Rosie and I joined 14 other WCC members and their guests on the final Sunday outing for the year to Werribee Open Range Zoo – Yes there were 16 of us including new members Paul Spence and John Ho, and several guests; husbands, wives and in-laws. It was a cold, almost wet, windy Club Outing – what more would we have expected!!!

Undaunted, and by the good offices of Mary McLean who organised us all into the 11.10am bus, we all sat together each with a window and we took pictures to our hearts content. Of course the first thing we did given the overcast conditions, was to re-set our ISO ratings – some to ‘auto’ others up to 400. Some of us even remembered Andrew Harrison mentioning the other night that an overcast sky can take the place of a soft-box and did nothing with ISO ratings.

After the interesting safari ride into a wet and dull African Savanna on which we were able to spot Hippo, Zebra, Giraffe, Rhinos we went for a walk into the jungle seeing many other animals such as Cheetah, Lions, monkeys, African Wild Dogs. Later we had some well deserved lunch and another walk to look at kangaroos and emus. It was long after 3.00pm when the afternoon ended and we headed home. And as we drove home, guess what? the sun came out to give us the feeling of quiet contentment, we had indeed spent a warm day on the African Weldt.

I hope you had a great day and learned some photography tips and techniques. We also hope that you can be with us next year when we have our first Sunday Outing for 2012 – Daybreak at Williamstown on the 5th of February. Pray for some sunshine and a great sunrise, see you at the End of Year Night.

Cheers Andy

The next scheduled Sunday outing and the last before Christmas and maybe even for the year, will be to Werribee Open Range Zoo on the 4th of December.

If everyone who said they would like come actually is able to come it promises to be a great WCC turn out. Check your iPods and iPhones for the weather. I only hope the weather will hold out for us. Rosie and I will try to be there by 10.30am, however if we are not, buy your tickets and go on the first available bus. The theory is that animals get sleepy as the day goes on, we dont have to look too far.

These outings are not designed to be either workshops or outdoor classrooms folks but rather another opportunity for us to get to know each other, get together as people with a similar interest, exchange ideas, show off our kit and take some pictures too.

In the past the experienced shooters at WCC have been on hand, and eager, to help us mere mortals; Sometimes with a small but important detail that goes on to make us better image makers in the long run; words like “Dont lean on your tripod Andy it makes shakey pictures” still ring in my ears everytime I go out with a tripod, so dont U feel bad about asking for advice.

There will be at least one great natural history, macro and black & white shooter ‘On Safari’ with us although getting an admission might be difficult, and a member of your club.

The cost of this little jaunt is what U want to make it. There is a charge for entering the zoo ($25.40 per adult, or less) and I understand this includes a 45 minute ride through the park in a safari bus that supposedly takes as many as 40 people. Rosie and I plan to take our lunch so do bring yours too if U like – but there is a cafe where U can buy lunch, drinx, souvenirs and stuff. I dont think there will be room on the bus to take and use a tripod effectively but there is no harm in carrying your tripod if it doesnt weigh too much, U never know when U will need it.

So see U all there on Sunday and dont forget spare batteries.

Cheers Andy