Page 11 of Capture the Moment
As she lowered her camera to look at the tilt screen—an incredible feature of the Sony Alpha because it allowed her to shoot from different angles—she realized a clump of photographers were watching her. When she looked up, she saw them exchange amused glances. She gave them a half-hearted smile. “I’ve never seen a moose before.”
“Don’t they have moose in zoos?”
The snarky comment came from a lanky man with a telephoto lens slung over his shoulder. Kate recognized him from earlier this morning. He had commented on her expensive camera, and she had let him look at it. But she hadn’t mentioned anything about her zoo experience. The only one she’d told was that handsome ranger. Apparently, he had told this photographer.
A woman with pigtails full of grizzled hair said, “Getting some good animal portraits?”
Rude! Kate raised an eyebrow, feeling the need to defend herself. “You can learn a lot about animals in a zoo.”
At that, the other photographers started smirking, jabbing each other with elbows. “Like what?” one said.
“Like timing, patience, and how to read subjects. How they look through a variety of lenses. Different poses. Especially in a variety of lighting. It’s not that different from being here.”
They burst into laughter. “Not that different, she says!”
The pigtailed woman chuckled. “Now, now, guys. Don’t make fun. There’s nothing wrong with a photographer who’s content with caged critters.”
Critters?! “Hardly that,” Kate said. “The zoo has all kinds of wild animals in their natural habitat. Lots of exotic species.”
The woman smirked. “The wild doesn’t have feeding times and scheduled performances. It’s unpredictable. We spend weeks in the field, tracking animals, facing dangers.”
“Zoos offer their own challenges.”
“Like Photoshopping out the chain-link fence.” She burst out with a laugh and looked back at the clump of photographers. “Hey, guys, what do we call Zoo Girl’s profession?”
“Cheating!” a lanky man shouted out. “Better watch out, Zoo Girl. The BBC got in some hot water for not admitting that they’d used zoo footage in wildlife documentaries.”
Kate’s mouth dropped open. “I’m not cheating! I have never claimed that my pictures were taken in the wild.”
“Here’s an idea,” the lanky man said. “Let’s call it domesticated photography.”
“Animals in a zoo are not domesticated,” Kate said, frowning. “They’re not pets. A wild animal is still wild, whether its roaming free or held captive.”
“That’s debatable,” the pigtailed woman said. “They’re captive. They’re living in a man-made environment. It’s not wildlife photography when you take a shot of an animal in a cage.”
“You make it sound like a prison. Zoos are doing so much to enrich animals’ experience. Like, keepers hide food so an animal needs to seek it.”
The woman sneered. “But it’s still delivered to them.”
“If food and water are available,” Kate said, “I doubt any animal in the wild would travel the distances they do.”
“That’s exactly my point. It’s not available. They have to seek out nourishment. Animals lose those natural instincts in a zoo.”
Kate glanced away, trying very hard to brush off the digs. “Okay. I get it. None of you like zoos.”
“Look, don’t get me wrong,” the pigtailed woman said. “I’m not against zoos. Good ones, that is. Their breeding programs are great. People get to see a lot of rare species that they normally couldn’t. But wildlife photography is a completely different thing. A zoo can’t compete with wilderness. Out here,it’s a different game.” She returned to her tripod, and the other photographers went back to their stakeout positions.
As Kate changed the zoom lens on her camera, she tried not to let herself go down that awful rabbit hole of feeling minimized. It was a recurring theme in her life. She knew she didn’t look the part of the career she was pursuing—she was a young woman, small and light framed. She once overheard someone describe her as on the meek side of meek. A portrayal she hated but couldn’t deny that it fit her. No one would ever describe her as brave or bold. Definitely not fearless.
As she clicked the zoom lens into place, she gave herself a pep talk.I have every right to be here. Why should I let strangers make me feel foolish and insecure? Like I should run home with my tail between my legs? I’ve worked hard to be prepared for this experience. I’ve learned valuable skills, and I’m ready.
She had the zoo to thank for her proficiency as a photographer. Each animal had its own behavior. She had spent hours getting to know her subjects. Lots and lots of pictures had to be taken in hopes of that perfect shot. She’d been able to further her skill set. She’d learned how and when to increase her camera’s shutter speed. And patience. Photographing animals took some serious patience.
Feeling a little boost of self-assurance, she turned her focus back to the river. Several otters floated on their backs, letting the current take them down the river. Kate grinned. Her mood lightened.
Her phone rang, and she scrambled to answer quickly and stop the ringing.Argh!She should have remembered to silence it. She didn’t dare look up; she could practically feel the disdain from the clump of nearby photographers.
“Hey, Katie-Kat,” Oliver’s voice echoed in the quiet.
