I recently got to go up to Queens to take exterior photographs of the New York Hall of Science for Google’s “Points of Interest” program (commissioned through Snapwire). When I was mapping out my route to the destination, I noticed that nearby was a zoo, botanical garden, and a couple of cemeteries. I figured since I was going all the way out there (kinda far away from Bushwick!) that I might as well double-up on my photo adventure and check them out while I was in the area, you know- make a day of it! I LOVE photographing plants and animals for fun, so whenever I get the chance to mix business with pleasure you bet I take it :)
Unfortunately, the weather started taking a stormy turn right around the time I was finishing up my Google shoot (thank god I was able to get the photos taken while it was still overcast but not rainy!), but I was optimistic and decided to check out the zoo even if I might not be able to check out the other attractions.

The Queens Zoo is one of New York’s smaller ones, and features mostly North American animals (and only $10!). Given that it was the afternoon on a weekday and that the weather was sour, it was also kind of a blessing in disguise because there was hardly anyone there! I was ill-prepared for the rain not having an umbrella or a proper jacket, so I did my best to wait out the storm when and wherever possible. Although the falling water did lend itself to some pretty cool effects in some of the photos, it was still quite challenging to get the shots I wanted while still trying to keep my poor camera dry.

Not only are aviaries my favorite part of any animal exhibit, but it also gave me a respite from the rain, and I got to enjoy it all alone- a rare treat. After having circled around the grounds a couple of times, I tried to continue ‘weathering out the storm’ (pun intended) so I could also check out the botanical garden and other nearby attractions, but the rain was relentless. Eventually I just had to call it a day, and pack up my gear and head back home. But it wasn’t all for naught! I completed my official assignment, and got to take in some nature photography- so you can’t call that a bad day!

So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite zoo shots from my short, and very damp outing:

All images in this blog post were shot on a Nikon D750, using an AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G series lens, and individually post-processed in Adobe Lightroom using my own custom presets.

Jinnifer Douglass is a full-time freelance photographer based in NYC, shooting both digital and film for individuals and brands such as Google, Door Dash, Make Up For Ever, Squarespace, and more! Specializing in portraits, food, and special events, she works to make every piece of your social and website content ‘Insta-worthy’ with high resolution, full-frame DSLR photography and expert Lightroom editing. Interested in chatting? Leave a comment below, or send an email to hello@jinyc-photo.com!