Why I photograph at the Oakland Zoo!
- It’s a place where I can photograph animals and birds without traveling too far away and distant lands.
- It’s a place where I can practice. Practice and more practice, in order to develop my style and my vision.
- Learn the technical aspects of a new camera body. Or improve my technical skills with the camera I already have, so that when I am in Africa or some other wild habitat. I am totally competent with my camera’s features and buttons.
- When I am proficient with the technical aspects of photography this frees me up to concentrate on composition, light, and focus.
- Furthermore, I can create images that sing with the beauty. Beyond just beauty, connect to the spirit of the animal or bird, and showing a reverence for the sacredness of life.
- It’s where I can learn and watch animal behavior. Taking these lessons and knowledge into the wilderness where with this accumulated knowledge; I can feel and sense what the animal or bird is going to do next.
- It’s a place where I can play and have fun. Free me of the cuffs of ego and a rational adult mind. Let my curiosity about these animals flourish.
- A place where my passion for bird and animal photography can shine. Touching others around me and inspiring my students who are with me.
Date: Sunday, October 28, 2018
Meeting Location: Upper Oakland Zoo Parking Lot at The Zoo Entrance
Agenda: 5 hours of photo shooting at the Oakland Zoo
Meeting Time: 9:30 AM
This workshop runs from 9:30 PM to 3:30 PM, with an hour Lunch Break where the morning activities will be discussed. It’s limited to 6 participants to keep the group size small, providing for more one on one teaching moments.
Recommended equipment: 300 mm Lens or longer, 1.4x teleconverter, DLSR Camera body. Extra set of camera batters, plenty of Flash or SD cards on hand. A good camera strap for hand holding your lens. Good walking shoes, for the Oakland Zoo, is hilly and we will do some walking from an enclosure to enclosure depending on the shooting conditions. Light tripods, monopods, or handheld methods are workable for zoo photography with each having their own advantages or disadvantages. I will be hand holding a 400 mm lens, and not bringing a tripod. Although in the past, I have used my 600 mm f4.0 IS lens with a tripod and carried it around in a cart.
Non-Covered Items:
Entrance or Parking Fees: The Oakland Zoo has a $10.00 parking fee. Entrance fees are as follows:
Under 2, Free, Ages 2–14, $18.00, Ages 15–64, $22.00, Ages 65–75, $18.00, Ages 76 and over, Free.
Lunch is available at the zoo at one of their dining facilities or you can bring your own. Here is a link to the Oakland Zoo menu page. http://www.oaklandzoo.org/dining We will dine together so we can discuss the morning’s photography activities.
Some major Bay Area banks and other organizations offer discounts for Bay Area Attractions like the Oakland Zoo. They might have discounts available for entrance fees and parking.
Covered Items:
My local knowledge of the Oakland Zoo and what animal habitats are best for photography.
5 hours of photo shooting at the Oakland Zoo, with personal instruction on photographing animals. Tips on shooting techniques, camera settings, and what shooting methods work best. What is art? And how to create images that sing with beauty and capture the heart of a viewer.
Post-trip review and critique of three images.
Cost:
$129.00 per person
Note: Itinerary and activities might change based on weather conditions.
A Release and Waiver of Liability will be required once registered.
More Oakland Zoo Images here: https://dreamcatcherimages.net/portfolio/oakland-zoo-images/
Space is limited, so book your spot now.
