent animals and the wonderful staff in our prayers. ⁣
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#zoo #zoophototips #gorilla #zoophotography #photography #animalphotos #photographytips #zoophoto #olympus #olympusomd #omdem1markii #getolympus⁣
#sdzsafaripark #sandiegozoo⁣
@sandiegozoo

This cute red panda at the @stlzoo feels the same

This cute red panda at the @stlzoo feels the same way about Mondays as I do. I really enjoyed the St Louis Zoo and the red pandas exhibit was so convenient for the visitors. It had so much room for the red pandas to roam about. Hint here is to move your feet at this exhibit to get the best shots. There is so much space to move about. Try all the different angles to make sure you are getting a great background behind your subject. I really liked how open it was with no barriers between you and your subject. ⁣
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Oh and did I mention this zoo is free and situated in a lovely park. Can't wait to go back.

The San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park are both clo

The San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park are both closed now due to COVID, but I'll be back when they open. #countingthedays⁣
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The Tiger Trail exhibit at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is great for both the tigers and the visitors. When I was there, two keepers were training this tiger by having him run from one side of the enclosure to the other. Back and forth to get some exercise and to train with the keepers. I was able to stand directly behind the keeper as the tiger was running back to her. Keep your camera on continuous autofocus so that the tiger remains in focus as he moves toward you.

This North American Porcupine is very interactive

This North American Porcupine is very interactive with the keepers at @CheyenneMountainZoo. Demonstrations and keeper talks are a great time to get good zoo photos. The animals are active and engaged so they provide the opportunity for nice photos. I know that many zoos are limiting the larger demostrations because it is impossible to keep social distancing in place, but keep your eyes open for keepers to do impromptu engagements with the animals. It keeps the animals active and can provide a great shot for you. I don't recommend stalking the keepers as they walk around the zoo,......but be aware if you see some getting ready near an exhibit.

Komodo dragon at the @denverzoo posing for the cam

Komodo dragon at the @denverzoo posing for the camera. Get down low at eye level to get a great portrait of your subject. I used some cheap knee pads to protect my knees and make it comfortable while waiting on him to turn and look at me. Being comfortable allows us to be patient, so dress appropriately and use knee pads or a stool to make yourself comfortable.

Koala could not make up its mind if it wanted to e

Koala could not make up its mind if it wanted to eat or sleep. This was early in the morning and it was trying to do both. We got lucky this morning as the keepers were feeding them when we arrived early. The @sandiegozoo is one of my favorites. They are forced closed now, but you can support them on their website with a donation or purchasing something from their gift shop. Check out your zoo's website to see how you can support them. What methods are your zoos using to raise money for the animals?

I'm always saying how important it is to capture t

I'm always saying how important it is to capture the eyes of your subject. But what happens when the eyes are not the subject Here the subject isn't the entire flamingo, but the artistry of the feathers all fanned out. I like how the 2nd flamingo in the background is facing the camera and out of focus.

Let's get back to the zoo in 2021. This year is r

Let's get back to the zoo in 2021. This year is roaring in and with your help, the zoos will come roaring back. Check with your local zoo and see how you can help. Some options are to get or renew your membership, visit as often as possible and/or donate to assist with animal care. Some zoos have had to close or limit capacity so check out how you can help. I'd love to hear how you have helped your local zoo in the comments. Also, give a shout out to your favorite zoo.

Light always plays an important part of our photos

Light always plays an important part of our photos. This cinereous vulture at the @DenverZoo is in the light and the background is in the shade. This makes him stand out from the background. These guys look great in a hard light. It shows off the texture in the feathers and the scratches in the beak. This is one of the tips for coming at different times of the day to find the best light for your subjects.

One of my favorite snakes at the @DenverZoo. The

One of my favorite snakes at the @DenverZoo. The green tree python has such beautiful color and texture. I've missed these guys because of the restrictions about not being able to go inside certain buildings. But you can be certain I'll be visiting them again when I can. Remember to always focus on the eyes when you get the chance.

It's the start of a new year and I'm so excited to

It's the start of a new year and I'm so excited to get back out to the zoo. I love the new hippo exhibit at the @cheyennemountainzoo. It has many viewing locations and from this one, you can get directly eye level when this guy surfaces. I really like this angle.

Male Asian Elephants, Bohdi and Billy, playing tog

Male Asian Elephants, Bohdi and Billy, playing together at the Denver Zoo. The size difference between these two doesn’t stop them from pushing each other around. I like how Bohdi, the larger elephant, got on his knees to be the right height to push with Billy. I’m not sure Billy knows he is smaller. 🙂 Animals interacting always makes for great photos. Look for moments when you can still see their faces.⁣
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