Gorillas

DJ-S1

Again at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. For some reason the gorilla exhibit made me a bit sad. I guess I think cattle or rhinos probably don't mind being in captivity, but gorillas look so much like us humans I can't help but think that on some level they understand where they are.

Even so, our own Troy (Windoze) has posted such great images of gorillas here that I wanted to try myself. Now as you may have read in other threads it was bright sunshine, deep shadows and my only lens was 28-75mm. So those are my excuses - here are my photos.

I started with the silverback, he was very photogenic - or would have been, had he not been content to sit exactly in the wrong spot for the whole time I watched. :wxwax He sat in a dark spot surrounded by sunlit areas, munching on apples.




This youngster was more cooperative and moved around a bit, but he was looking away for the only good shot I snapped of him.



This fellow appears to be looking at me, but he is actually studying a branch hanging above the ditch separating the 2 primate species in attendance (us and them) from each other. He took a while to calculate if he could grab it or not.



He decided he could get it, and almost fell 20 feet for his trouble. But he did catch a leaf or 2 from it while balancing on the edge. :clap



Out of all the shots, I managed to get one pretty good one.



So thanks for inspiring me to give it a go, Troy. :thumb

saurora

Some good shots! I do really like the last one. Those hands are amazing!!! I like the spot of sunlight crossing his brow and "silverback". It is very haunting to look into those eyes...they do seem so intelligent, it is very heartbreaking to see them in captivity.

Dick on Aruba

Great series of some awesome gorillias.

Thanks for sharing.

Dick.

DJ-S1

Thanks guys - I always hear folks saying how hard it is to shoot a dark animal like a black lab or something. Now I can see for myself, it's hard to get detail out of the fur.

mbz

Very nice

Frog Lady

DJ - I like the last one and the one of the juvie. They are very expressive animals and I know what you mean about seeing them in captivity.

C.

Awais Yaqub

nice gorilla shots

windoze

as a close relative of the gorilla i can tell you with complete authority - YOU DID GOOD! Not so easy is it? BUT YOURS ARE REALLY GOOD!

And ya know what, it's been almost a year since ive been back to the Gorillas so thanx for "lighting" the GORILLA BUG inside me.....

they do look so human like, if i remember correctly their DNA is over 99% similar to ours ( well at least to mine )...

THANX for sharing these!!


troy

Now im going back to sleep.....

Harryb

Good set DJ

Tess32

A good set there, especially considering the light. Gorillas are my favourite animal to photograph (except dogs of course!).

Nat

DJ-S1

I've been away for a few days so I just got back to this thread - thanks for all the comments everyone