Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Its been a while guys, im still very much into photography, so much that im rarely on the computer anymore. I got some slides back today (yes i still use filme cause i personally feel it exceeds the quality of digital) and i was dissapointed with the Entire Roll i used in the reptile house in the zoo. I needed to use my flash in order to get the shutter speed i needed to handhold my camera with a 50mm lense (1/60th of a second) I slightly angled the flash up a tiny bit so that the light would give off a huge glare. This however took light away from a shot i was desperatel;y hoping would turn out. It was of a diamondback rattlesnake who was right up against the glass, i got his head in the lower right hand area of the shot and the rest of the frame was filled with his coils. I was hoping to frame that shot but it came out way underexposed cause the flash light didnt hit his face. My problem is that i need to use the flash, close to the subject (I have an OC cord) but keep it from getting glare too. This was the second time i failed in my attempt to 'conquer' the reptile house at the Philadelphia zoo. Next time i Will get more good shots!

PS-Anyone here shoote B&W film? Is it just me of does the price of developing seem ridiculously expensive ($12)? Im thinking of doing my own developing, my unlce has an enlarger he said hed give me, ive got a spare closet without much in it, so im thinking of turning it into a darkroom, any tips would be appreciated. I guess the upside is that i got some pretty sweet shots with the Blacka nd white, when i get my scanner fixed ill have to post them up.

Thanks everyone!
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-Doug Daly

"Dad, Can I scratch your Beard?"
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Yes"
"Well ok then."

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta lindheimerii)

Hey Doug..
Animals in a zoo can be a pain, especially when dealing with glass. The glare, the fingerprints/smudges and other reflections are hard to deal with. When an animal is right against the glass it is very difficult.. but here are a few things to try that will help shooting through glass..

#1 Use the flash off camera.. and put the light right against the glass.. hard to do without help, but it can be juggled.

#2 Lens right against the glass.. I sometimes use the hoods (if they are the same length all the around the edge and place that against the glass.. will keep reflections from getting in. I have also used things like foam, with the center cut out in to the size of the lens.. and rest the foam snuggly between lens and glass. This will keep reflections out..

#3 dont try to shoot through glass with a flash from more than an inch or so away from the glass.. you will get glares.

#4 dont shoot straight across the tank if it has a glass background, you will get glare and reflection in the background of your photo.. compose with the ground as the background..

#5 Try to be at the zoo during off hours.. I go to the zoo alot when the weather is not so great and shot the inside exhibits.. also early in the morning.. this will allow you to set up and take your time.

#6 Practice.. I shot through glass a lot for practice.. if you know someone with a glass tank, take some pictures every chance you get.

#7 last but not least.. take a tripod. If you can't get a shot without reflections.. set it up and take it without a flash. The good thing about reptiles at the zoo.. they will often sit perfectly still for a few seconds to pose for a shot.

As for the film, I am completely digital now, so I can't help much there..

Best of luck with it..
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photos.xtremecombatsports.com

My problem is that i need to use the flash, close to the subject (I have an OC cord) but keep it from getting glare too.

Tim has given some very good advice in his reply, but I thought I would add a few other points.

If I remember correctly, you are using an older Manual Focus Minolta (X-700?). Do you have TTL flash capability with this camera? And if so, do you have a dedicated flash unit that can communicate with the camera?

If you flash isn't TTL, then you will have to pay careful attention to your f/stop and flash distances. Make yourself a table of max flash distances at given f/stops and try and keep the flash about that range away.

Dealing with reflection is a different issue. Here you just have to get either the flash or the lens close to the glass.

Here are a couple of examples -

For this shot, I was able to get the lens right up against the glass and fill the frame with this Bothriechis rowleyi. I held my flash off to the left, near the glass, but not necessarily up against it. There is no flash reflection on the glass because the lens didn't allow it (the lens was too close to the glass).

In this shot of a Nicobar Pigeon, I couldn't get the lens near the glass due to a bannister. So I set the camera up, focused and then held the flash off to the upper right , right up against the glass. This prevented any light from reflecting off the glass and back to the lens.

If you can't get the flash or lens up against the glass, remember the angle of incidence = the angle of reflection. By careful positioning of the flash you can eliminate a lot of the reflection.

Another useful zoo tip is to carry some of those "ready wipe" type glass cleaners. That way you can remove greasy handprints/noseprints from the glass before you shoot.

As Tim pointed out, a tripod is almost a must for good herp zoo shots. It allows you to compose, frame, focus, then move the flash over to where you want it without having to worry about holding the camera steady.

Of course, tripods are a pain when you are dealing with hundreds of screaming kids. For some peace and quiet, mornings are good, but I have found the last hour before closing is even better. Usually, parents are tired by then and trying to get out before rush hour/dinner and so they tend to mostly be on their way out. Also, school tours are over. Many times, this is the quietest time in the herp house.

PS-Anyone here shoote B&W film? Is it just me of does the price of developing seem ridiculously expensive ($12)? Im thinking of doing my own developing, my unlce has an enlarger he said hed give me, ive got a spare closet without much in it, so im thinking of turning it into a darkroom, any tips would be appreciated.

I haven't shot B&W for years. Last time I did I was also shocked at the price of processing. The problem is that there aren't many people shooting it anymore so the price has gone up.
I tried developing B&W and printing at a really nice darkroom at the university I was attending. I found that printing good B&W prints is a more complicated art form than the photography itself. However, it is VERY rewarding. I say go for it, if you have room and the expensive piece of equipment (the enlarger).

Another less expensive B&W option is to use some of the newer black and white films that can be processed C-41. You can just take them to Wal-mart and have them processed like normal prints, although they look better if you have them printed on B&W paper. But the processing IS cheaper.
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Chris Harrison
Central Texas

Thanks Chris and Tim for the advice. Next time i go back to the Zoo in Philadelphia i am definitely going to 'conquer' the reptile house. I am going to a zoo tommorrow but ive only got B&W in the camera. Oh well... Anyway, to Chris, Yes i am using a Minolta X-700 and i did get around to getting a nice 360PX TTL flash for it. Thanks again for both of your guys' help!
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-Doug Daly

"Dad, Can I scratch your Beard?"
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Yes"
"Well ok then."

0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe Obsoleta lindheimerii)

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