"What? You've never seen a gazelle stand on two legs before?"
PENTAX *ist DS 
Aperture 67/10 ISO 800 Shutter 1/90 Focal Length 115/1 
Los Angeles, California, US
Nov, 2016Views
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andrevondeling
February 10, 2019
Gerenuk do this in the wild....as they live in arid environments and are leaf eaters
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Los Angeles Zoo.Time
If I recall correctly, this was taken about mid-afternoon.Lighting
It was a typical, sunny Southern California day. This photo was taken outdoors in natural light, with no flash.Equipment
This photo was shot handheld, using a Pentax *ist DS camera with a Pentax DA 50-200 mm zoom lens.Inspiration
We visited the zoo on the last day of our visit to Los Angeles, spending most of the day admiring the animals here. I took a lot of pictures, both of the animals and of many of the flowers and other plants included in the landscaping. I was trying to be alert to unusual or interesting behavior by the animals, hoping to get something more interesting than the usual static shots of animals standing or sitting. When this gazelle stood up to eat the higher leaves, I immediately began shooting, hoping for a clear capture of the moment. When I looked through my shots later, this one stood out because the gazelle seemed to be looking right at me.Editing
No post-processing was performed on this photo, it is straight from the camera.In my camera bag
For this day at the zoo, I was carrying two cameras: a Pentax *ist DS with a 50-200 mm zoom lens and a Pentax *ist DL with a 18-55 mm zoom lens, which allowed me to select my preferred focal length by changing cameras, without any need to swap lenses.Feedback
Shooting animals requires patience and flexibility. Since it is impossible to give posing instructions, you have to wait for them to move into a position that is favorable for the composition you want. It also helps to be creative in framing you shots, to take advantage of the animals natural behavior and postures, to the extent possible. This can be a challenge in a zoo, where the viewing angles may be limited by the layout of the enclosure, or obstructed by other visitors or fencing. Sometimes the ideal shot isn't possible, and you have to settle for what is possible.
