JJP Designs | Photo Ninja

We made a quick trip to Cosley Zoo (great place to visit if you are looking for a quiet spot to enjoy - and photograph - some animals) in Wheaton, IL, arriving right at opening that morning, and found this beautiful bird still snuggled in and not quite ready to start the day. Most of the animals were lounging around and awaiting their morning keeper visits but this one just looked so snugly and perfectly content. There is something to be said for waking up in the perfect position and being so perfectly comfortable that you just feel like you need to just stay there and enjoy the moment until you absolutely have to move. In my head, that was what was going through this bird's mind that morning. Sometimes the worm just ain't worth the tradeoff... Sometimes you just gotta' enjoy the moment and accept that there will be another worm tomorrow.

The zoo is always fun for me with my camera, but I can say that there are a few shots each visit that are not what I had expected to shoot. Most of our trips to the zoo start a day or two ahead of time with some discussion about a new zoo baby or an animal we haven't visited in a while - so I usually arrive with those particular animals and potential images in my head. My plan for today - bring the K3Mii wearing the Tamron 70-200 2.8 to get some shots of the Albino American Alligator and the KP wearing the Pentax 100 2.8 Macro just in case since the Lego exhibit is also there. For the most part I am usually successful in getting those shots - the ones in my head prior to arrival... Got alligator shots... Got Lego shots... they were okay - nothing to write home about. Don't get me wrong, they were totally cool to see - but the alligator was solid white and not in a great position for photographs... and the Legos - well, they were Legos... maybe it is just me, but I do...