[sokdo]

Recently picked up a Nikon D40 and I'm going to the zoo tomorrow for some anthro project but I'm going to be taking pictures. I'm pretty much a novice and although I've been reading guides and whatnot for amateurs, I'm not sure when exactly I'm suppose to deploy these "strategies" so I'm asking you for advice. Tomorrow will be fairly sunny and if I want some great shots of most likely sedentary animals, what settings should I be running at?

Things like iso, white balance, etc. Thanks for any advice!

[ichiban]

aperture priority or av should be the mode your in. Set you f stop to about 5.6 or more to get a crisp image. Always try to shoot with the sun behind you.

[Dr_Jones]

buy a polarizing filter...cheap and it does make a crap ton of difference

[UdubBadger]

d40 doesn't control aperture if I am correct (at least when I borrowed my friends I couldn't figure out how to do it).

[rodi]

it does, it just doesn't have an aperture-specific dial (just like most canons).
you have to hold a button and then spin the shutter-speed dial.

[UdubBadger]

Originally Posted by rodi

it does, it just doesn't have an aperture-specific dial (just like most canons).
you have to hold a button and then spin the shutter-speed dial.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

[immiketoo]

Also, don't be afraid to use the flash even if it is sunny. Sometimes the lighting creates shadows where you dont want. Use the flash to fill the image in. Beauty is you can do one of each and see what you like.