Last Friday I took a day off work and went to Dublin Zoo. The weather had been fantastic for a few days and Friday wasn’t an exception. The zoo opens its doors at 09:30 these days and I arrived in town a little after 08:00, so I took my time walking to the Phoenix Park. A sunrise, the GPO and a view down the Liffey caught my eye as I made my way.
I think I was the first one to enter the zoo that day. There was no queue, and although the weather was good, Friday being a school day ensured the crowds were light. On entering, a friendly zoo keeper recommended the new Gorilla enclosure.
I had my camera with me and as I wandered around I had plenty of time to take whatever photos I wanted. Normally you have to fight with the crowds to get a good view, but last Friday I’d no difficulty placing myself in a good spot. I don’t think the animals knew I wanted to take photos though, as some stayed in their enclosures, hid behind trees or just turned their back on me when I was ready to shoot.
You have to have patience photographing animals because:
- They are unpredictable.
- They move.
- They look for cover.
- They close their eyes just when you press the button!
I wanted to take the best photographs I could so I tried to do the following:
- Focus on the eyes
- Anticipate their movement
- Use an open aperture
I took lots of photographs, used a telephoto lens and tried to get real close; I had a ball.
Before I knew it three hours had passed and I was starving. A chicken sandwich and a coffee at the zoo’s picnic area watching the jackdaws fighting for scraps did the trick.
The sun was still shining, the animals were still there and I had no other plans, so I went around again. This time I tried manual focus (a better option than auto for animals I think). After another three hours I had taken more pictures and among them were a few I thought were winners.
There is a great debate about zoos. Many say animals should not be kept in captivity, while others counter this by indicating that most of the animals in zoos are endangered and the zoo helps increase numbers through breeding. You have to ask how they became endangered in the first place. But since I paid my money, stayed for six hours and enjoyed every minute, I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t say I support zoos.
In the Sunday Times Magazine 13/09/2009 there was a series of photographs of animals in the wild by Nick Brandt. These atmospheric black and white shots were stunning. I haven’t been able to find the article online but you can see examples of his work on his website http://www.nickbrandt.com/. On seeing these photos I initially felt a little envious; I’d love to take photographs of animals as good as they were. But that envy only lasted a moment. Soon I was just admiring them and letting them teach me new ideas to try next time I’m at the zoo.
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