A new series started on TV3 last night that takes viewers behind the scenes at Dublin Zoo. Judging from the first episode it looks like it could be one to watch – if only just to see more footage of the two Sumatran Tiger cubs that were the stars of last night’s episode. This peacock didn’t feature, although in my experience he’s the first creature you’re likely to see when you enter the zoo.
I made two trips to the zoo last year, photographing this guy on both occasions. This picture is from the second trip, where I had a little more success in getting the type of photo I was after. Despite the fact that the peacock is always around the same area and easy to spot, it’s not as easy as you might think to get a decent capture of him.
The problem is that he’s always moving. This means that even if you do get a sharp image, it may not be composed as you would like. Having learnt from previous mistakes in this respect, next time I’d be inclined to shoot with a wider lens with scope to crop-to-taste later. Cheating, perhaps, but if it gets you the shot…
I hope to return to the zoo this spring, but I must also add a visit to Fota Wildlife Park in Cork on to the to-visit list this year. It’s a little more open than the zoo with more scope to get up close to the animals. Or at least some of them.
We’re getting into that time of year where photography outings like this become more feasible, with longer days and better weather (in theory at least!). Speaking of photography outings, I haven’t yet plugged a new website for that sort of thing that might be of interest to Irish photography enthusiasts, so if you fall into that category make sure to take a look at the cleverly simple photowalk.ie website which promises to provide ongoing opportunites to get you and your camera out and about.
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