What a 'Zoo'tiful Day

We had gorgeous weather here in Omaha today so we did what a lot of other people did...go to the zoo!  I always love to go to the zoo and see what all the animals are up to.  I also love to try to capture the experience with my camera.  Before I head to the zoo I always try to have a game plan (or at least a lens plan).  I don't like to lug a lot of lenses around when it's just myself and the kids so I try to only take one.  Today I decided to go with my 'snout' (55mm-300mm) and boy am I glad that's the lens I took.  I was able to get real close to quite a few neat animals today.  All of these shots are SOOC (straight out of camera) except for the watermark.  I was playing around with manual mode for a lot of these too (the butterflies, zebra, and boys are program mode).  For some that's the only mode that will work well (especially when shooting through the glass at the zoo).  Here are a few of my favorites.  Enjoy!!    

Mating butterflies, 220mm, 1/200th at f/5.3, ISO 400

Zebra, 300mm, 1/400th at f/5.6, ISO 200

All smiles, 120mm, 1/640th at f/6.3, ISO 200

Lemurs behind glass, 135mm, 1/13th at f/5, ISO 800

Gorilla behind glass, 195mm, 1/500th at f/5.3, ISO 400

Tiger yawn, 300mm, 1/200th at f/5.6, ISO 200

Peacock head, 280mm, 1/125th at f/5.6, ISO 200

N. American porcupine, 150mm, 1/320th at f/5, ISO 200

N. American porcupine, 150mm, 1/320th at f/5, ISO 200

N. American porcupine, 300mm, 1/200th at f/5.6, ISO 200