OPF/LA Los Angeles Zoo Photo Day sunday October 15th 2006

The 17th Annual os Angeles Zoo Photo Day, runs again this sunday. You need $99 and $30 for your guests.

This is presented by Paul's Photo from Torrance, CA

310-375-7014 (Mark).

also www.paulsphoto.com

You get breakfast a catered lunch (a CF sandwisch?)!

Presented jointly by Paul’s Photo and the Los Angeles Zoo, the LA Zoo Photo Day is a fantastic photo opportunity for film and digital photographers of all levels of expertise. Paul's staff of experts and representatives from the greatest brands in photography will be on hand to assist you for a full day of photography and education.
The Los Angeles Zoo offers photographers the opportunity to capture “natural looking” wildlife photos right here in the city. The Los Angeles Zoo Photo Day provides photographers the tools required to create fantastic photos. Hands-on workshops and staffed stations are ideal for the novice photographer who desires to learn the basics of wildlife and nature photography. The LA Zoo Photo Day offers an opportunity for the accomplished shutterbug to explore new horizons while focusing on the art and science of outdoor photography.

I'm going! If you going to join post!


Asher

Anyone up for this?

Asher

Unfortunately I will not be able to make it this year.

Brian

Well it was a great day. I shot a pair of Leica and ventured into Nikon territory. I'm very impressed that there's still a superb set of optical choices outside of Canon!!

It was wonderful getting into the Los Angeles Zoo early in the morning with no other visitors, full support for any imaginable lens or tripod and more and then the ability to get to the animals while they are active and socializing with each other.

Amazing to see a lioness marching around the enclosure and as she struts passed the royal male, she pauses to caress his head with hers. They push their faces and shoulders together and then she licks him and is she's off again on her self assured walk!

This is an event we should not miss next year as it is an opportunity to use 10s of thousands of dollars of the fines equipment for the day with no need to schlepp, buy insurance or do more than leave your credit card or drivers license. Also there was absolutely no pressure to buy anything.

At the end of the day, they burned CD's of your memory cards.

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Well it was a great day. I shot a pair of Leica and ...
At the end of the day, they burned CD's of your memory cards.

Asher

Click to expand...

Are you going to show us the Leica images?

Or at least tell us how they look?

scott

Yes Scott!

I'm working against the clock to deliver pictures by a deadline.

I'll get to the impages later today hopefully.

I'll post some and then write up something longer. My work is just with Leica film R9 Digital back, 5D, 1DII and Nikon D2X. The M8 was too early a firmware version to allow them to let it out.

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Well it was a great day. I shot a pair of Leica and ventured into Nikon territory. I'm very impressed that there's still a superb set of optical choices outside of Canon!!

It was wonderful getting into the Los Angeles Zoo early in the morning with no other visitors, full support for any imaginable lens or tripod and more and then the ability to get to the animals while they are active and socializing with each other. ...

Asher

Click to expand...

Getting in early certainly makes a big difference!

The Dallas Zoo holds a "Photo Safari" four times a year. The Zoo's staff photographer, Ms. Cathy Burkey, leads the Safari, with a limit of 20 to 25 photographers. Sometimes a manufacturer's rep joins in and brings equipment to loan. Cathy gets the group into the Zoo an hour before the public, with free parking included in the Safari fee, then kicks off the Safari with a short presentation. The group then visits four exhibits, which the keepers prepare for us by either prepositioning food and toys, or by tossing food into the enclosure after we arrive. Cathy drives a cart that carries anything we don't want to carry. After we arrive and get set up, Cathy radios the keepers that we're ready and the keepers then release the animals. As you would expect, the animals quickly look for and find the treats. In some cases the keepers prepare a treat, e.g., for the gorillas a block of ice hung from a tree containing fruits and nuts, that keeps the animal in one place for some time.

Animals focused on in past Safaris included gorillas, chimps, tigers, okapi, lemurs, meerkats, cheetas, and otters.

Participants range in age from pre-teen to granddad, and equipment runs the gamut from point-n-shoots to 600mm lenses attached to pro bodies.

The formal Safari winds down about noon, but Safari participants can remain in the Zoo for as long as we like.

Past Photo Safari's have cost $40, with a discount for Zoo members, which covers parking, admission, continental breakfast, Cathy for 1/2 day and lots of fellowship.

Anyone else's local zoo do something like L.A. and Dallas? I hear the Ft. Worth Zoo is considering some sort of photographer's event, but I don't believe they have a staff photographer to organize it.

You can see the gorilla's "popsicle" from last month's Safari in the "Wildlife" forum's "2006_08 Wildlife Portrait_01" thread near the bottom of page 4.

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of photos from the L.A. event.

Bob