Zoo Photo Tips

Baby ring-tailed lemur at the . This little one is so tiny with its thin little legs that seem too long for its body. It’s always great to show a baby animal with an adult in the photo to see the size perspective between the two. Notice in the 2nd photo how cute the little one is, but we have no reference on how large it is. This one can scamper pretty quickly when not on mom’s back so make sure you use your camera's continuous autofocus to track the subject. Be patient to get the shot you want.
@ The Honolulu Zoo

Big smiles from the African Lion at the . Ok, maybe not smiles, but fantastic yawns and snarls from the big guys. We talk a lot about focusing on the eyes and making eye contact with our subjects. What do you think of these 2 photos? One has the lion’s eyes and the other has his eyes hidden from view. Are the eyes important when the lion is putting on such a cool display for the camera? Either way, sharp focus is key to making these photos pop from the background. The overcast day created a flat even light that shows up the texture of the fur, but did not create distinctive shadows.


@ Denver Zoo

Baby elephants like this one from the are the cutest things. This one is covered in hay because all the larger elephants are messy eaters and dropping it all over the little one. Many exhibits like this one have elevated walkways. If the animals are too close, all you can get is the top fo their heads. To get a more eye level photo, move to the far end of the walkway and/or wait for them to move further from you. This is one time that being a little farther away can make your photos better.

@ Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden