Zoo Photography Tips: Top 7

A lion paces back and forth as the sun sets on his den at the
world famous San Diego Zoo.
This summer I spent a generous amount of time visiting my hometown zoo, the San Diego Zoo. My girlfriend and I got our year memberships in early April. Zoo’s are unlike any other environment. The variety of exotic animals all existing in the same place, can make animal photography very rewarding. But shooting in such and enclosed environment can present itself with its own set of challenges and difficulties. So here are a few zoo photography tips for you.

San Francisco, the City by the Bay

A view of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point.

During summer, my family and I visited San Francisco for the first time. During our stay, we visited Alamo Square, Pier 39, the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park and of course the famous Golden Gate Bridge.

We made the trip from San Diego by car. I can remember being on the freeway for hours admiring the rural-like landscapes along the way. Our 550 mile journey was long and tiresome. Meanwhile I had that photographer’s tingle in my fingers wishing I could get shots of the scenery before me but knowing we had to stay on the move.

Finally, we ended up making a stop in Patterson, CA to visit family. Only then, was I able to take a moment to photograph the apricot groves under the starlit sky.

My 'Best of 2011' Collection

RED TIDE- Billions of plankton called Lingulodinium polyedrum cause bioluminescence at Black's Beach, California on Oct. 1, 2011. More commonly referred to as “red tide,” the algae bloom wash ashore during late summer and have been seen to cause a neon blue glow rising from the waves like fire at night.

I hope to be launching my website by the end of this month and to compliment it I started a blog. As a photojournalist, I continue to push forward in my efforts to document that which is true and real in my surrounding environment. Each day, for me, represents a different opportunity to capture extraordinary moments and tell compelling stories. These are some of my favorite moments of 2011.
-Misael Virgen