My favorite zoo images
you know, that I took. After processing my San Diego Zoo pictures and briefly discussing zoo photography, I got a hankering to show y'all some of my old zoo photos. From the Chicago Zoo, these are hands-down my favorite zoo photos (of mine) of all time. From the Chicago Zoo:
I'm also big on this red panda from the National Zoo. Nom!
To further my little zoo photography discussion, let me add that lighting the animal's face and catchlights (that sparkle in the eye from the light source) are just as important in photographing animals as they are in the rest of the portrait world. What makes the top images there of the gorilla compelling (if I may) are the fact that the eyes are so well-established in the photo. If they were in darkness, there would be no image there. Compare those two with the image of the panda at the end of this post. Huuuuge difference in feeling. When shooting at the zoo, see if you can't get the animal to turn toward the light source and grab some catchlights - you won't regret it.
Here's some more, mostly from the National Zoo.
