iguanas, llamas, and pandas! Oh my!

Greetings friends! I would apologize for the tardiness in posting this, but there's really not a lot I can do when the power goes out in my building. ...but I'm not bitter. It's not like my work depends on electricity or anything. "What? The power went out? Hmm... I didn't even notice." ....yeah, right. Anyway.

We've got a new exercise this week. Again, they are never required, but I sincerely hope you will consider them. This exercise is really one of those "iron sharpens iron" sort of things. I hope to see lots of that happening this coming week.

This Saturday is quite possibly gonna be more awesome than usual! I'm as good as out of town, so our very own rock star Marie Claire is taking the group by the horns --I'll let you figure out who's responsible for the horns. Here's what the M to the C has to say about the shoot:

We will go on a safari in DC! The National Zoo is our destination for this Saturday.
Bring a picture of your favorite fuzzy friend (animal, pet) & favorite human friend (if you don't have a print, consider copying an image file to your memory card to show it on your camera)

If you have not an animal picture please bring 2 picture of your favorite human. (Stephen offers a quick link to your "favorite human")

Objective: how to take great pictures of moving objects (people and animals!) *I will discuss some of my technique and we will look at each others pictures and critique and become one step closer to National Geographic photography YEAH! There are so many things to see and do we will vote Saturday morning on which sections to scout out: Asian trail. Giant Panda, Small mammals, N. America, Giant Apes, Asian Elephants, African Savanna, Back yard biology, Giant Cats, Ocean living, Reptiles and Amphibians, Invertebrates, Birds and the Amazon (no relation to the online bookstore). OH MY!

There are a number of ways to get to the zoo: Take the Red Line to the Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan stop or the Cleveland Park stop. The Zoo entrance lies halfway between these stops, and both are a short walk from the Zoo.

# If you exit at the Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morgan stop, walk north (away from McDonald's and CVS). The Zoo is about three blocks from the stop, on the right (east) side of Connecticut Avenue.

# If you exit at the Cleveland Park stop, take the exit on the east side of the street and walk south, toward the Uptown movie theater and the restaurants that line Connecticut Avenue (away from 7-11 and the Exxon station). The Zoo is on the east side of the street, about three blocks from the stop, after a bridge and just past a large apartment building.

# Tip: It's an uphill walk from Woodley Park to the Zoo, and a level one from Cleveland Park. We suggest you arrive at Cleveland Park and leave from either Metro station.

# Parking at the Zoo costs $4 for the first hour, $12 for two to three hours, and $16 for more than three hours, but is free for FONZ members. Lots fill early in the day during the summer, so plan to arrive by 9:30 (animals are more active early in the day), or take the Metro.

We will meet at the Starbucks @ 11.
Starbucks National Zoo
3000 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington DC, 20008

We will have lunch @ 12 and shoot 1:00. You might want to pack a lunch unless you feel like paying 7 dollars for a hot dog. I'm not sure where else there is to eat around there. Feel free to suggest a place if you know the area.

So, Stephen is a bit jealous of you guys this week, but he can't wait to see the photos! He also wonders why he refers to himself in third person. ...some questions never seemed to be answered.