Dartmoor Zoo 02/10: Big cats & large animals

[Zephyr]

Went to Dartmoor Zoo yesterday and thought I'd share a few I took. There are a lot I need to go through but here are the first few (i was too excited to wait!)

It is a fantastic zoo and for those that haven't been I highly recommend it!


IMG_6504_2 by GraemeWilletts, on Flickr
I love the light in this one, Siberian Lynx enjoying the hot weather.


IMG_6196_2 by GraemeWilletts, on Flickr
Arctic Wolf (argh, the grey cast from the bars is the one thing that really takes away from the picture i feel - anyone know how i can minimise the impact/remove these altogether??)


IMG_6541_2 by GraemeWilletts, on Flickr
Lioness, looking rather smug .


IMG_6541_BW by GraemeWilletts, on Flickr
And again, in black and white (I feel the cast isn't as distracting from those bars).

more to come once I get through them.

C&C welcome

Thanks all.

 

[gramps]

Agree #1 is a lovely well lit shot, the others are good too, difficult to deal with bars other than getting as close to them as possible and the focus being beyond limits the effect.
I agree with you, it is a great place to visit.

 

[Zephyr]

Agree #1 is a lovely well lit shot, the others are good too, difficult to deal with bars other than getting as close to them as possible and the focus being beyond limits the effect.
I agree with you, it is a great place to visit.

Thank you gramps . The Lynx stayed pretty much asleep for the whole day, that light was just to die for!

It's a shame I can't do much about the bars but I have quite a few others of the wolves minus the bars which I'll have to play with and post here. I feel that one was the best stance, though.

I want to find other zoos/wildlife places that are quite photographic like Dartmoor Zoo with the lack of fencing, etc. Do you have any suggestions? Whipsnade Zoo, Chester Zoo and the hawk conservancy trust centres seem good after looking here.

 

[Floss]

Haven't been to the others, but can recommend Whipsnade as a photogenic place. I would also like to suggest Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne. Quite a trek from where you are, but its really well laid out for taking photographs and has loads of big (and small!) cats! There are walk-ways around the outside of many of the enclosures, so you get some good unobstructive views

 

[cw318is]

Tiger and bear enclosure at Dartmoor is perfect for photos until about 3 when the sun is in the wrong place. Lions if you stand in front of the landrover in the shade of the tower you can get past the mesh. Cheetah enclosure is good but the view is normally down onto Sita the Cheetah. Paignton is alright for cheetahs and rhinos but not great for any other big cats really due to the distance from the mesh fences.

Hawk conservancy, brilliant but you will need at least 300mm on a crop body.

 

[Zephyr]

Haven't been to the others, but can recommend Whipsnade as a photogenic place. I would also like to suggest Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne. Quite a trek from where you are, but its really well laid out for taking photographs and has loads of big (and small!) cats! There are walk-ways around the outside of many of the enclosures, so you get some good unobstructive views

Ooh yes, Paradise Wildlife Park does look good after having a quick look on Flickr. I guess you can sneak your lens through the gaps in the fencing. Whipsnade is also on my list then

Tiger and bear enclosure at Dartmoor is perfect for photos until about 3 when the sun is in the wrong place. Lions if you stand in front of the landrover in the shade of the tower you can get past the mesh. Cheetah enclosure is good but the view is normally down onto Sita the Cheetah. Paignton is alright for cheetahs and rhinos but not great for any other big cats really due to the distance from the mesh fences.

Hawk conservancy, brilliant but you will need at least 300mm on a crop body.

Everytime i've been to Dartmoor Zoo (twice now) the Tigers have been sleeping, the same with the Jaguar which I was really looking forward to seeing. Funnily enough that was where I was standing when taking the Lioness shot .

I guess my 400 f5.6 with my 7D would be a good combination for the Hawk Conservancy? That place does intrigue me.

Thank you.