Learning Center

Zoo Photography

Article & Images by Terry Livingstone

Except where noted otherwise, all images shot with Nikon D300 and Tamron 200-500mm lens, on a Gitzo tripod with Really Right Stuff head.

At The Zoo

You’d think doing wildlife photography at a zoo would be easy. After all, you simply buy a ticket, walk in, and there you are – face to face with all kinds of animals just waiting to be photographed, right? Well, not really. Though some people consider it “cheating” to work with captive subjects, getting a decent animal portrait at a zoo is not all that easy.

Just like any wildlife photographer, a zoo photographer needs to capture a good, clear shot that shows the subject in nice light, with an engaging expression or action, and with a clean, non-distracting background. But a typical day at the local zoo likely involves animals that are either invisible or asleep. There are fences and barriers of all kinds. There are backgrounds cluttered with walls, sheds, wires, utility poles, nets, and more fences. And then there are the people. Crowds of them. None of whom care about your quest for photos, and all of whom have as much right as you, to be standing in that one spot where you need to be standing to get a perfect photo.

So yes, shooting in a zoo does present certain challenges. Assuming that your goal is to create photos that look “natural”, the main challenge at the zoo is to leave out anything and everything that looks man-made. And since virtually the entire place is man-made, this is obviously a huge challenge.

Here are a few tips to help you maximize your zoo photography experience.

Use a long lens.

We’re all accustomed to using long telephoto lenses when photographing animals in natural settings. Wild creatures, after all, tend to keep their distance from us human types. And of course one of the main reasons we go to zoos is to get close to exotic creatures. But a telephoto lens, preferably a zoom, is still the best choice for shooting at the zoo. It’s a great tool for getting rid of all those unnatural-looking, man-made distractions.

Take fences, for instance. Though many zoos are now designed with open, natural-looking exhibits that are more photographer-friendly, you’ll often find yourself in a situation where there is a fence of some kind between you and your subject.

The trick is to get as close as possible to the fence. In fact, if you have enough access (don’t break any rules!), put your lens hood right up against the fence. (You do have a hood on your lens at all times, right?) Then use either aperture-priority or manual exposure mode to open your lens to its widest aperture. The idea is to throw the fence so far out of focus, by using a long focal length and wide aperture to minimize the depth-of-field, that it disappears. And using the largest f/stop means you also are using the fastest possible shutter speed, which is always a good idea when shooting moving subjects.

Use this same technique when shooting through glass. Putting the lens hood right up on the glass ensures that you won’t get any reflections.

Photographed through glass. The front edge of th elens hood was placed directly against the surface of the glass, to avoid any reflections. Lens at 360mm, exposure at ISO 200, 1/320th sec., f/6. Oklahoma City Zoo.

A long lens can also help control the distracting backgrounds we often find at zoos. When doing animal photography in the wild, it’s often possible – even desirable – to use the subject’s environment as part of the portrait. Though there are some exceptional zoo exhibits where it’s possible to do that – to use the background as part of a strong image – such opportunities are rare.

More often than not, in a zoo situation the background is one of those things we want to leave out, in order to get a more natural looking picture. The inherently narrow angle of view provided by long lenses makes that easier to do. For example, the Blue and Gold Macaw pictured here was on a perch just a few feet in front of me, with no fence or glass barrier of any kind between us. I could easily have used a wide angle lens to photograph him! Trouble was, behind his perch was a storage shed and chain link fence, in dappled sunlight and shade. Even when thrown out of focus, the background would have been a mess.

Though this bird was just a couple of feet in front of me, wiht no fences or other barriers, I used a 500mm lens in order to exclude a clluttered background. ISO 320, 1/250th sec at f6. Cougar Mountain Zoo, Issaquah, WA.

So I pulled out the longest lens in my bag – a Tamron 200-500mm zoom – backed up a little, and shot at 500mm. I carefully chose a vantage point and shooting angle that positioned a shadowed area directly behind the subject, visually eliminating all the visual distractions, and giving me a dark background that makes the bird’s bright colors really pop.

Which lenses are best for zoo photography? Needless to say, a fast f/2.8 aperture telephoto zoom lens is ideal, both to provide a faster shutter speed, and to help throw those foreground and background distractions out of focus. That being said, the best lens to use is always the one you have with you. I like to use the 70-200mm f/2.8, though most of my best zoo shots were done with the 200-500mm lens, which when zoomed all the way out to 500mm, is a slow f/6!

Photographed through a chain link fence with the Tamron 200-500mm lens at 320mm. The front of the lens was placed as close as possible to the fence, to throw it completely out of focus. The long focal length and wide open aperture also turned the wooden shed in the background into a soft blur. Lens at 320mm, exposure at ISO 200, 1/60th sec, f5.6. Oklahoma City Zoo.

Of course, when using that lens I also use a tripod, which introduces a new set of challenges. Maneuvering a tripod in crowded areas can be a pain. (Remember that photographers don’t have any special rights: be courteous to the other visitors!) A monopod is less intrusive than a tripod, though I personally have never gotten the hang of using one.

But my new favorite lens for zoo photography is the Tamron SP 70-300mm VC lens. I’ve always been partial to this particular zoom range. 70mm to 300mm is just the right range for isolating a wildlife subject or a small piece of the landscape, while also allowing a wide range of options with the composition. And that’s what makes it great for zoo shooting, when you might need anything from a medium to a long telephoto.

This giraffe had a young baby, and was obviously protective of it. When she saw me pointing a long lens at the youngster, she moved closer, placing herself between the baby and me, and in the process providing a good opportunity for a head shot. Lens at 390mm, exposure at ISO 640, 1/2500th sec, f6. Indianapolis Zoo.

Trouble is, it’s always been hard to find a really sharp 70-300mm lens. I don’t know why that is, something inherent in the optical design challenges, I guess. But I’ve shot with quite a few, from all the major lens makers, and though I love the versatility of that zoom range, I’ve never found one that really blew me away in terms of sharpness. Until now. Tamron has made some huge advancements with this new lens.

The specs say the Tamron SP 70-300mm VC lens uses XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) and LD (Low Dispersion) glass, I don’t really know what that means, but I know it’s the good stuff, in terms of sharpness, color and contrast.

This lens works on both full frame and APS-C size sensors. But for wildlife photography I like to use it with a smaller sensor camera: when zoomed out all the way on my Nikon D300, it’s equivalent to a 450mm lens! And unlike most lenses that long, the Tamron SP 70-300mm lens has Vibration Compensation technology, Tamron’s exclusive tri-axial image stabilization. This fights blur from camera shake, and can actually let you handhold the camera at up to 4 stops slower shutter speed than you could normally use. Which means getting the shots that would have required a tripod before. (Of course, it won’t help much when that nice lady in the big hat with 3 small kids, 2 strollers, 3 ice cream cones and a hot dog collides with you just as you’re squeezing the shutter…)

Harsh mid-day light made a conventional portrait of these dark apes nearly impossible. But I noticed this individual backlit, framed against a shadowed background, so I went for the dramatic lighting. Lens at 450mm, exposure at ISO 640, 1/500th sec. at f6. Indianapolis Zoo.

Be there early or late.

The best light for photography is in early morning and late afternoon or evening. That’s just as true for zoo photography as for landscape shooting. Zoos seldom open at daybreak, though, or close after twilight, but it’s still a good idea to get there as early as possible and/or stay till closing time. The harsh light of midday is just not conducive to good photography. Of course, we work with whatever light we’re given, and sometimes you can find a good subject in the shade, or be blessed by a cloudy sky that gives you soft light all day long. But in general, you’ll get the best photos soon after opening time or just before the zoo closes for the day.

Photographed through glass. The front edge of the lens hood was placed directly against the surface of the glass, to avoid any reflections. Lens at 500mm, exposure at ISO 640, 1/800th sec., f6. Indianapolis Zoo.

Not only are the crowds thinner at those times, but the animals tend to be more alert and friskier then, too. On a recent trip to the Memphis Zoo, the afternoon temperature hit 95 degrees with a humidity to match. Needless to say, at that time of day, in that kind of heat, most of the creatures were curled up in the shade, moving as little as possible. (Anybody want to buy some photos of a sleeping Panda bear? Yeah, I didn’t think so.)

Also, at many of the zoos I’ve visited, feeding time for the animals is right after the zoo closes. The animals know this, of course, and they become much more animated and alert as that time approaches, which means you’ve got a better chance, then, of getting a good image.

Be patient.

If you’ve ever spent time photographing animals in the wild, you know that patience is an asset every bit as important as your camera and lens. Animals have their own schedules, after all. And though the animals who live in a zoo may have a more structured routine than their cousins in the wild, patience on the part of the photographer is still vital. Quite often, for example, you’ll find a creature who’s in a good position for a photo, but who is dozing, or facing the wrong direction, or whatever. Simply hanging around and waiting can often provide the perfect photo opportunity.

He may look fierce, but this young bear was just playing around with a large stick, as I watched through the lens. I waited for a long time, hoping to gte a clear shot of his face. Eventually, he paused to yawn, and I had the shot. Lens at 500mm, exposure at ISO 320, 1/40th sec., at f6. Indianapolis Zoo.

Dealing with the crowds of people at a zoo can also require some patience on our part. Just keep in mind that those busloads of little kids who keep getting in your way have shorter attention spans than you. Right? They’ll move on to the next exhibit pretty soon. And that’s when you can get into position to capture the shot you want.

Be persistent.

If you’re fortunate enough to live near a zoo, go there often. Just like any other kind of photography, the more you practice, the better you get. In fact, you might want to consider becoming a member of your local zoo. Most zoological parks offer special events for supporters, such as extended hours, behind the scenes access, and other perks that can provide lots of unique photo opportunities.

Several ducks were swimming in a moat surrounding the lemur colony. I noticed the reflections o fautumn trees in the water, and was wishing one of the ducks would swim over to that part of the pond. Seconds later, one of them actually did just that! He even said hello as he went by. Sometimes you just get lucky. Lens at 200mm, exposure at ISO 640, 1/250th sec., f5. Indianapolis Zoo.

Zoos and wildlife parks offer a great resource for photographers. Anyone who tells you that it’s “cheating” to work with captive subjects has probably never tried it. There are indeed many challenges in this kind of photography, but the rewards speak for themselves: portraits of creatures you’d likely never be able to capture in the wild.

Seals and Sea Lions apparently have an uncanny ability to actually doze off while swimming. Lens at 270mm, exposure at ISO 800, 1/800th sec., f5.6. Indianapolis Zoo.

Harbor Seal dozing. Lens at 400mm, exposure at ISO 800, 1/800th sec., f6. Indianapolis Zoo.

After spending nearly an hour next to the sea lion exhibit, this guy finally looked me right in the eye, as if wondering why I was still hanging around. Lens at 390mm, exposure at ISO 640, 1/1000th sec., f6.3. Indianapolis Zoo.

Some of the sea lions would swim in a particular pattern through their watery area, bringing them, at one particular point, quite close to the spectators. That spot with the good vantage point was packed about 6 deep with people the first time I came by. But when I returned late in the afternoon, a couple of other photographers and I had it all to ourselves. Lens at 330mm, exposure at ISO 320, 1/160th sec., f5.6.

The Indianapolis Zoo has a huge transparent dome in the dolphin exhibit where visitors can actually view the dolphins from underwater. I stayed there a long time, entranced, before I even thought about trying to create some pictures. When I finally shifted into photo mode, I realized the light was very dim and dolphins swim very fast. In other words, getting a sharp picture was pretty much impossible. I put my lens right up against the 6" thick acrylic wall and tried to pan with the dolphins as they sped past me. It's not a portrait, but it captures the way it felt. Tamron 28-300mm VC lens at 28mm, exposure at ISO 800, 1/2 sec., f3.5.