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join me at the Dallas Zoo? - 8/20/2017

WoodButcher

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Location
Austin, TX
First Name
Rusty
Last Name
Myers
I'm heading up Saturday night and grabbing a hotel nearby so I can get to the zoo when it opens at 9am on Sunday. Anybody want to wander the zoo with me? I like to spend time where there are unobstructed views of animals and get a good shot.

Here are some pictures from a trip to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco. https://woodbutcher.smugmug.com/Animals/Cameron-Park-Zoo-2-2017

I'd be glad to show you what I've learned and would be happy to find out any tricks you have learned for photographing zoo animals. And I'd love to have someone along who knows the zoo.
 
Hey Rusty, this is right down the road from me. My wife and I would love to tag along. I will confirm when I get home and post up a confirmation either way.
 
You don't really want to stay in a motel near the zoo. To say it is a bad neighborhood is an understatement. You are welcome to stay in my cabin if you would like. It is about 30 minutes straight up I35E to the zoo from here. If interested, PM me. Brian
 
Actually I was going to try Waxahachie for a hotel. The reviews on the couple close to the zoo were very poor. Zoo doesn't open until 9am so that is close enough.

Nate, I may still have your phone number, that is if it didn't change when you moved up there. Oh, and I'm driving, not riding. Too much camera stuff. I took too much to the Waco zoo back in February and not enough last week. So I'm going mid-range this time.
 
The bank I work for always uses the Hampton Inn to put visitors up in. Right at the intersection of I35E and US 287. But there is a new one next door, I don't remember the brand. Also a Holiday Inn is east on 287 about a mile. There is not a newer/decent motel north of Waxahachie that I recall. The traffic thru Temple has been **** for the last few weekends returning from further south, but not really a good work around. Plenty of construction on I35 at Waxahachie, however I have not experienced any delays except for the occasional wreck. Your still welcome to stay here. Lakefront with 2 old dogs.
 
The bank I work for always uses the Hampton Inn to put visitors up in. Right at the intersection of I35E and US 287. But there is a new one next door, I don't remember the brand. Also a Holiday Inn is east on 287 about a mile. There is not a newer/decent motel north of Waxahachie that I recall. The traffic thru Temple has been **** for the last few weekends returning from further south, but not really a good work around. Plenty of construction on I35 at Waxahachie, however I have not experienced any delays except for the occasional wreck. Your still welcome to stay here. Lakefront with 2 old dogs.

thanks for the confirmation about my hotel plans and I appreciate the offer. One of the things I like about these little trips of mine is a little bit of alone time at night. It seems at home, I'm never alone so I treasure these opportunities.
 
Hey Rusty, I'm sorry for the late update it was a long busy day. I unfortunately am out for tomorrow, I really tried to make it work but there are too many things stacked up at home that I need to take care of before I start another week. I hope you get some great shots!

Nate, I may still have your phone number, that is if it didn't change when you moved up there. Oh, and I'm driving, not riding. Too much camera stuff. I took too much to the Waco zoo back in February and not enough last week. So I'm going mid-range this time.
 
Not a problem. I should have told you about the new lenses I have you could have tried out. :duck:
 
Darn. Jay and I were in Dallas and could have joined you for a couple of hours before our flight home. We had the Sony A6000 that needs to be broken in on a zoo expedition.
 
It was hot and humid, but a good trip. Around 800 shots got trimmed to 600 pretty quickly. Now to remove bad composition and repeats (fast frame rate means several of the same). Should get it down under 300. Should have 10-20 I really like.
 
Dude, I'm so baked...



Acid? I didn't do any acid!

IMD_5633-XL.jpg


Oh wait, maybe I did. Help! Get me outta here!

 
Rusty--Have you thought of going to the Ft. Worth Zoo? I think it is 1000% better than the Dallas Zoo.

Great shots BTW.
 
Great shots, Rusty! Really nice crispness, color and quality. What long lens did you use? :clap:
 
Long lens is a Canon 100-400 f4-5.6 IS II. Excellent lens so far. I have a 1.4 teleconverter that works well, but I seldom use it. Short lens is a 24-70 f2.8 II. I've hauled my 70-200 f2.8 IS II to the Waco zoo. The f2.8 lenses make it easier to not see the bars in the cages, but was too lazy to carry it this time.

The lion pics, for example, were all through chain link. The closer you get to the fence and the further the subject is from it, the better the odds are it won't show. Next pic shows the lion cage. First lion is to the left and close to the chain link. I was a little closer, like where the pink hat in front of me is. I don't know how I got that first picture. The cub is up under that tree in the middle, and the other female lion is further up to the right. Straight over from the cub, but isn't visible in this cell phone shot.

IMG_20170820_104855-X2.jpg


Lots of the enclosures have open views. The bars and chain link you can usually shoot through. The glass sucks. The only place I shot through that well was the herpetarium. They must use antireflective glass in there.
 
Sorry Darrell, almost forgot to answer your question. Yes, it is on my list now. My daughter just took a job in Arlington so I anticipate going up there more often. Fossil Rim is also on the list. As is Houston. Might as well hit them all. Austin and SA have zoos too. And I'm hoping to get an invite to KamLeeR's place to shoot her camels and lemurs. And other critters.
 
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....And I'm hoping to get an invite to KamLeeR's place to shoot her camels and lemurs. And other critters.

Do I need to bring the bbq pit for this one? lol



Yeah, I'd LOVE to capture some her critters myself.

Nice work, Rusty. :photo:
 
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A friend of mine safaris in Africa. He goes to the zoos window shopping (he says joking):photo:
Great shots. We took the grandkids to Franklin Wildlife Park, They petted giraffes from a elevated platform. Very friendly nice set up. on hwy 79 east of Herne west of Franklin. I have a picture of a baby kangaroo leg sticking out of mom's pouch. Will try to post if ok with you Rusty.
 
Sorry Darrell, almost forgot to answer your question. Yes, it is on my list now. My daughter just took a job in Arlington so I anticipate going up there more often. Fossil Rim is also on the list. As is Houston. Might as well hit them all. Austin and SA have zoos too. And I'm hoping to get an invite to KamLeeR's place to shoot her camels and lemurs. And other critters.

No problem. I knew you would get to me eventually :lol2:

  • San Antonio is AWESOME
  • Austin we didn't really find any value in it when we went
  • Houston, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not waste your time and money. It's by far the worst big city zoo we've ever been to. They are landlocked and have this socialite running the zoo board that wants to make it her own legacy. She's destroyed the zoo I knew as a kid.
  • Brownsville has a great zoo according to Jay. He's a zoo afficiando.
  • Natural Bridge in New Braunfels has a wildlife park that Jay loves also.
  • ABQ has a great zoo as well
  • We've wanted to go to Fossil Rim and do the camping in the A-frames to see the evening watering event.
 
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