Photographing Zoos : Page 3

5 Top Tips Successful zoo portraits

1 TELEPHOTO LENS
You’ll need a lens of a least 200mm to be able to fill the frame with your subject and exclude distracting background details. Take a monopod for support.

2 CHOOSE YOUR VIEWPOINT
Look for a viewpoint that will provide the most natural setting. In particular, avoid getting walls and man-made landscaping features in shot.

3 BE PATIENT
If, having chosen a good viewpoint your subject is facing the wrong direction, be patient. Either wait for it to move or continue on to another part of the zoo and return later.

4 lose the background
Use a wide aperture to throw everything behind your subject out of focus. On the computer, darken down any remaining background detail using the burn tool.

5 OR, ALTERNATIVELY...
Instead of trying to hide the fact your subject is in a zoo, try including the environment in the shots and going for a documentary approach.