17-11-30 Bald Eagle; Phillips Park Zoo, IL
Dec, 2017Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Phillips Park Zoo in Aurora Illinois, on a warm, sunny day in November. Phillips Park Zoo is a small community zoo with about 100 animals. The setting is beautiful with a pond, lots of trees, a picnic area and a playground.Time
I took this photo in the afternoon, shortly after feeding time.Lighting
The sun was starting to get a little lower in the sky.Equipment
I have a Canon Rebel T5 EOS camera with a Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5 - 6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO All-In-One Zoom lens, Model B016.Inspiration
A friend of mine told me about Phillips Park Zoo, so I decided to go there one day and check it out. When I have a couple of hours of free time, I love exploring different nature sites in the area. It's a great way to get some exercise and fresh air, it gives me a chance to practice my photography hobby, and it refreshes my spirit.Editing
At this point in time, I'm still focusing my efforts on capturing the best shots possible. I haven't ventured into post processing.In my camera bag
When I'm on quick, local trips, I usually just carry my camera, and the lens cap of course.Feedback
I think the most important factor in capturing great shots is to love your subject matter. It's also important to have good lighting. I tend to have the best luck with outdoor shots in the late afternoon, when it's still sunny, but not too bright. I take tons of photos, adjusting the aperture and shutter speeds in different ways to see what works best...For me, it's not instinctive, but more of a trial-and-error process. I also try lots of different angles and viewpoints for the best compositions. For animal shots, there's also a matter of timing. I try to get in a comfortable position, sit or stand very still, then start snapping away. I love capturing animals in all of their various poses. I also try to zero in on the best feature(s) of each animal I photograph. Sometimes it's their facial expressions, sometimes their claws, paws, or tail, and sometimes it's their beautiful colors. Each and every one of them is as unique as we are, and I try my best to showcase that in my photographs.
