San Francisco Zoo - DPChallenge Forums

Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Super Wide Angle Zoom

09/01/2004 01:52:56 AM · #1

Planning to take a visit on freebie day tomorrow. Anyone in the neighborhood to join me?

JPR

Sony Alpha a55

09/01/2004 02:02:01 AM · #2

nope

but I was actually planning on going to the Bronx Zoo tomorrow. Anyone in my neighborhood to join me? Anyone in any neighborhoods feel like going to the zoo tomorrow? Come on people! Let's all go to the zoo!

09/01/2004 02:03:48 AM · #3

Yeah, everybody go to your local zoo tomorrow.

09/01/2004 02:11:15 AM · #4

Originally posted by faidoi:

Yeah, everybody go to your local zoo tomorrow.

Screw that, make 'em fly out here. ;)

ajschmidt

09/01/2004 04:08:16 AM · #5

Faidoi,
I just went and have been a member of the SF zoo for 6 years. The new africa exhibits are not complete yet, so don't be too disappointed. As for photos. Take a very long lens like a 400mm or better and a good high power flash. Get there at 10am for the eastern light and to avoid crowds. Park along sloat and skip the $5 for parking.

PS i love your sunset photo.

Adam

09/01/2004 04:31:25 AM · #6

Is it really even possible to avoid crowds on free day?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/01/2004 01:17:31 PM · #7

Well, off to the zoo :)

moodville

Nikon D100

09/01/2004 01:20:31 PM · #8

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

Is it really even possible to avoid crowds on free day?

In the middle of the week when the kids are in school it's possible. And the more you're going towards winter the better it is! Ah, the bliss of it being 20F and having the zoo to myself. Perfect!

jenesis

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

09/01/2004 01:43:13 PM · #9

Originally posted by moodville:

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:
Is it really even possible to avoid crowds on free day?

In the middle of the week when the kids are in school it's possible. And the more you're going towards winter the better it is! Ah, the bliss of it being 20F and having the zoo to myself. Perfect!

Wow, that would be nice... It seems that no matter when I/we go, there always always always seems to be a school field trip of some sort or another. And not just one school, but multiple schools.... I just don't get it, why do they think the zoo is a good place for a field trip anyways!?!? :-P

Have fun at the zoo guys and don't forget to come back and show us your shots!

Here are a few from my last trip a couple of weeks ago.

Message edited by author 2004-09-01 14:04:07.

jenesis

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

09/01/2004 03:09:39 PM · #10

And here's my tribute to Moodville (though it's not a chimp and not half as good as her stuff) but nonetheless a tribute to her fantastic animal photography. :)

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/01/2004 03:29:30 PM · #11

Originally posted by faidoi:

Planning to take a visit on freebie day tomorrow. Anyone in the neighborhood to join me?

I wish we'd planned this last week ... couldn't get free today. Maybe next month! Oakland's Zoo is a lot smaller but has some nice features too.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/01/2004 03:48:59 PM · #12

Damn forgot my battery cable and only had juice for 50 shots. Good thing I live about 5 minutes away. Go back after lunch :)

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/01/2004 03:54:12 PM · #13

Originally posted by faidoi:

Damn forgot my battery cable and only had juice for 50 shots. Good thing I live about 5 minutes away. Go back after lunch :)

Why don't you take your laptop/wireless modem and upload some pics directly from the zoo? Seriously, if you're free Wednesdays and are that close I can probably make it in October. This was the last one I could bring Isaac without taking him out of school though ... : (

Isaac's, from the trip to Steinhart last month:

Message edited by author 2004-09-01 15:56:24.

blemt

Nikon D70

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

09/01/2004 04:04:41 PM · #14

I just got back from the National Zoo a little bit ago. Tiger cub pictures to follow! :) No good panda shots though. :P

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

09/01/2004 04:06:44 PM · #15

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by faidoi:
Damn forgot my battery cable and only had juice for 50 shots. Good thing I live about 5 minutes away. Go back after lunch :)

Why don't you take your laptop/wireless modem and upload some pics directly from the zoo? Seriously, if you're free Wednesdays and are that close I can probably make it in October.

Interesting thing is my current job is closer to the zoo then my house.I was thinking about taking tons of pictures going there and burn the images onto a cd, erase and then go back and shoot more :)

I can't too much ahead of time because of a 2nd job, but do bump or start a new thread.

2nd job is oncall duty at Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park so expect tons of flower shots.

Message edited by author 2004-09-01 16:15:48.

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

09/01/2004 04:09:01 PM · #16

Here are a couple of shots I took last Sunday at Marwell Zoo.

Here are the original's, I converted to b&w to hide the green fence wire, anyway I am going through my b&w phase at the moment. Did not do anything to the colour shots except applied unsharp mask.

Message edited by author 2004-09-02 16:29:58.

geewhy

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

09/01/2004 04:19:14 PM · #17

Originally posted by chinstrap:

Here are a couple of shots I took last Sunday at Marwell Zoo.

Nice shots Mike...It would be interesting to see the colour versions as well for comparison

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/01/2004 05:03:40 PM · #18

Originally posted by faidoi:

2nd job is oncall duty at Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park so expect tons of flower shots.

Nice architecture opportunities too. And isn't the Arboretum across the street too? How's the demolition/construction going at the CAS and the DeYoung?

moodville

Nikon D100

09/01/2004 05:55:04 PM · #19

Originally posted by jenesis:

And here's my tribute to Moodville (though it's not a chimp and not half as good as her stuff) but nonetheless a tribute to her fantastic animal photography. :)

Awww thanks, and a very nice shot. Just gotta love those intense eyes.

09/02/2004 12:12:19 AM · #20

Ok, I decided at the last moment to drop by the zoo. Crowds weren't too bad near closing time. I didn't end up taking many photos. Partly because of the time and partly because the lighting really accentuated the dirt and grime on the fences and glass in front of many exhibits. Not to mention my feet hurt before even getting there. Not a good way to start a trip to the zoo.

EDIT: Old outdated links removed.

Message edited by author 2006-08-29 02:10:20.

09/02/2004 12:34:06 AM · #21

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

Ok, I decided at the last moment to drop by the zoo. Crowds weren't too bad near closing time. I didn't end up taking many photos. Partly because of the time and partly because the lighting really accentuated the dirt and grime on the fences and glass in front of many exhibits. Not to mention my feet hurt before even getting there. Not a good way to start a trip to the zoo.

Here are some photos I took though. Any constructive comments?

I must have walked right past you as I have a similar lion picture. Not as good as yours. I wish I had a dSLR with a good zoom lens. Doing zoo shots you really need a good zoom. May I ask what kind of lens you used?

Message edited by author 2004-09-02 00:41:25.

09/02/2004 12:39:09 AM · #22

Between the couple hundred shots of the "Hearts in San Francisco" project yesterday and todays' 700 zoo shots it's going to take me awhile to go through all of them of the weeks pictures.

1 of the 700 zoo shots (Will post a couple more later as they get processed):

Message edited by author 2004-09-02 00:47:22.

09/02/2004 12:52:14 AM · #23

Originally posted by faidoi:

Sounds like you made it back with your cable. You may have walked right by me if you were at the lions around a half hour before closing. Although, I think the photo could have been taken at virtually any time of day. Seems pretty rare to get one of these semi-nocturnal cats to not look like they are doped out.

My lens is a Sigma EX 100-300mm f4 APO HSM IF. Decent lens but a little short for what I originally had in mind for it. I've been contemplating selling it in favor of a Canon 100-400 IS or maybe just a 500mm prime. Don't know. I used to be able to get out and about all the time. This last year I haven't found much time to get outdoors as much as I like.

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

09/02/2004 08:03:19 AM · #24

Originally posted by geewhy:

Originally posted by chinstrap:
Here are a couple of shots I took last Sunday at Marwell Zoo.

Nice shots Mike...It would be interesting to see the colour versions as well for comparison

I will try and post them tonight, off on hols tomorrow so may not have time!!

Put them up - see my original posting below/above

Mike

Message edited by author 2004-09-02 16:27:44.