Photo sharing: Zoos

[DVC Jen]

I'll post a few from the last time I was at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego.

Great shots. We lived in Southern Cali for 8 years and I am still kicking myself for never going to the Wild Animal Park. We always thought we would do it "another time" then moved before we got there.

 

[michellem1118]

Here are my favorites from the Ft. Worth Zoo on Dec. 7 - my first outing with a dSLR. I'm hoping to make it to the Dallas Zoo this week at some point, maybe Thursday when DH is off work, but not sure.

Momma lioness & cub... I only wish I had focused on the cub's face instead of on momma...

Papa lion in the next exhibit area - he kept roaring towards the separating wall, resulting in momma roaring back, and the little cubbies (4 or 5 of them in all) running towards the wall...

I also got a great shot of a sea turtle in an aquarium, but it's not on photobucket yet... I'll try to remember to add it later.

 

[DVC Jen]

Oh Wow - love the one of Papa Lion. Hope the Dallas zoo is totally open for you - like I said the entire Wilds of Africa section was closed when we were there on Sunday. It wasn't so bad because they only charged us half price for admission - but I would have liked to have seen it too.

Let me know if it is open when you are there - if you don't mind.

 

[WeLoveNemo]

The Philadelphia Zoo:

The Bronx Zoo:

The National Zoo:

(We like zoos!)

 

[michellem1118]

Let me know if it is open when you are there - if you don't mind.

Thanks! I'll definitely let you know if the Wilds of Africa section is open, if we make it down there.

 

[jann1033]

wow, nice shots everyone, Jen i am blown away by those close ups.
we just went to the Cleveland Rain Forest Friday ( after nearly killing ourselves on the ice in a park, we got there 1/2 an hr before they closed) but i was getting such a kick out of granddaughter running from window to window and screaming "got it" with each shot she took i didn't take a shot( it's so dark in there i didn't have a lens with me to take one of her, wish i had since she was pretty funny but maybe next time)

 

[jann1033]

mark i just noticed your "solar power" notification although now i wonder why some companies in similar industries were "pouring much of their profit" into finding solar etc alternatives

 

[Amy]

Here are a few from the Pittsburgh Zoo, taken in Aug. 2008:

One of our new baby elephants playing with the elephant keeper:

 

[DVC Jen]

Those baby elephants are ADORABLE

 

[pointandshoot]

Just got back from the zoo in Asheboro, NC. What a fantastic day. Sunny, warm, hanging out with my DD shooting pictures. Here is a fun shot. Now I know where the expression "pulling my tail" comes from. I will post more later.

Chuck

 

[Rescue Pooh]

Great shots everyone. We have'nt been to the zoo in awhile need to plan a trip.

 

[Queen Emily]

Wow, there are some amazing pictures in this thread.

 

[Golf4food]

All from the Jacksonville Zoo in Jacksonville, FL. Stop by sometime. It's a great zoo. Another new section should be open in Spring 2009 - Asian Gardens featuring Komodo Dragons, etc.

Ibis in a small pond:

Black Jaguar yawning:

A couple of macaws:

Baby Squirrel Monkey:

Otters - one was just laying out completely on its back just soaking up some rays, man. They were hilarious:

I post this because it was one of the most unusual things I'd ever seen in a zoo - this African bongo decided to drink the pee of the one standing behind it - mid stream! - and then turned around and made this funny face. It was both hilarious and highly disturbing all at once, lol:

The black jaguar just hanging out on her fallen tree. She is the only one of the seven jaguars that will actually go into the water (sometimes to catch fish) and one of these days I will catch her in the water - life goal:

Rhino butts - a postcard waiting to happen:

Last but not least, my favorite, in a larger size because you can see more of the jaguar that way and he is just beautiful:

 

[annnewjerz]

I post this because it was one of the most unusual things I'd ever seen in a zoo - this African bongo decided to drink the pee of the one standing behind it - mid stream! - and then turned around and made this funny face. It was both hilarious and highly disturbing all at once, lol:

 

[michellem1118]

Just got home from the Dallas Zoo, and will need a bit of time to process the 250 or so pictures I took today since I shot all in RAW. But Jen, I wanted to let you know that the Wilds of Africa exhibit was open today, although the monorail was not - it's seasonal. I'll update later with some pictures.

 

[DVC Jen]

Just got home from the Dallas Zoo, and will need a bit of time to process the 250 or so pictures I took today since I shot all in RAW. But Jen, I wanted to let you know that the Wilds of Africa exhibit was open today, although the monorail was not - it's seasonal. I'll update later with some pictures.

Thanks - can't wait to see your photos.

 

[bnorm27]

Love the Zoo shots guys! My family buys a membership at the Philly Zoo every year for about $100. Most zoos have reciprocal agreements with each other, so if you are a member of one, you can get into others for FREE or for a really reduced rate. My kids love the Philly Zoo, and we have also been to the NC zoo in Asheville, and the Cape May zoo right here in NJ. Support the zoos so you can keep going back!

 

[Liljam]

Let me start by saying I am not a great photographer and I'm only beginning, but I've learned so much already from this board, other boards, books and photographer friends.

I went to Pittsburgh Zoo today (love that place for a day trip.) I saw so many nice set ups - way better than my Canon Rebel XS with kit lens or my telephoto lens (I didn't even bother using today.) I was on a family excursion so I was just shooting for a tiny bit of practice when I had the time. Well, what I noticed was that in the darker areas like the aquarium and rain forest - mostly behind glass, 90% of the people with these great cameras were using flash and from what I could see Auto Mode ! I heard them saying things like "This would be better if I didn't get the glare." and "if these people would move, I'd get a shot without their reflections." This isn't a gripe, but I was just quite shocked that people had spent so much money on something they took no time to learn how to use properly. One guy watched me take a pic of a fish and asked to see it afterward and I told him it might not be perfect but I was proud I'd gotten that far with learning. Other men and women with these bigger set ups just acted like pros with there flashes going all over the places. Sadly they weren't even add on flashes and they'd flicker a million times during the auto focus Anyway, some of my pics might be good, others aren't so great, but I just thought this was funny and had to share to see if anyone else ever noticed. I did see one MEGA lens (big big big) and the man stayed in the same spot for over four hours, not sure what he was doing, but he was in his groove for sure!

 

[jann1033]

i see that some to, at our zoo there seem to be 3 general types...the normal snapshooters, the occasional someone who seems to know what they are doing and then the what i call "mommies with cameras", the annoying rude women with 2.3 preschool kids each in giant $$$ strollers ( they use them like battering rams) that walk around enmass with entry level dslrs and never take a shot but comment on what anyone else with a camera is doing( nothing against mom or moms with cameras, since i have been both, i just think it's hilarious that they never use them but wear them like the latest fashion accessory, can never see the brand but i suspect they may be the limited edition jimmy choo dslr collection from saks )
i was jealous of one young man yesterday, my knees were killing me so i had to bend over from the waist( always so attractive) to take any flower photos and he was scooting around squatting right at "flower eye level". he had a canon as well,maybe i should have asked him to take some for me

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Some may be camera spouses. My wife was just at the zoo with a Canon 5D Mark II and a 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens and she shoots in the full auto mode most of the time. The setup is bulky, but it takes much better pictures in full auto than our G9 does.