Lowland Gorilla Mother and Newborn (C)

[Loi Nguyen]

I think taking image of animals in zoo is hard. The background is often the problem or in many cases you have to shoot thru glass. I live in Los Angles and the LA zoo is often quite depressing, so I have never taken any decent image there. This image of a Lowland Gorilla and her newborn was taken at the zoo on Mother day weekend. I was going to meet up with Rachel, but the forecast called for rain, so the meeting was cancelled. It turned out the forecasters were wrong. we had a nice day, partly sunny, and the rain didn't come until about 3PM.

5D3
70-200f2.8 II @ 200mm
1/160
f7.1
ISO-800
Handheld
Shot thru glass

Cropped a little all around

Thank you for your comments.

Loi

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

You've taken a decent image this time, that's for sure Loi! Pity the babe's face was turned away but we don't have control over that, do we? Nothing I would change. Lovely as-is!

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Loi - I'm glad you got to the Bronx Zoo anyway. Too bad the forecasters were a little off but when the rains did finally come, they really came. Sorry we missed meeting up. The gorillas are my favorite subjects at the Bronx Zoo and you did well shooting through the glass. I too wish for more of a view of the baby but so often they are uncooperative. If it were mine I would reduce the blues a bit.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Loi, for me, photographing this subject is more about capturing the character of the subject and something we often can relate to, too. I think if it was possible, even shooting through glass, would have been to go tighter, similar to Rachel's recent posts. In that way it reduces BKG clutter and provides some modesty too for the subject. I think a little more ISO for the SS, colour wise I'm OK as presented, but not so keen on the tree trunk to the RHS.

TFS
Steve

[Andreas Liedmann]

Hi Loi ,
like scene you captured . Looks very good to me for a wider Zoo shot, they seem to have a very nice and "natural" looking outdoor exhibit.
Sadly the baby is somehow uninterested to,pose for you.
Processing looks good for a through glass shot.I am fine with the colors and tones.
TFS Andreas

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hi Loi,

I think taking photographs in a zoo must be difficult in many ways. There is glass to deal with, unnatural BG, unnatural behaviour from the subjects at times. But you have done so well capturing this image of the Gorilla and Newborn, it is indeed special.

I cannot help but feel sad for those animals who can never enjoy life as they should, regardless of the amount of care from the keepers and the space they enjoy these days. Perhaps it is my imagination, but I often perceive an amount of sadness -or rather longing - on the subjects' faces.

I know a modern Zoo these days is different from I have seen in my youth, but I have this vivid memory of a lion in the Zoo in Bucharest, something I shall never forget and will stay with me till my last days, this once majestic animal in very poor condition in a cage about four times his size, he was so distressed that he walked up and down his enclosure with the most predictable pace. I wanted so badly to let him out, I tried to open the cage when my dad was not looking. My dad understood and he never took me there again, afterwards he never took me to the Circus either. Instead, we watched every Sunday this wonderful documentary on wildlife that only lasted one hour and left us both wanting to see more. The documentary was entitled "Tele-encyclopedia" and despite the "iron curtain", it allowed us a view into the lives of wild animals all over the world, regardless of the political orientation of any of the places in question.

This is indeed different, and if you did not mention the image was taken in a Zoo I would have thought these Gorillas were free. Love the lush green BG, and the subject's face does not show the sadness and distress I normally associate with life in an enclosure of sorts. The baby is fast asleep, mom is enjoying a fruit snack and her eyes are checking the surroundings, undisturbed by the photographer and daily visitors (I wonder what she was looking at?). I like the pose, the framing is just great and IQ so good despite the conditions, well done!

Kind regards,

[Loi Nguyen]

Hi Everyone, thank you very much for your helpful comments.

Rachel, yes i saw a little bit of Blue coming thru. Reduced it via Hue/Sat.

Steve, I debated about the tree trunk on the RHS too, here is a tighter crop, I think it looks better.

Gabriela, it breaks my heart too to see these magnificent creatures living in confinement. Personally I wish we would abolish zoos, but I also see the argument from the other side.

Here is the RP. Hope you like it better. at least I have contributed to this month theme.

Loi

[Tobie Schalkwyk]

Here is the RP. Hope you like it better.

Just for the record: I actually like the bit of extra space in the OP. It feels less clusterphobic knowing that this is a captured animal and would like all the space it could get. It adds more to the feel that this animal is actually in the wild. The small tree in the front also adds more balance in the OP and looks a bit obstructive in the RP. But that's probably just me. Can't please everyone, can you?

[edwardselfe]

I too prefer the RP. Better comp and draws attention to subject. Nice colours although I think it lacks a bit of 'life'. Think I might drop blacks a little ads perhaps the shadows too and then boost whites to liven up the highlights. I just had a go in LR and think it might just give it a bit more punch.
Having said all this, I think you have achieved an amazing image given that it was thru glass and that must cause trouble with contrast.
Ed