trip to the zoo
For my birthday last May, we decided to take a little trip to the Idaho Falls Zoo. If you’ve ever been to Rexburg, Idaho, you’ll know that there isn’t a whole lot to do nearby—so this small zoo was a fun way to switch things up. While this zoo is quite small, you can spend a couple hours in it. There is lots to see and the animals are very active.
One of the most entertaining exhibits was the otters. They were so lively and playful! Every time someone would walk up to their enclosure, they’d get visibly excited. They’d leap into the water and swim quickly toward the glass, almost as if they were ready to greet you. The picture in the middle was taken when the otter was doing laps around their area. We stayed there for a couple minutes until another group approached and the otters raced to greet their new guests.
flamingos, otters, and lions
While I've taken many photos of flamingos before, this one is easily one of my favorites. I intentionally angled the shot so that the flamingo in the background would line up almost perfectly with the one in front. I used to intentionally try to get shots of flamingos by themselves, but I've come to appreciate how much more dynamic and interesting the composition can be when they’re surrounded by others.
The shot of the otter in the middle is another one of my favorites. It stood out to me because the otter is half in and half out of the water, which isn't something you typically see. Most of the photos I come across show them fully submerged, so I wanted to try something different. I'm really happy with how this one turned out. Though I will admit that it took me quite a while to get this shot. The otter was darting around so quickly that I had to wait for just the right moment.
The final shot is of the lion at the zoo. While it seemed unfazed by all the people watching, I managed to capture a moment where it looked directly at me. I will admit that it was a little intimidating, but I knew that I was safe because it was behind a barrier.
Photographing through glass
These three shots were all taken through glass, which can be a real challenge when it comes to clarity. I was genuinely impressed by how well my camera handled it—glass usually adds a lot of glare or softens the image, but these turned out surprisingly crisp.
The first image is of a monkey perched on a small structure. It was holding some sort of food in its hand and was just staring off into the distance. The sky was overcast that day, so I was a little concerned about how lighting would affect my photos. Though this one held up quite well.
The second image is of a lemur that was wandering through its enclosure. This shot was especially difficult to capture because the indoor lighting was very dim. While it looks decently lit in the final version, I had to do quite a bit of editing to get it there. I also used a denoise tool to clean up the image—there was quite a bit of grain due to the low light.
If you're unfamiliar with this setting, it can help smooth some images over by getting rid of the digital noise/static in the image. I don't use this all the time, but this photo desperately needed it. Looking back, I'm glad I took the time to edit it properly.
The last photo is of a fennec fox. These tiny creatures are incredibly shy, so it's a 50/50 chance whether you'll see them when you go. They are also nocturnal, so they sleep for most of the day. If you happen to see one awake, consider yourself lucky!
The cutest red pandas
The final three shots from our zoo visit are of the red panda cubs—and honestly, they were the highlight of my day. I had never seen a cub in person before, so it felt like a special treat. They were unbelievably small and fluffy, and while I tried my best, I don’t think any photo could truly capture just how tiny and adorable they were.
The first shot is of one of them nibbling on the plants in its enclosure. After climbing down from a perch it was on, it decided to flop onto the ground and have a little snack.
The middle shot was taken just as the cub came down to the ground. Even though it was just casually wandering around, it was irresistibly cute. I made sure to get this shot because red panda cubs aren’t always active during the day, so it felt like a rare moment.
The final shot is another walking shot, but I love this one because of the way its tiny paw lifted mid-step. It almost looks like it's waving. That small gesture gave the photo so much character, and made the whole moment feel even more endearing.
Looking back, this birthday trip to the Idaho Falls Zoo was simple, but so memorable. From playful otters and shy fennec foxes to the tiny red panda cubs, each moment reminded me how special it is to slow down and appreciate the little things. Though it wasn't an extravagant outing, it brought me so much joy.
