Photo sharing: Zoos

[tink2020]

Tink - sorry for the delayed reply!! The week of our visit, we were out for Spring break - the kids that is! - and what an insane week it was - we were at the zoo on the Tuesday after Easter (18th?) It was a beautiful day, clear cool and not crowded!!! We live here in the cinci area - ****ord to be exact. We relocated here about 7 years ago, my dh is a pilot for Fed EX and at the time was working for Airborne Express (now DHL) -- switched companies in 2000 and we just decided to stay, love the area and the comute to Memphis isn't too bad!LOL The zoo is one of our favorite outings, I just renewed our annual membership and plan on really giving it a workout over the summer break! I will try to get my pictures posted tonight - I have to do these things when the kids are not around, otherwise they all want to see what I'm doing!!! Take care and it's great to see a Cinci gal on the DIS!!!

Great! We also have a pass, and get plenty of use out of it!! I'd love to see your pictures!

 

[tink2020]

Tink - I think this sea-lion is stuck on that rock!! Everytime I've been to the Cinci zoo he's on there! My kids loved him, he just sat there blowing bubbles out his nose for the longest time!

Your pictures are great! I think he does enjoy that rock, that's for sure! I've seen him swimming on occasion, but he is often parked right there!

 

[Virgo10]

Only one word came to mind when I was looking at your photos...


MAGNIFICENT!!!

 

[LMarge]

Only one word came to mind when I was looking at your photos...


MAGNIFICENT!!!

Oh my gosh, thank you!!! I do believe I'm blushing!!! As Tink said in an earlier post,it was an easy subject - the flowers don't move, my toddler never stops!!! Now if I could just get him to cooperate so I could at least document that we have a 3rd child!!!

Just a quick question also, my dd really liked the flower shots and was wanting a few for her bedroom walls - any ideas which would enlarge the best - I've never enlarged anything over an 8x10 and that was from film - so for digital I'm not to sure! Suggestions anyone!?

 

[pyrxtc]

Lmarge. Some of your flower images could/would be of great use to some portrait photographers (like me) who could see a baby sitting/laying in a few of them. LOL!

 

[LMarge]

Lmarge. Some of your flower images could/would be of great use to some portrait photographers (like me) who could see a baby sitting/laying in a few of them. LOL!

That sounds very cool, how would one go about doing that?! would it be a superimposed thing? sorry, I'm not very photoediting savy!!! now that I'm figuring out my camera the next step is my new software PSE3!!

 

[pyrxtc]

Jennifer (Tink2020) was nice enough to let me play with one of her images. She also said it was okay to post what I had done so here it is. I did two different things.

the more natural looking one......

and the really WOW one..........

the original for easier comparison....

 

[tink2020]

Jennifer (Tink2020) was nice enough to let me play with one of her images. She also said it was okay to post what I had done so here it is. I did two different things.

the more natural looking one......

and the really WOW one..........

That looks pretty neat! Did you add color to the coat (with the hue settings, not like color it )at all or just change the saturation? He looks more like a regular colored lion now intead of how light these really are... Still pretty impressive looking though! I like the second one a lot!

 

[pyrxtc]

tink, on the firts one I adjusted the contrast, saturation and dodged the eyes (as can be seen). I also lightened the teeth to make them really stand out. When i played wiht the saturation, i bumped it up overall then played wiht the individual colors to get it to look just right. On the second, I knew I wanted it to look over the top. As I said via e-mail, I was hoping you had a bigger file so that I could give you a version that would make a good 8x10 instead of just 4X6 version. Oh yeah, on both I added water in cuz I thought it would look better then the wood planks that were there.

Lmarge, yes it would be superimposed but if you don't mind, I'll show you what I mean?

 

[pyrxtc]

LMarge, here is a very rough version of what I would be talking about.

 

[manning]

LMarge, here is a very rough version of what I would be talking about.

Can't get a closer look at it, but you may want to feather the edges around tne child.

 

[LMarge]

LMarge, here is a very rough version of what I would be talking about.

knowing that that is a rough version I think it's a cute idea - a little naked baby in there would be really cute!!! (chest up shot!) Anne Geddes (sp?) sort of stuff (love her!) I can see where that would work - funny you used that picture - that was the one I was going to blow up and put the word "Aspire" in script across the bottom corner for my daughters room!

 

[makinorlando]

Beautiful photos. I love the tulips.


You did a wonderful job!
.

 

[LMarge]

Beautiful photos. I love the tulips.


You did a wonderful job!
.

Thank you Mankinorlando!! I'm an admirer of your pictures as well - I was just checking out the picture of the day site - nice work!! You have the S2Is as well, if I remember correctly. Just love this camera - I need to practice on some of the manual settings a bit more! But the av/tv modes are just terrific! I hardly ever use the flash - which my kids love because they always have flash back, even with redeye reduction! Thanks again for the compliment!

 

[makinorlando]

Thank you Mankinorlando!! I'm an admirer of your pictures as well - I was just checking out the picture of the day site - nice work!! You have the S2Is as well, if I remember correctly. Just love this camera - I need to practice on some of the manual settings a bit more! But the av/tv modes are just terrific! I hardly ever use the flash - which my kids love because they always have flash back, even with redeye reduction! Thanks again for the compliment!

Thanks to you as well. Yes I have the S2 also. I do love it. I haven't really even ventured to av/tv modes. DD and I are going to EPCOT tomorrow evening, she has to do a 'culture box' on Mexico (I think they chose all the countries at EPCOT....) - so I want to go pick some things up in the gift shop and see if she can talk to a CM from Mexico. I will try some more night time photos.

Anyway, it's really given me something to focus on the past couple months... I needed an "outlet" (aka "get a hobby") as I always seemed to be working or taking care of the house/kid/animals!

 

[Golf4food]

Any advice, tricks, or tips for how to get good pictures at zoos and aquariums where you have glass or plastic between you and the subject? What about chain link fences?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

1. don't use flash
2. do use polarizer
3. I'm too lazy to use polarizer so I just put the lens right to the glass
4. set ISO accordingly

WRT chain-link/fence, position your lens as close as possible to the fence so your camera won't focus on the fence but to the subject instead. In most cases the chain link will be so out of focus it's hardly be seen.

 

[Golf4food]

Could you possibly recommend a good polarizer for the Sigma 18-125mm lens? I do remember that it is 62mm I'm learning! haha

Ironically, possibly the best photo I ever took was into a dark aquarium chamber and I had the flash turned on, but the image is perfect, the seaturtle (my subject) is perfect, and everything except the turtle is black. I couldn't have staged it better, and it was dumb luck.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

any circular polarizer for that purpose will be okay. I personally prefer Hoya for its good value. B+W is better but it's too costly for my pocket.

Here's an example of a pic I took for Markham Gallery of Arts brochure. The Soapstone Bear is in a plexiglass box and I took the picture from the corner

Camera model: Canon EOS 30D
Flash used: No
Focal length: 33.0mm
Exposure time: 1/40 sec - Handheld
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv.: 400
Whitebalance: Auto
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)

 

[MICKEY88]

if you do use flash shoot on an angle so the flash doesn't bounce back into the lens...

to eliminate fence use wide open aperture creating shallow depth of field, focus on subject and unless it's right up against the fence the fence should disappear..

shot thru a fence...