Zoo Pics

[MarkBarbieri]

My wife and I went on a date to the zoo yesterday. I used the 7D and she used the 5DM2. I shot with a 300mm f/2.8 and a 100mm f/2.8 macro. She used a 70-200mm f/2.8 and a 28mm f/1.4. She hasn't gone through her shots yet, so these are mine. The full gallery is here.

 

[Azrael]

wow. That tongue on the giraffe is incredible!

Such vibrant colors and markings that you wouldn't otherwise see with the naked eye

 

[Frantasmic]

Love the ducks.

Does your zoo have a contest each year? The Fort Worth zoo takes submissions in summer from user submitted pictures. The winner gets their picture on the cover of the fall zoo magazine and $200 in camera stuff from a local place.

The ducks or the reptile are really good. The cheetah looks right there. That 300 2.8 is a gem of a lens.

 

[saturndb]

as always Mark, great pictures

 

[JoeDif]

Excellent set!! Love the big cats

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Love the set!! I have been trying for 2 years to get to our zoo (Brookfield) for a photo safari with no luck. Something always comes up. I'm going on a photo trip to DC in early April, maybe I can do the National Zoo! Again, great work Mark!!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Thanks for the compliments. I don't know whether my zoo, the Houston Zoo, has photo contests. They do have special photographer mornings a few times a year. They've also hosted some photo/video events in their auditorium. I saw McNally there last year.

I don't think that the ducks were zoo animals. I think they just happened to be sitting on a flower box/wall near the big cat cages.

That 300 2.8 is a gem of a lens.

Yes. It never stops amazing me. It is an absolute delight to shoot with.

 

[OKW Lover]

Great Pictures! I've been to the Houston Zoo a few times and it can be difficult to get good shots there because so many of the exhibits have the traditional bars/fence between you and the animals. Just shooting on autofocus often fails in those situations. You did a wonderful job of controlling focus and depth of field to get the subject to standout.

 

[wbeem]

Very nice images! I was at the National Zoo today with a 70-200 & a 1.7 tele-extender. Couldn't get that close to most of the animals, but had a few that worked out.

A bit disappointed with the National Zoo. I was really looking forward to seeing the eagle, but those birds are not on display not due to some construction.

Saw the pandas. At first, I was disappointed because they were only indoors - behind glass in a concrete setting. Got lucky, though. I was about to leave the park when I heard some animal scream a couple of times. Turns out it was the panda. Two of them came out, each with a milk crate. They liked the snot out of those milk crates, put them on their heads to lick the inside, etc. I don't know what it was about those crates, but they loved licking them.

The lions had a bit of play, but mostly were just hanging out. One of the gorillas jumped up and slammed the glass at some little girl, but I missed the shot.

Overall, it gave me more of an appreciation for Animal Kingdom.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Great Pictures! I've been to the Houston Zoo a few times and it can be difficult to get good shots there because so many of the exhibits have the traditional bars/fence between you and the animals. Just shooting on autofocus often fails in those situations. You did a wonderful job of controlling focus and depth of field to get the subject to standout.

The Houston Zoo has really been changing. Fifteen years ago, I would have said that it was one of the worst major city zoos in the nation. It was free admission for a long time, so it was always starved for funds. Over the last couple of decades, they've really turned it around. It is no longer free (or even cheap), but they've made huge investments with that money. There are still many holder cages from the bad old days, but they've been steadily replacing them with better habitats. They opened a new Africa section recently that is just wonderful.

 

[OKW Lover]

Good to hear Mark. Its probably been 2 years since I've been to the zoo there (grandchildren live in Houston and we pay for a membership). The youngest grandson practically grew up going there almost every weekend.

 

[cosine4]

Love the set!! I have been trying for 2 years to get to our zoo (Brookfield) for a photo safari with no luck. Something always comes up. I'm going on a photo trip to DC in early April, maybe I can do the National Zoo! Again, great work Mark!!

Brookfield is great! I would say that it is second only to San Diego (US, never been to zoos abroad) but nicer because it doesn't have all of the hills which are difficult for me to get around on. We did a family season pass to Brookfield a few years ago, it was an amazing deal that included multiple event tickets to all of the special exhibits, free parking, food discounts as well as guest tickets. We brought my whole extended family one day for free, it was great. Plus having the season pass gives you an excuse to go back, especially during the winter when it is empty (of people).

wbeem,
I was very disappointed in the National Zoo as well, it was not even close to what it was advertised as. I would have much rather taken that time and spent longer in the museums.