All photos taken with a Canon R6, 100-500 RF L 4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- shallow depth of field
- layers
- natural light
- crop and light adjustment
- shallow depth of field
- natural light
- natural color contrast
- adjust light and contrast, sharpen
- frozen movement
- natural light
- layers
- warm and sharpen
- natural lighting
- shallow depth of field
- frozen movement
- sharpen, crop and warm
- frozen movement
- shallow depth of field
- natural lighting
- lighting adjustments and crop
- natural lighting
- rule of thirds
- shallow depth of field
- warm, crop and sharpen
- natural lighting
- color contrast
- frozen movement
- lighting adjustment and sharpen
- rule of thirds
- shallow depth of field
- natural lighting
- crop, sharpen and light adjustment
- layers
- texture
- natural light
- crop and highlight adjustment, slight saturation
- natural lighting
- layers
- frozen movement
- cropping, add light to shadows
reflection
I decided early on that I was going to shoot new photographs specifically for this assignment but had a little trouble deciding where I wanted to do it (the beach, Mt. Diablo, the zoo, SFO) but my decision to take this to the zoo was definitely the right call. I had the best day, as I went by myself and spoke to some very enthusiastic volunteers who were there for no other reason other than they love the animals. As do I. The crowds were minimal so the animals were out and active and I ended up taking over 1000 photos (!) and stayed until closing. I learned that the majority of animals at the Oakland Zoo are rescues (zoos do not generally rescue and rehabilitate animals), and their 17,000 sq. ft. veterinary state-of-the-art hospital is the largest wild animal veterinary facility in Northern California. While I missed the elephants, as they have all been relocated to other habitats better suited to their needs, many of the animals were in rare form and it was a really productive day. I have taken photos at zoos before, but today I took the knowledge I have gained in Photo 5 with me, and the words of Ansel Adams; "a good photograph is knowing where to stand", on repeat, in my brain, all day long.
My greatest success was the lions and the bears. They're either M.I.A. or sleeping every time I go to the zoo so seeing them up and at it on the same day was awesome. They take my breath away. The baboons were also on fire but you can usually count on that. The weather was also in my favor as it was hazy which acted as a filter to the harsh sunlight and it was cool which is another reason many of the animals were out. My greatest challenge was staying focused and approaching my photography in a more thoughtful, intentional way and accepting that animals are unpredictable. It's not like you can say "ok, I want you to cross your front paws and show me your pearly whites". I spent some time thinking before each photograph, really looking at what was in front of me, and imagining what I wanted the result to be. With every photo I considered not just the artistry but the technical aspects; lighting, movement of the animal, the plexiglass or wire barriers that separated me from the animal, the animal's eyes, the background, the distractions in the environment etc.. It took time, intention, focus and patience which can be a little difficult for me but that is why I went alone. I feel I was able to accomplish the task at hand and am happy with the results.