Yesterday I visited the zoo for the first time in a few weeks and I only had about 90 minutes before closing time. I couldn't afford to see the whole zoo so I made a beeline for the animals I like to shoot the most around this time of the year.
The prairie dogs were my first stop. Prairie dogs, around this time, have shiny brown coats that look best under a cloudless sun. When I reached them, the sun was bobbing back and forth behind some patchy clouds. I waited until I got the light I wanted, took a few shots, and was fairly happy with the few shots I got. These guys are hands-down my favorite subjects year-round at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
Next, I visited the African Aviary where I was rewarded with one of the subjects that have not given me many good shot opportunities: The Little Blue Heron. This little beautiful bird tends to stay near the fence where it's impossible to get a good shot that doesn't look like it was taken at the zoo. This time, however, it was in the middle of the exhibit and allowed me to get pretty good shots.
I was also lucky that it was a relatively quiet day at the zoo and the animals seemed more relaxed.
After that I hung around the gazelles before heading to the lions. I hung around hoping for a good shot, knowing that on cool days, they are more likely to move around in a particular location. I hunkered down and waited for my shot. I wasn't disappointed.
Patience doesn't mean you will get the shot that day, it just means that you might get your shot a few months down the road. Be patient, anticipate, and always keep hope that the animals will be kind enough to give you a good shot.
***Please note that I don't agitate animals. Hassan, the lion, wasn't snarling at me. This is the back end of a yawn.
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