The Zoo Today (Loooong post)

[GREAPER]

Like Harry, I normally dont vare much for zoo pictures, as they look like they were taken in a zoo. Windoze is one of the few who pulls off great shots in a zoo. I was thinking of him today.

I wanted to go out and shoot but working second shift, I woke up way too late do get down by the river before there were people in the park. I almost said forget it and stayed home but it is my only day off this week. I decided to go to the zoo.

First stop, the arctic exhibit. Bah, no wolves to be found, maybe the polar bears are out.

Well they are out but... sleeping.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39324223-M.jpg

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39324532-M.jpg

Maybe I will have some luck over at the eagles roost. There are two eagles in our zoo. They both have injuries that keep them from survivning in the wild. One has a bad eye, the other a severe wing injury

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39324687-M.jpg

I got a couple of nice shots there and moved on. I shot a bunch of really crappy pics at the duck pond, and a couple shots of the dozens of starlings hanging about.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39324898-M.jpg

The was also a peacock at the duck pound. I was suprised, I thought our zoo didn't have any more peacocks, they use to roam freely about the zoo but I haven't seen one there in 20 years.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39325369-M.jpg

You can't go to the zoo without checking out the tigers

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39325726-M.jpg

The meerkats are also a must. This guy had guard duty this morning.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39326072-M.jpg

I shot a Rhino butt just for you Jeff.... :D

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39326327-M.jpg

I found another critter I never saw at our zoo before, What a tough shot to get though. He was hiding in the back of his home up high in a corner with almost no light. I am amazed this came out at all.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39326550-M.jpg

He is an atctic fox by the way. I dont know why he isn't over by the wolves and the Polar bears. Hmmmm.

The next area was the primates, I was hoping to get some nice expressive shots like you know who has posted so many times.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39324295-M.jpg

Apparently he doesn't want his picture taken...

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39323935-M.jpg

My bad.

:huh

The oranga,, ouranga... never mind, orange apes put on a pretty good show. There was a male a female and a very young one. I have lots of blurry OOF Over exposed shots of the young one, he would be still for a sec.

Mom was much more accomodating.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39324806-M.jpg

Dad wasn't to bad either. His eyes were always in deep shadow but my flash just bounced off the glass. Oh well. It is amazing how big these males are. Yikes.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39325316-M.jpg

My DW is gunna get ticked off if I dont get home soon so I better head out. On the way, I passed the snow leopard. He looked bored as could be. He needs a hobby.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39325570-M.jpg

I swung by the wolves again as I have tried and tried to get a good shot of them. These could be a bit better but they are the best I have ever gotten.

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39326175-M.jpg

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39326425-M.jpg

http://dehmphoto.smugmug.com/photos/39326695-M.jpg

I had to get home so thats's it.

I hope you all enjoyed my trip to the zoo.

Thanks for looking

Brian

[DavidTO]

Great series and story. Love that eagle shot. And the first Polar Bear Paw. Love 'em all , actually.

[windoze]

:clap:clap:clap

very well done !! you had a great day and got so many wonderful images!!

troy

[Allen]

Looks like your day turned out great. Some very nice shots and natural looking. The eagle is
outstanding and the fox is exceptional under tough conditions. Love the orangie closeups.
Thanks for sharing,
AL

[gus]

Great shots greaps...nice & sharp.

[John Mueller]

You pulled this off very nice Brian:thumb
Enjoy your long post:super:nod

[Rohirrim]

Great series Brian. I especially like the eagle, very sharp and great exposure :thumb

[Skippy]

Like Harry, I normally dont vare much for zoo pictures, as they look like they were taken in a zoo. Windoze is one of the few who pulls off great shots in a zoo. I was thinking of him today.
be a bit better but they are the best I have ever gotten.
I had to get home so thats's it.
I hope you all enjoyed my trip to the zoo.
Thanks for looking
Brian
Hi Brian...........Zoo's are a real hit and miss aren't they.
The day you go the animals may have decided they are not gonna get up today......or today they will sit at the very back of their enclosure and sleep.....or sit with their back to you....or lay with their back to you......or get in an area where there is the obvious wire fencing in the background etc.

Then there are the public to have to deal with too, a trip to the Zoo is so much fun......and ya know no matter how many times you go there the next time you go back you will find the same animals in different moods :rofl .

You look like you had a very successful time indeed, I'm hanging out for a good day to go to the Zoo too and wouldn't you know it, it rained all weekend and now that I have to go to work, it's a beautiful sunny day out there :huh

Great series of images....thanks for sharing....... Skippy (Australia)

[Stef]

Living in Phoenix, our zoo.... well it kinda sucks! Of couse it gets like 500 degrees here in the summer, so I wouldn't want to live here either. Oh wait! I do live here:rolleyes .
Your shots were great and your story made me smile. Good job, I needed to smile today!

[Harryb]

Hey Brian,

Outstanding series. Too many shots to go into each one but that eagle pic is a super shot.

[bfjr]

All great :thumb

[GREAPER]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone. I have always enjoyed the zoo but they are challenging.

All of these shots were either through thick fence or glass that is... uh... disgusting. (except the starling and the meerkat)

I suppose if you had the time and lived close enough you could find out the habits of the animals, what time they sleep when the eat etc. When I first got there the wolves were all laying down in the back, behind some bush and you could barly see that they were there. When I came back on the way out, they were all up and about.

I liked the polar bear paw shot mostly because it is different. I haven't seen any like it and I think it came out well. I had to move the tripod three times to minimize the blurred fence.

It was a lot of fun.

[GREAPER]

Living in Phoenix, our zoo.... well it kinda sucks! Of couse it gets like 500 degrees here in the summer, so I wouldn't want to live here either. Oh wait! I do live here:rolleyes .
Your shots were great and your story made me smile. Good job, I needed to smile today!

Stef. I am thinking of a trip to Pheonix in Nov, what will the weather be like and what are the best scenic and wildlife spots to visit within a few hours drive?

[ginger_55]

Greaper, those are wonderful zoo shots! I will mention that the snowy leopard, I think it is, the one w/o a "life", I love that one.

The eagle makes me wonder why I would want to "kill" myself hunting one for a month only to be a mile away w a 400 lens. Your shot is to die for.

Our charleston group is going to the zoo two hrs away on Sat, I may beg a ride.

Your trip has inspired me....................many shots I really do like.

ginger

[Ric Grupe]

...caught my eye! Tigers make particularly great high contrast images. :clap

[iceman17]

What a great series Brian,it's hard to pic a fav out of these but I gotta say the tiger and lepard realy stand out for me.Thanks for sharing these...ice:thumb

[Stef]

Stef. I am thinking of a trip to Pheonix in Nov, what will the weather be like and what are the best scenic and wildlife spots to visit within a few hours drive?It will be nice during the day, chilly at night. We do, on occasion get frost here. But that usually happens late December. Last Thanksgiving I wore shorts... hmmm kind of a clue for the weather.

Scenic shots? WOW! That we do have here! Within a couple hour drive would be Sedona. Should be on everyones list. I don't really know what I am doing photography wise, but here is an example of what you can find there...
http://stefani.smugmug.com/photos/39228367-M.jpg