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Behind The Lens
Location
I went to the SF Zoo to try out my new tele lens.Time
This was near the end of the day after the sun went down behind some trees. The light was softer and less harsh. A young child was making a lot of commotion as the gorilla watched in fascination.Lighting
As you can see by the catch lights in his eyes, the light from the open sky filtered through the trees and made a beautiful rim light on the big ape.Equipment
I used my Nikon D800 with my new Nikon 200-400 lens (fantastic sharpness). I used a Manfrotto monopod.Inspiration
It was almost humanlike watching him watch the little boy, loudly playing.Editing
I used a little bit of unsharp mask and Nik Color Efex 4 Detail Extractor to bring out the detail in his fur.In my camera bag
I usually have 1 or 2 Nikon D800's, Nikon 14-24 lens, Nikon 24-70 lens, Nikon 70-200 lens, and a Nikon 60mm macro lens. I also bring along a Nikon sb800 flash. I bring a Hakuba carbon fiber tripod with Manfrotto ball head.Feedback
Because animals like these can be dangerous, they tend to be pretty far away for normal lenses, so a long tele lens is recommended. I like getting shots close to closing time because the light tends to be less harsh and splotchy. With a large lens and darkening light, a tripod or monopod is recommended.