Warming up
Taken in Newquay zoo
Taken in Newquay zoo
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May, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo on a visit to a zoo in Cornwall, UK. I have been to this zoo many times and have always enjoyed going there. The enclosure this duck lived in was relatively new, and contained a small stream that lead from the far end of the enclosure to a pool just beyond the duck and below the small pebble ridge he or she is standing on.Time
It was mid morning, and although it was a hot and sunny day, this enclosure was in a shaded part of the zoo. Therefore the animals were very laid back and in no real rush, and most of them were still snoozing when this individual fluffed his feathers, stood up and began to stretch.Lighting
The enclosure was in the shade when the photo was taken, which is why there is no particular warmth to the photo, but I still left my camera set to natural sunlight/daylight white balance rather than shade or cloud white balance.Equipment
My camera at the time was a Nikon D3200 with an 55-200mm Nikon lens. Although visitors are allowed fairly close to the enclosure there is a low wooden fence preventing you from getting within arms length of the enclosure, or aviary, as the roof and walls are actually netting, which is far better for birds and waterfowl as it keeps the space open and in the fresh air. From a photographic perspective this meant that I had to use magnification of my lens to focus so that the mesh of the netting disappeared. The camera was handheld and the light was good enough that a high enough shutterspeed could be used without a tripod.Inspiration
I was walking past the aviary; the water feature, plants and substrate within provide a very pleasing habitat to look at and quite tranquil. There were perhaps five or six ducks in total and all were sat around the pool with their heads tucked into their wings without much concern about the world outside, it was a quiet time in the zoo not just for the animals but also for visitors, there not many people around. As I walked past this individual raised his head, fluffed his feathers, stood up and began to stretch. From the perspective of a photograph the behaviour an animal is showing tells the story of the photo. I had the benefit of watching the duck leading up to the point of capture, and as he/she was waking up the stretching of the wing reminded me of getting out of bed. This is very much like anyone getting up in the morning and this provides a connection to the duck the viewer.Editing
In post processing I cropped the image to cut out some of the wider background and some of the pebble substrate which before added more of a foreground, but wanted to include something other than the subject so left the plant in the corner. After that it was basic touch ups such as brightness and contrast, with a bit of saturation to bring out the plumage and feet, then slight sharpening.In my camera bag
In addition to a tripod I now have a Nikon D7100 with two batteries and two sd cards, a basic filter kit, and currently one lens, a Nikon 18-300mm. This is for wide angle shots such as landscapes and for zeroing in on wildlife to avoid switching lenses as often as I would if I were to use, for example, a 18-55mm and a 55-300mm lens as I did previously. Changing lenses takes time and makes noise unless it is done calmly and slowly, and there are few things more frustrating than missing an animals display of a certain behaviour, or watching your subject fly away or disappear into the undergrowth while you switch lenses. As landscapes take my breath away and observing wildlife is so fascinating these are what I am compelled to try and photograph, so keeping the kit small means less to carry and less to remember every time I go on a shoot.However one component that is absent is a lens with extreme magnification to reach wildlife at long distances.Feedback
Slow down and watch. Animals will not show natural behavoiur on command, especially if they feel uncomfortable. If you are in a place where animals are wary of humans going near them will simply make them move away, even if they do not , they will not be relaxed. In other words you will influence their behaviour and therefore their behaviour is not natural. For this reason, zoos from a photography perspective are a great way to practice taking photographs of animals, as the animals that live there are used to human presence and will remain relaxed while you snap away. Here I would like to stress that the barriers around a zoo enclosure are there for a reason, they are for your safety as much as the animal's, it is not your right to try to touch or irritate them, and do not use flash for any animal photography. Patience and a calm manner is are huge factors, you could stare at some animals all day and they might not move an inch, with some species this is simply their nature, but taking the time to watch closely forces you to slow down and take in the mood or character (so to speak) of the subject, and also lets the subject get used to you. Also, if you move too quickly or suddenly this will likely cause the animals attention to be focused towards you, so you will not get natural behaviour. Contrary to what I have already mentioned, perhaps the one positive human influence on animal behaviour is the keeper; feeding times, keeper talks, or the keeper simply being nearby will probably cause some activity, making for some good photo opportunities.
