How To Take Behind Bars Photos

[Sankari]

I was wondering how do you get good photos of animals behind bars without getting the bars in the photos? Probably impossible to fix a photo that already has the bars wouldnt it?

I did a photo shoot of one of my bunnies today but most of the photos have the bars of the playpen in

[MavericksMission]

It is probably not the correct way but..

When I am at the zoo, I have my camera on AV setting, I get as close to the subject as physically possible and then I then manually focus.

Works for me, I am sure that to DOL gurus will have plenty of tips for you tho!

For Example: This photo was taken through the bars/cage wire at the zoo. You can faintly see where the bars are meant to be, but it looks much better than full blown bars

Edited September 11, 2010 by MavericksMission

[Sankari]

Thanks MM. I had the settings on AV but the focus I am still working out I still have to learn how to use this new camera!

Here is an example of one photo I did which would look good if the ugly bars were not in the picture!

[Sankari]

and this one is my other favourite i took but again the ugly bars!!

[MavericksMission]

They are really gorgeous photos! what a shame about the bars

I'm sure someone on here will have an easy way to remove the bars from the photo.

[Sankari]

Thanks MM. Hopefully someone can help! He's such a poser but getting photos without the bars was impossible. I tried taking photos of him sitting on the other side and sticking the camera down but the little devil hopped over right up to the lens so he made my only option to photograph through the bars!

[carebear]

i think if the subject wasn't up against the bars it would of been easier. whenever i've taken photos of things in cages, i stand quite close to the bars, and angle the lens in between bars. i'll post some pics from fiji that i did this from so you can get an idea. unfortunately it doesn't always work as it depends on the cage.

[carebear]

these photo's were all taken how i described above

eta. on the left and right of this pic, the blurry bit is the bars. but that was because the subject was so close to the bars so i couldn't get the camera closer

Edited September 11, 2010 by carebear

[carebear]

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[carebear]

and this was the type of bars i was shooting through for the majority of the above pics

[Christina]

Thanks MM. I had the settings on AV but the focus I am still working out I still have to learn how to use this new camera!

Here is an example of one photo I did which would look good if the ugly bars were not in the picture!

What you can do with this photo probably is open in photoshop, or similar & use the clone tool to obliterate the bars.

You just pick up a small piece from very close on the photo & clone it in until the bars are gone.

Only works on some photos, depending on what is in it.

If you want to email me this photo I can try it for you.

Couldn't do it on the 2nd one though.

When taking photos of my stud cats in their runs the only way I find is to get the camera aimed through a gap.

[Linda K]

nice wide aperture on the lens (say 1.8 or bigger), and as close to the bars as possible - ideally the animal not up close or touching the bars that way the bars are out of the focal plane and will not be included. use this method all the time at cat shows to get the cats in their show cages, but without the bars in the way, using my 50mm 1.4 lens

[anniek]

nice wide aperture on the lens (say 1.8 or bigger), and as close to the bars as possible - ideally the animal not up close or touching the bars that way the bars are out of the focal plane and will not be included. use this method all the time at cat shows to get the cats in their show cages, but without the bars in the way, using my 50mm 1.4 lens

yup - this was right up close to the bars

[Guest Tess32]

You need a wide aperture, close to the bars, and the animal to be far away from the bars. Long zooms work best. There's simply no way to do it if the animal is up close and personal with the bars.

It also will depend on the light, as if it is too sunny you'll get reflection.