Knoxville Zoo

[cliffmccartney]

I'm taking a Nature & Travel Photography class at the University of Tennessee this semester, and we took a field trip to the Knoxville Zoo for a private tour. It was early on a chilly Saturday morning, so not all the animals were out and about. Some of them were ready and willing models, though.

Trying to capture eyes with a catchlight, and an expression.

C&C welcome and greatly appreciated.

#1 Red-tailed Hawk



#2 Barred Owl



#3 Not a zoo resident. Trolling for food.



#4 Not sure (didn't see the sign), but I think it's a waterbuck



Thanks for viewing!

Cliff

[Paniaa]

Beautiful, love them all. especially the red-tailed hawk. I like his expression too. I wonder if the top could be cropped just a tiny bit to emphasise the eyes by the framing of the leaves.

[Shadowman]

Very nice captures.

[davidedric]

Nice images -the hawk would be my pick. I can confirm the antelope is a waterbuck. The white eyebrow is one diagnostic feature.

[cliffmccartney]

Thanks Pania, John, and Dave. Here's a tighter crop of the hawk:

[jprzybyla]

Nice images Cliff, especially the hawk and owl.

[cliffmccartney]

Thank you Joe. From you that's a great compliment. Your bird images are fantastic.

[Brownbear]

very nice images. the hawk is my favourite, beautiful

[cliffmccartney]

Thanks Christina

[Paniaa]

Thanks for the crop Lex, maybe I'm getting picky, but I wonder if the crop is just a teensy bit too much as we can't see the origin of the leaves. In my imagination the curve of the branchlet echoes the curve of the head. What do you think though?

[deetheturk]

Nice images Cliff,well done!

[jamn4ex]

I like the cropped hawk shot. Nice images Cliff.

[FrankMi]

Nice set Cliff. You did an excellent job of showing them in natural, rather than caged zoo, settings!

If I were tempted to change anything, it might be to clone out the Red-tailed Hawk's leg band and remove the Barred Owl's green strap.