A visit to the National Zoo

Yesterday Jimmy and I took the metro into Washington, D.C. to visit the National Zoo. It was really hot and exhausting, but we had a great time! I was good and stuck to shooting only with my Digital Rebel, and it felt great to get some real practice in. I saw a lot of photographers there with giant telephoto lenses trying to get wildlife shots, but since I don’t have access to that kind of equipment, I tried to focus more on the experience of the zoo, including all the pens and enclosures, zookeepers at work, and the crowds of onlookers. Maybe it’s only apparent to me because I remember the moments in the photos, but what I like about the animal portraits I did get is how they convey different animals’ reactions and interactions with human visitors — whether they were oblivious, indifferent, or downright social.

Also, it must be said: I know Washington, D.C. gets a bad rep sometimes for all the traffic, crime, lack of parking, etc… but despite all that, I love it more every time I visit. The thing is, more than any city I’ve ever seen, D.C. really is a city “for the people,” and that’s thanks in large part to the Smithsonian Institution. I’ve never been anywhere with so much free access to high-quality museum programming — and the zoo was no exception. There was so much for kids and adults alike to do beyond looking at animals — they really never missed a teaching moment, even in the bathroom, lol!