Photo tour at Fossil Rim

[mmcaleer]

Our family is a member out at Fossil Rim Wildlife park. The kids love it. In case you are interested they have a photo tour this weekend. Unfortunately I cannot attend.

http://www.fossilrim.org/index.php

Photography Tour at
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center March 7th

Have you ever considered a photography safari to Africa, but you just cannot carve out the time for it? If that’s the case, then a Photography Tour at Fossil Rim is just the ticket!

Fossil Rim is offering a 4-hour photography tour on Sat. March 7th from 3 pm till 7 pm. The tour will be conducted during dusk for the best light possible. The tour will go through Fossil Rim’s 1700 acre pastures. There are 59 species of animals here at Fossil Rim. Some of the animals that you may photograph are white rhinoceros, blackbuck, European red deer, gemsbok, zebra, addax, waterbuck, giraffe, sable antelope, axis deer, and addra gazelle, just to name a few.

Please contact our Reservations and Information Officers at: 254-897-2960 to make your reservations.
The seating is limited to 24 participants.

Cost: $65

[Phanee]

I am planning to go for the tour. Didn't reserve yet. Planning to do that tomorrow depending on how weekend weather changes.

Phanee added 1371 Minutes and 19 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

I am planning to take 70-200 F4 with me and I might rent 2x convertor.

Other than this do I have to take anything else into consideration, as far as Wildlife photography is concerned?

[mobilezen]

oh wow...I will look at the site for more info. If they do this again, I'll definitely consider it and make a camping trip out of it!

[Phanee]

Some of the photos taken there.

[mobilezen]

What lens did you shoot with? Did the animals ever get really close?

[Phanee]

Almost all shots are with 70-200L F/4 IS. Animals are as close as you can get to.

Since we go on a open truck, it was lot easier to shoot.
There were only 6 photographers, which gave lot of moving space.

And the lighting was perfect on that day.

[KD5NRH]

A little later in the spring would be great if you could get the light-overcast lighting. Most of the animals at FR are designed to blend in with dry grass, so when things green up they'll still look perfectly natural and happy, but with better contrast.

It's a great place to drive through almost any time of year, though if you're wanting to maximize your photo opportunities, it would be worth paying for a buddy's entrance fee to have them drive while you and your gear sit in the back seat alone to have clear shots out both sides. Bench back seats are best, of course.

It looks like the photo safari is a good deal, but 4 hours just doesn't seem like enough time. (Though, without air conditioning later in the year, it would probably be too long.)

[toverman]

Great shots, Phanee!

I had considered going but was booked up that day. Plus, I wasn't sure my 70-200 was going to be enough, but looks like it would've been. Awesome.

For a real safari experience, I might have my wife drive while I hang out of the sunroof.

[Phanee]

Joe, You are so right. I am finding that most of the pictures lack contrast due to dry grass. I should make one more trip later.

Phanee added 3 Minutes and 47 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Todd, Thank you.

70-200 was sufficient enough for most of the shots. Only time it felt inadequate is while shooting Cheetahs.

[digitaldude400d]

FR has become one of my favorite places to go since moving to Texas. Ive been there 3 times already this year and on my last trip there I discovered something that made the ride through the park a completely different experience.

Park rules state that you MUST remain in your vehicle but rule is rather loosely enforced when it comes to pick up trucks. I asked the park staff if it was permissible to ride in the bed of the pick up and they said "of course". You get a much better experience and have better photos opportunities this way...HIGHLY recommended!!

[mobilezen]

Question for those that have gone: Where did you stay while you were down there? I see lodging on the website but are there any other alternatives other than Dinosaur Valley State Park? I think I will be planning to go on either April 11th or 18th...maybe we can meet up? :)

[Teddington]

Alex, it's not a bad day trip. I live in Wylie (NE of Dallas) and did it in a day. A long day for sure but no extra charges. Janice and I did the photo tour. It's good but our take is that if you could get 3-5 photographers and one had a pick up to drive through, you'd have even more control. We got few, if any, places in the park not open to the public. One person through the sunroof works too.

[rwzeitgeist]

Originally Posted by mmcaleer

Our family is a member out at Fossil Rim Wildlife park. The kids love it. In case you are interested they have a photo tour this weekend. Unfortunately I cannot attend.

Photography Tour at
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center March 7th

I participated in the first Dallas Zoo/Fossil Rim joint photo safari, back in 2007. That tour of Fossil Rim included areas not open to the public, including the cheeta breeding enclosures, the red fox, and the rhino pen. The guides stopped and let us shoot for an extended time at several of the enclosures. We actually petted one of the full grown rhinos. Unlike the public area, the cheeta enclosure in the private area is a single fence, which means photographers can get close enough to hide the fence as I did in the attached photo.

I shot almost exclusively with an EF 70-200 F/2.8L. I wanted a longer lens in only one situation. For some subjects I switched to an EF 24-70 F/2.8L.

We spent the night on the Fossil Rim grounds. They offer two sorts of lodging. I stayed in the The Lodge, which is a converted home and quite comfortable. The other option is a tent cabin. Staying on the Fossil Rim property is expensive, however. The alternative is a room in Glen Rose, which is just a few minutes from Fossil Rim. The Expo Center appears idle this weekend, so rooms should be available.

A day trip is certainly doable. As I remember, the drive from Plano is around two hours. A substantial part of the drive is two lane highway.

Bob

[Westx]

For those that want to camp, Tres Rios is another option on the North side of town just of FM 144 east of HWY 67. We go down a couple times a year and just love it.

[digitaldude400d]

Originally Posted by mobilezen

Question for those that have gone: Where did you stay while you were down there? I see lodging on the website but are there any other alternatives other than Dinosaur Valley State Park? I think I will be planning to go on either April 11th or 18th...maybe we can meet up? :)

If theres a gtg Id be interested in that!