feliciagaddis

Giraffe at Los Angeles Zoo

Canon EOS Rebel T6

settings

Aperture f/5 ISO 100 Shutter 1/200 Focal Length 110/1

location

Los Angeles, California, US

upload_date

Jan, 2022

Views

128

Likes

Awards

Staff Favorite

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Top Choice

Outstanding Creativity

Peer Award

Absolute Masterpiece

Top Ranks

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken at the Los Angeles Zoo in 2021.

Time

This is one of my favorite images from that day. This beautiful giraffe seemed to be just as interested in me as I was in it.

Lighting

The photo was taken at about noon, and both the girafe and I were looking for shade cover, which is why there are some shadows across it's face. I liked the shadow from the tree leaves above because it made the image look more like it was taken in the wild, instead of zoo.

Equipment

I shot this with my Canon T6 with a Canon 75-300 zoom lens that comes with the camera. I love this lens! It allow you to look as if your stand right next to your subject... it creates intimacy.

Inspiration

I was doing some research for a children's book I'm writing about African elephants, and although the Los Angeles Zoo doesn't have any african elephants, it has many of the other animals you would see on the african savanah, like this giraffe.

Editing

I did do some post-processing, but very little. I made the shadow in the giraffe's face slightly lighter and popped the contrast some but that's pretty much it.

In my camera bag

I normally have 3 lens and at least one flash with me a all times. My Canon 18mm-55mm and 75mm-300mm lenses as well as a Yongnuo YN50mm f1.8 prime lens and a Neewer TT560 Speedlite flash.

Feedback

My best advice for someone trying to capture something similar to this shot is to slow down and quite yourself. Whenever I shoot my first couple of shots are toast. As I calm down and quiet myself and loose myself in the process, the images improve.

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feliciagaddis

feliciagaddis

Giraffe at Los Angeles Zoo

Behind The Lens

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