Zoo Photography

I was reading an article about shooting wild life in Africa and the photographer suggested for those that can’t get to Africa just go to your local Zoo, great idea. Well I live in San Diego CA. and we have one of the best Zoos and Wild Animal parks in the country. I contacted the Zoo to see what their policy was on Photography in the park. This was their reply:
We encourage guest to take photos. As a not-for-profit organization, Commercial use of the photos is Strictly Prohibited. Entering Photo contests does not infringe on our copyright policies as long as the photos taken on our grounds are not published.
I understand not being able to sell the photos but I don’t know of any contest that if you win doesn’t publish the photo. So the way I understand this is, I can’t sell any photos and I can’t enter any photo contest. If I were to have a web site with a portfolio on Wild Animals, not for sell but just to display my photos would this be an infringement on their policies also?

A couple things, actually. First, increase the size of your font a bit. It's too hard to read, even after increasing screen size in Firefox. Second, the "publishing" refers to commercial use, ie. publishing in a book for sale or stock photography for sale. Publishing to show winners of a contest doesn't violate zoo policy.

I'm not even going to try to read that!

You're fine just posting your SD Zoo/WAP photos on a public site. As long as you don't sell them or otherwise make money directly through one of those photos (i.e. used in a calendar, sold print), you're ok.

I've got quite a few photos from the SD Zoo/WAP on my site.

First, Thanks for the replys. Next, What size font should I use, this is Verdana 3

Rocknsd wrote in post #9113845
First, Thanks for the replys. Next, What size font should I use, this is Verdana 3

I use Verdana 2. Frank has old eyes, that's why he didn't try to read it.

ctrl-wheelmouse ftw!

Photoform wrote in post #9114931
ctrl-wheelmouse ftw!

You missed my previous post.

asysin2leads wrote in post #9115100
You missed my previous post.

ctrl wheelmouse changes font size... you can increase as much as you want or make it smaller.

Rocknsd wrote in post #9113845
First, Thanks for the replys. Next, What size font should I use, this is Verdana 3

How about just using the default like the rest of us? =)

You should probably get further clarification from the zoo, but when I read "publish", I think commercial uses as well. I'd guess posting them on your web site, as long as people can't purchase them, would be just fine.

Displaying your San Diego Zoo images on a website is fine as long as you are not selling copies or prints. A large portion of my site contains images from both the Zoo and Wild Animal Park.

I am particularly cautious about what I do with my Zoo images because my wife is an employee and I could jeopardize her job if I violated the policy. I know for a fact my galleries are regularly viewed by the assistant to the zoo's executive director and I'm sure if there were a problem I would have heard about it.

I really can't speak to using images shot at the zoo in photo contests as I don't enter in contests...

The zoo does pursue individuals they know are willingly violating the policy, even to point of banning them from the grounds...

I can live with that. Save the "creativity" for your images.