Caldwell Zoo , Tyler

[mxcat]

one more


and yet one more
leopard

[TexIndian]

Really nice, mxcat. I may have to add Tyler to my upcoming photo tour.

[jeffkohn]

Very nice shots. I grew up in Longview, might have to check out that zoo next time I'm back visiting the folks. Looks like they have some nice exhibits there; based on your shots the environments appear to be a lot less "cage-like" than some zoos.

[mxcat]

Jeff.. I was impressed with Caldwell zoo.. Even the most cage-like enclosures are better than most zoos.. The lions live on a hill with a moat surrounding it with elephants and impalas and other animals infront of it.. From behind the hill drops away so it looks like one big open area... Awesome..

I will go back

D

[Bill Huber]

Great shots, you may want to check the levels.

I really like the lion shots, they are all very nice.

That is one really nice looking place, I am just going to have to go out there some day, I think it only about 2 hours form me.

[jazzdiver]

mxcat,

In a word...wonderful job! I wan't nearly as successful on my venture to Caldwell Zoo as you were, leaving with a "nice zoo, but not for photographer's so much" sort of opinion. Your results here prove how wrong that is, so I guess I'll just blame how things can vary on a day to day basis at perhaps any zoo. The lions were among the easier subjects to photograph, even through the plexiglas, given their distance away and how that would lend to blurring to invisible any near foreground clutter. Still, the quality you obtained of the lions is very good. What impresses me most is the jaguar though, as that shot gives no hint at all of being shot through a window. I had my choice of two images...a pacing jaguar or one sitting up high in the cage; the latter was the better shot but still evoked a caged animal situation, where yours does not. Everything here looks great!

Daryl

[KKapple]

Great shots!
Cool looking layout of the zoo. just looked it up on the internet.
I will have to make a trip out there.

[suzyjazz]

These are great.... My favorites are the lionness and the jaguar. Like Jazzdiver said, you can't even tell the leopard is through glass. Wow. And the elephant spraying the dirt is really good! I think the Houston Zoo has really bad glass. Even when the lighting isn't harsh, the glass is just real thick and cloudy.

Suzy

[bohonk445]

Great shots, all of them. I agree that the elephant/dirt pics is by far the best! Great capture!

[mxcat]

Bill.. I reworked the female lion.. I did get a little carried away fixing it before.
Daryl.. That is a leopard.. I didn't get a chance with the jaguar for the same reasons you stated.. There is always another day..
Suzy.. The glass is not as thick there and is pretty clean.. Makes for some strange color effects though.. I am not sure if it is green or blue but it makes the grass look nuclear..
The glass at some of the exhibits in fort worth is very thick and dirty and scratched up.. almost hopeless..
Here are jags in Fort Worth.. These are gone to Houston last I heard.. We now have a new pair
http://www.mxcat.com/jaguars.html

Derek

[jazzdiver]

Derek,

Indeed, I stand corrected...I should know my leopards and jaguars by now, but I guess I still confuse them. In any case, the shooting conditions I mentioned with respect to the "jaguars" were in fact for the leopards, yet i agree that the jaquar enclosure was worse in terms of the glass/plexiglas quality, scratches, etc. Plus, one jaguar was pacing quickly around the full enclosure, never really staying still long to work out how to avoid glare or reflections from the window while getting a good photo of the cat. The other, a black jaguar, was off to the side where again the window quality prevented getting a good shot.

The windows at the Fort Worth Zoo can also be a challenge. Here's a pic that was pretty crummy, with a low contrast look imparted by the dirty, scratched window. But, with some Photoshop edits, I was able to pull out a decent image albeit with evidence of dirt on the window. I like the playful look of the white tiger though, so I decided this was still a keeper.




Daryl

P.S. - It helps to include a pic when you talk about it...post-edit made the fix! :)

[mxcat]

Daryl..

I have gotten a few good ones thru the fwz glass ..they usually need some work to make presentable though.. It would be interesting to get equally red and green filters to offset the green glass.. That glass is the cokin filter from hell..

[jazzdiver]

Derek,

Bravo!...definitely good shots, with the glass nearly indistinguishable if not for a few subtle spots where the focus seems softened. Nice color in the eyes!

Daryl

[rkboid]

The leopard pic is great!!! And I do agree with the original Identification. The gestalt does not seem robust enough, and rosettes seem much too small for a jaguar. But anyway great pics

[rkboid]

The leopard pic is great!!! And I do agree with the original Identification. The gestalt does not seem robust enough, and rosettes seem much too small for a jaguar. But anyway great pics