a successful impromptu trip to the zoo

We woke up to everyone feeling pretty much all better. A few coughs, but I thought fresh air would be just the remedy. I took the little two for an impromptu trip to the zoo. It was overcast and in the 70s. I think the chance of rain made the rest of the city stay away from the zoo. We basically had the entire place to ourselves for a couple of hours.

Photo tip: I took all of these with my Canon 5D, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. On almost all the photos my settings were: ISO 200, 1/320, f/2.8. Since it was an overcast day and the sun was not peeking in and out, I was able to just leave my camera on basically the same settings the whole time. I think sometimes shooting in Manual can be intimidating because some think that you have to change your settings for every single shot. Sometimes you do, but often you don’t. Case in point…this trip to the zoo.

Shameless plug for SnapShops here (next class is April 22- May 13)…but this is one reason I shoot in Manual instead of Auto (and why I like to teach others to do the same). In Auto, my pics always come out darker than I’d like. There are ways to help that in Auto, but none of the ways are as good as just shooting in Manual – in my opinion.

My Manual settings: ISO 200, 1/320, f/2.8………………………Camera’s Auto settings: ISO 400, 1/200, f/7.1

“Hello, duckie”

Do you see that background? No people! It was awesome. I am not a fan of crowds (or even large groups, if I am honest)…so this was a perfect trip to the zoo for me!

Next week the zoo is opening a new Sea Lion exhibit. They were practicing for the show while we were there. There was a small group of people gathered and a sweet mom let my little squeeze in by her kids. It was pretty great. The second pic is how she greets the lions (the furry lions, not the sea ones). I wish she wouldn’t…I have a fear of those things leaping over the fence. Seriously, I have a game plan in my head if I am at the zoo and an animal gets loose. It involves shoving my kids and myself into the air ducts above the women’s restroom. I am sure a ferocious beast could still get us there, but I know I can’t outrun an animal with four kids. I have no idea where that plan came from, but if a lion gets loose at the Tulsa Zoo – you know where to find me and my kids.

And an entire zoo playground all to ourselves.

A short train ride back to the entrance. I really like zoos, except for the times I get pooped on by birds and babies. I count a trip to the zoo successful if I make it out without being pooped on…this was a successful trip.

Shortly after we got home, my 5 year old’s school called. He and I had survived the plague that hit our house over the weekend….well now I am the last Campbell standing. Back to being stuck in the house…