One of the most challenging subjects to photograph at the Brookfield Zoo, or anyplace else for that matter, is a Cotton-Top Tamarin. A pair of these primates are housed in the Tropic World Exhibit of the zoo. What makes them particular challenging is:

1. They are very tiny. These primates weigh just one pound!
2. They are fast and fidgety. A photographer almost needs to anticipate what they will do to get the picture.
3. Their bodies contain both bright whites and dark blacks. This is a recipe for a challenging exposure!
4. The exhibit in indoors and not particularly well lit.

To combat these challenges:

1. I used a wide open aperture (f/2.8) to maximize shutter speed.
2. I used a Nikon SB-900 flash unit along with a flash extender to bring more light to the scene.
3. I pre-focused on branches near where the animal was heading so that the camera could acquire focus faster.
4. I checked the camera's LCD display to ensure that none of the highlights were blown (no "blinkies").
5. I used Lightroom's "Highlights" and "Shadows" sliders to reveal more detail.
6. I applied Color Efex Pro's "Detail Extractor" filter to bring out more detail in the animal's face.

Cotton-top tamarinCotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)in the Tropic World exhibit at the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Illinois on March 17, 2014.

In the end, it's really difficult to create a good photograph of the tamarin. But, making the effort should help make me a better photographer.