Join us for an immersive Wildlife Photography Walkshop at Melbourne Zoo, supported by Sony and designed to help you capture more engaging and memorable nature photographs.

This hands-on 3-hour workshop takes place on location as we walk through the zoo photographing a wide variety of animals and environments. You’ll receive real-time practical feedback on the back of your camera, helping you understand how to improve your shots in real-world conditions.

With Sony support, this workshop is led by Doug Gimesy, conservation and wildlife photojournalist, and delivers practical, real-world wildlife photography techniques using modern mirrorless systems while remaining relevant for all DSLR and mirrorless photographers. You’ll deepen your understanding of light, timing, composition and visual storytelling while building the confidence to make strong creative decisions in the moment, knowing when to persist, adapt or step away as conditions change, just like professional wildlife photographers.

Melbourne Zoo’s diverse subjects provide the perfect environment to experiment with settings, lighting, and creative approaches in real-world conditions.

What to Bring

DSLR or mirrorless camera
Fully charged battery (spares recommended)
Memory card with space available
Zoom or telephoto lens (helpful but not essential)
Weather Appropriate Clothing and shoes
Water bottle and snacks
Curiosity and a willingness to experiment

Please note: Ticket price excludes Melbourne Zoo entry. Attendees must purchase a separate zoo entry ticket prior to the event.

About Doug Gimesy

Doug is a professional conservation and wildlife photojournalist who focuses on Australian issues. His clients include National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, The Smithsonian, Scientific American, Australian Geographic, as well various mastheads like The Guardian.

A Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) he is a four-time finalist in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and winner of the Panda Awards (photo-story) and Big Picture Natural World Photography Competition. He’s had an image selected as National Geographics best animal image of 2020, in 2022, one of his platypus images was used for an Australian $1.20 stamp, and most recently had a double page spread in Mays National Geographic.

His hope is that the images and information he shares, will inspire people to stop, think, and treat the world more kindly.

Head banner photographs by Doug Gimesy

Wildlife Photography Workshop at Melbourne Zoo with Doug Gimesy

Choose your tickets

General Admission ticket