Most of us love looking at photos of wild animals, but few of us can afford the expense of a safari to the places where they live in order to take the pictures ourselves. But there is another option available to us. Our local zoo. On June 19, 2009 Bogen Imaging presented a webinar with Julie Larsen Maher, the head photographer for the Wildlife Conservation Society which oversees the major zoos in New York City. This webinar, which might be titled "Safari on a Budget" was replayed at the July DISIG meeting. For those who were unable to see it, I have compiled a list of the many tips and tricks which Julie described along with a few of her superb photos. If you want to see the entire one hour webinar, you can visit the Bogen Café site.

General considerations

• In order to make the best use of your time and get the best photos you should make several trips to the zoo to pre-plan you shooting session. Memberships are good for repeat visits. 
• Most zoos are open long hours. Go on non-busy days and take advantage of the early morning when animals are more active and crowds are smaller.
• Limit your shoot to one or two areas of the zoo each time.
• Check the zoo website and ask the animal keepers about feeding times and special activities.
• In most cases, early morning and late afternoon will give you the best lighting conditions. Cloudy overcast conditions provide good diffuse lighting and will probably mean smaller crowds.
• Use "cloudy" white balance for more saturation in the photo.
• Don't forget that some animals like snow leopards and polar bears will be especially active in the snow.

Equipment

• Use a tripod where possible and allowed. Check the zoo regulations. 
• If tripods are not permitted, consider using a monopod.
• Take a variety of lens, especially 20-200mm, 70-400mm and a macro lens for closeups.
• Anti-shake lens and/or cameras will help if you are doing hand held shots.
• Shoot JPG format at the highest resolution and bring extra batteries and memory cards.
• Check zoo regulations for use of flash. Where it is not allowed, use a high ISO setting or in some cases, it may be possible to use a continuous LED light.
• For closeups of small animals, e.g. tree frogs and snakes, consider using a macro lens with a ring flash.

Special Techniques

• When shooting through glass, wear black or dark clothing to minimize reflections.
• If possible use a rubber lens hood and place it right up against the glass.
• Use an "off-angle" when shooting thru glass, especially with a flash. Wait until most visitors have left the area.

• When shooting animals through mesh wires, take your picture when the subject is 6 to 8 feet from the mesh. Use a wide aperature to decrease the depth of field and eliminate the foreground and blur the background.

• Use a continous frame or "burst" mode setting when shooting motion or subjects like snakes

Other Thoughts

• Don't limit yourself to simple front face shots.
• Use a "story" approach with animal interactions.
• Take photos of the signs at the exhibit to help identify the animals later.
• Shoot animal "babies", especially in the spring. Go back and reshoot them after they have grown.

• Be sure to get permission when photographing people.
• Download your images as soon as possible and make backups of your "digital negatives."