As I begin my journey into blogging I was having trouble deciding on what to write about, as my journey into a career in photography is also just beginning. Scrolling through Facebook gave me my first idea.
I have noticed that the zoo seems to be a popular destination right now. After all, the kids are still out of school, so what a better way to spend the day than at the fabulous Detroit Zoo. It’s a great way to spend a summer day; however, as the weather gets warmer, even hot, the animals want what we all want in the heat: to lay in the shade and stay cool.
On hot summer days the animals tend to laze around and people watch, probably wondering why the humans stand around and sweat waiting for them to romp and play. So, as you walk along the lovely path from one enclosure to the next, you strain to see the animals as they hide in the back in a shady spot.
This has been my experience on many trips to the zoo. Even when I’ve gone to Animal Kingdom my family would head right to the safari ride as soon as the park opened, as it was cooler in the mornings and we had a better chance of seeing the animals moving around.
It wasn’t until I was taking the travel photography class at Macomb that I myself actually went to the zoo at a time when you would normally not think about going, the beginning of March. It was a bit chilly, but there are many places to warm up. You also tend to get the docents all to yourself because the zoo is practically empty.
As you walk through the zoo you notice a difference in the animals when the weather is colder. They are not hiding trying to stay cool. They are more active and are more fun to watch. As a first grade teacher I took my class to the zoo every year for many years. Not once, on all those trips, did I see what I did this day in March.
The lion, “The King of the Jungle,” was playing and romping with a large stick just like an ordinary house cat. It was not the usual sleeping lion, as I had seen every other time I had gone. Not on this chilly day. It was fantastic and I was lucky enough to have my camera out and ready to capture something I had never seen before.
So I urge you, especially if you want some really cool pictures, to go to the zoo when the weather is a little chilly. In November before the snow falls, and in March when most of the bitter cold is behind us. You may get lucky and see this big guy rolling around and playing with his stick. Make sure your camera is ready!
