When you photograph birds,  at some point you will make images of very cool birds that are firsts (lifers) for you, but your pictures aren‘t very good.  You know they’re not pro quality, but do you share with friends and birders or delete?

Below are images that range from barely showable to pretty good.  They are of birds that are lifers for me.  I may have one frame or maybe five, but none are very good.

The first image is not a bad shot. It is the most acceptable of the four images.  It was made across the street from my motel in Rockport Texas.  There exists a bay on the Gulf of Mexico.  Two partial days here and two in Aransas NWR, netted me many new species but few good pictures do to very dark skies and rain.

This gull is called the Black Skimmer and this splashing behavior is its signature.

Below we have a showable but sub-par image of a White Ibis, and a better shot of a Glossy Ibis. These pictures were made in the aforementioned Aransas NWR.

I love Cinnamon Teal but unfortunately I did a perfectly poor job in my one opportunity with this species.  This image was made in 2005 under dark conditions and despite having a good 15 minutes to make pictures, I managed to create all of my images at about this level of quality.  I still show this picture a because I love these birds and my photography can’t always be about me.

I could carry on with Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Green Jays, Hooded Orioles and more, but I think not.

A lttle known fact.  The greatest photographers on earth make their share of bad images.

While I always caution photographers to represent images of captive animals as being such, when your intent is to get them published, public zoos are still great places to practice close-up photography of wildlife.  I noticed that this year’s NANPA convention in Jacksonville, Florida included some trips (workshops?) to the local zoo for meet and greets with well-known photographers.  I myself once taught a series of workshops at a public zoo.

One thing you are always looking for when you make close-ups of wildlife is detail.  Detail can be in the form of texture.   The fur of a lion, or the skin of a Rhino are good examples of how texture can mean detail.  The lack of compressed atmosphere when you are close to you subject, is one reason that you record more detail.

Intimate moments do happen in zoos, and you should be anticipating them. Japanese Snow Monkey

Great faces, (or goatees) are a natural subject when you are up close.   With those gray/white whiskers I think I may be related to this guy.  Polar Bear

Unusual animals that would be difficult to find, even if you were at the right wild location, are just waiting for you at the zoo.  White Tiger

The only times I have ever regretted stopping at a zoo for some close-up photography, was when I believed the zoo was less than stellar with their care of the animals.

Unlike game farms that are created just so photographers can make pictures, public zoos will exist whether you use them or not.  If you are like me those images may not be quite as special to you as the wild ones, but there is much to be learned by taking your camera to the zoo and I would suggest you try it.

Thanks for taking a trip to the zoo with me, but now let’s go back to the wild.  It’s what nature photography is all about.

Mallard and baby, Lake Michigan

Mountain Goat, Mt. Evans Colorado

Female Snapping Turtle, Illinois

Grasshopper,  Wisconsin

For something different today I bring to you wildlife painter John Banovich.  At first look, John’s work seemed a little too life-like for my tastes. I prefer photography when life-like is the order of the day.  When I enlarged the thumbnails I found them a lot more to my liking. John definitely does not give away his paintings, and people are willing to pay the price. I know a few things about the who’s who of nature/landscape painters but admit I am totally ignorant on wildlife painters. My impression is that John is one of the best. Enjoy!

Keep the wind at your back and the sun on your face,                                                                Wayne