How to:

This guide will detail how to take close up shots of caged animals at the Zoo. In this example I was at Chester zoo in England and photographing a female lion.

The great thing about the zoo is that it enables you to get much closer to the animals than you ever could in the wild. The worst thing is that between you and the animals lies either a huge fence or a glass wall. Animals in the open are perfect but we can still work with animals behind a cage.

I find a focal distance of 200mm+ enough to fully blur out any metal cage in the forground but any less than 200mm and the cage will be visible. Try to take note of the feeding times, although there will be more people around at these times it also ensures the animals are out and active. Often you will have to spend a lot of time waiting, following the animals and looking for the perfect photo opportunity; so be patient, it will come.

Take a wide variety of shots from different angles, perspectives and positions. A lens with a large focal range really helps bring the animals closer and allows for more experimentation with crops and frames. Don’t be afraid to colour correct and touch up images after your visit - this image has been slightly cropped and had the levels adjusted in Adobe Lightroom, it is very rare that I am 100% happy with an image straight from the camera, I always touch up after a day shooting.

I try to capture the character or emotion of the subject; I think one way to do this is to get eye contact with the animal, this can be tricky but if your patient you should get a chance. Here are two examples of good/bad zoo portraits:

1. Natural environment, looking at camera, 2. Cadged environment lacking character

Things to avoid:

• Shooting through glass - its dirty and I find it difficult to stop light reflecting from it.
• Shooting animals indoors - as the lack light creates real problems when shooting from a large focal distance; especially with a slow lens, moving creature and without a tripod!
• Un-natural habitats - try to make sure the background environment is as natural as possible. This can often be hard at some zoos, but try different angles and positions around the cage to make the most of any natural surroundings.

Things to remember:

• Use a large focal distance (200mm +) to blur out any foreground fences or cadges.
• Be patient, take your time and follow the animals waiting for that perfect opportunity
• Try a variety of positions and angles, avoiding any un-natural environments in your photos
• Keep an eye on the feeding times
• But most importantly, have fun!

Feel free to ask any questions; sure I have missed a few pointers so please share your thoughts in the discussion section!