soapnstuf031251 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Hi! soapnstuf031251 here. I have a question.
I have a Canon XSI 450 D camera and I would like to know how to take pictures of animals through cages. My granddaughter somehow takes pictures and you cannot see the bars on the cages. I would like to know what settings to put my camera on so I can get this same type of photograph.
She took a picture of a tiger and the photograph came out great and there were no bars in the picture.
Since I am fairly new in the photography field when it comes to DSLR cameras I'm not sure if I should put it on automatic or if I should put on close up or how to set the camera up. I'm trying to keep things as simple as I can but I do want to learn about my camera. On a bright sunny day would I set my ISO at 400 or would I go to 200 ISO? What about if they're in the shade, do I just set the ISO to? Thanks for any help that you can give me. March will be here before I know it and this is my favorite time to visit the zoo. Patti Mc. :-)

Sheila Loc: Arizona or New York

On a sunny day I would set ISO to 200. How do you set your white balance? Automatic or do you pick shade when you are photographing in the shade?

If your zoo has wire mesh or glass enclosures, set you aperature to f 8 or f 11 and put your camera lens up to the mesh or shade. I would use my lens hood to avoid damage. Use manual focus and focus on the eyes of the animal if possible or a part of the animal you want in sharp focus. By keeping the focus on the animal and the lens close to the mesh you eliminate most or all of it in your photo.

If the enclosure is glass put a cloth around the lens hood as it touches the glass if you have a tulip shaped lens hood. With bars, it depends on the situation. Try to find a spot where the interference from the bars is minimal, you will be fine. In any event focus on the animal, this will help reduce the effect of bars in the picture.

It would be helpful if we knew more about the zoo you will be visiting. I have photographed animals in many types of enclosures at small and large zoos. Some have public feeding times which are always interesting. I find early morning is a really good time to photograph the zoo, just as it is for many other subjects.

tlbuljac Loc: Oklahoma

Great info...thanks for sharing

Sheila Loc: Arizona or New York

If you are unsure of exposure try a couple of shots. Certain animals don't move much so you don't need a fast shutter but others do. You can always up the ISO if it isn't enough in the situation.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

I have no idea how to take a picture of an animal in a cage and not show the bars, there are no settings in the camera to make this happen that I know of, unless your able to somehow point the camera between the bars. If you want to shoot your camera in "Auto" mode, go ahead...then hit the "review" button on your camera and see what settings your camera used for the picture then go from there. Next time, put the settings in manualy and shoot the same scene. It takes practice. When shooting outside on a sunny day, I wouldn't use iso higher than 200. Learn the three main points of exposure, shutter, apeture and iso and learn what each one does. Read the manual for your camera. Pick up some books on digital photography, it's a interesting learning expeirence...good luck!

Sheila Loc: Arizona or New York

Here is a good web site

digital-photography-school.com/zoo-photography

This site is very good for a number of ideas and instruction. It is free and you can sign up for an email of new topics every week

MtnMan Loc: ID

The secret to making the bars go away is to use the minimum f-stop on your lens and spot focus on the critter you want in the distance.

On a bright day outside ISO 100 for still shots. But if what you want to shoot is moving or you need higher ISO to achive it with a long lens be sure to maintain a shutter speed of at least 1/2*lens mm. That is with a 100 mm lens you want at least 1/200 shutter speed or faster.

soapnstuf031251 Loc: Knoxville, TN

Wow what a great information you were able to share with me. I have my white balance down although I thought it would be simpler that way since I really don't know that much about the camera yet. I have a tulip lens is that going to be okay to use up against the glass at least this way it won't scratch my lens. You gave me so much great information that I can apply to the use of my camera. Some of my faves are the cats and the snakes.
I know snakes seem to be a boring subject but I just think they're cool even know they don't move very much. My favorite of the cats is the Bengal tiger and I really would like to get a good shot of it. I also like the monkeys for some strange reason. In the case of the monkeys, because of their activity, would I shoot in the sports mode? Thank you again for all your advice and I look forward to taking my camera to the zoo in March. --- Patti Mc. :-)
PS: BTW, our zoo is set up to be in their natural habitat.

normsImages Loc: Alabama for now

one more thing. You can't always get close to the bars. In this case wait till the animal is far away form the bars and focus on the animal. If there is enough distance between the animal and the bars and focus is on the animal the bars will disappear.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

If, as at the Sacramento Zoo, you have to shoot through glass or plexiglass, get a rubber lens hood that screws into your filter mount. By pressing the hood against the glass, you protect your lens, eliminate reflections and place your lens close enough to the glass that, by using a large aperture (small number), you narrow the depth of field sufficiently to eliminate any dirt or scratches on the glass. The same is true of chain link fencing.

bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

most up to date zoo's have done away with the bars.if the ones near you havn't then you are pretty much stock with them.i worry more about the price of admission to the top rated zoo's.

Dartmoor Walker Loc: Dartmoor, Devon. England.

I would use a wide aperture, probably f5.6, wider if possible, this will eliminate any sign of the fence etc!! and will give some separation to the main subject from the background area as well. good luck.

mickeys Loc: Fort Wayne, IN

hand focus instead of auto focus. your lens will try and focus on the fense instead of the animal if on auto focus.

sidney Loc: London.Eng.

Mickeys is so right.just use MANUAL focus on your subject
while in telephoto.bars are gone..

PNagy Loc: Missouri City, Texas

If you are close to the bars you can blur them out. Set the focus and/or metering to spot. Aim the center point of the viewfinder right between two bars and on the animal inside. Press the shutter button halfway to set the focus, then push it down the rest of the way. You will have blurred or invisible bars and a sharp, well exposed animal.