Recent Animal Articles

Field Review of the Sony a9 for Bird Photography

Published bird photographer and YouTuber Mark Smith loves his Nikon D850 and D500 cameras. So what does he think of the Sony a9 when it comes to capturing his flighty friends?

How to Photograph Dangerous Animals up Close Without Getting Killed

Wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas has come up with creative means of getting close to some of the world’s most dangerous and shyest animals. Check out this short video to find out some of his gadgets for getting shots that would otherwise be impossible without putting yourself in a lot of danger or scaring off your subject.

Ocean Art Competition Winners Highlight the Beauty of Our Oceans

The 7th Annual Ocean Art underwater photography competition winners were announced this week. The competition sorted through thousands of entries from across 70 countries and consisted of 16 categories ranging from Wide-Angle and Super Macro to Cold Water and Marine Life Behavior. The Best of Show image was awarded to Duncan Murrell for capturing an image of three giant devil rays in the midst of an underwater ballet.

Photograph Wild Birds With Simon Roy

Simon Roy is an award-winning wildlife photographer based in the UK. Watch this video to learn how he captures incredible images of wild birds.

The Economic Value of Underwater Macro Photography

Could a very niche genre of underwater photography, that people travel great distances for, be capable of protecting bizarre critters few know exist? During a visit to the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia — a mecca for macro photographers — I met with Belgian researcher Maarten De Brauwer to learn more about his research into the economic value of muck diving and underwater macro photography.

Great Destinations to Practice Underwater Photography

Are you new to underwater photography, or need to brush up a bit? Unsure where to get your feet wet first? While there are many ideal places around the world that are perfect for beginners, I've compiled a few of the spots that I love for their calm conditions, easy entries, and photographic opportunities.

What to Expect When Photographing Sea Lions Underwater

If there is one creature I could spend the rest of my days photographing it is the California sea lion. These acrobatic pinnipeds commonly known as the “puppies of the sea” never disappoint and are by far the most playful of all marine life I have encountered.

Dog Sledding: How the Races Helped One Photographer Come Back From the Dark

Documentary photographers have the opportunity to see the world in ways the everyday photographer may never understand. With the ability to chronicle events, they can tell stories from inside the action. However, this can also take a toll on the mind, making even the most hopeful person become cynical.

Unique Holiday Gift Idea: Photograph Your Own Pet Calendar

The holidays months can bring extra leisure time, and there's nothing more rewarding than spending that free time on a challenging photography project. During last year's fall holidays I decided to turn my available energy into something creative and fun: a pet calendar for 2018.

Incredible Photo of Bats Hunting Uses Ground-Breaking Infrared Lighting Rig

Photographer Paul Colley spent 14 months creating an ingenious infrared lighting system in order to capture bats hunting at night without disturbing them. After winning first prize in the British Wildlife Photography Awards, he talked to Fstoppers to explain how he created this totally unique image.

2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition Opens Today

While the awards ceremony for the 54th Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition wrapped up last week in London, the prestigious competition opens its doors today for submissions to 2019's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. For those who are keen to get involved in this next competition, I highly recommend it. Photographers may submit their images up until December 13, 2018 here.

The Wildlife Conservation Film Festival Kicks off This Week in NYC

A film festival dedicated strictly to wildlife conservation films kicks off its eighth year in New York City later this week. Over the course of ten days, the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival will screen over 100 documentary films from around the world, many of which are world premieres.

Elusive Snow Leopard Shoots Purrfect Selfies

Have you ever been fortunate enough to see a snow leopard out in the wild? Yeah, me neither, and it may be because they are busy taking selfies just like us.

Kayaker Slapped in Face by an Octopus-Wielding Seal

This one is for real. An octopus-wielding seal singled out a particular kayaker from the group and made it very clear his presence wasn't welcome in another moment of pure, spontaneous, GoPro gold.

Photographer Captures Amazing Footage of Humpback Heat Run

Australian wildlife photographer, Scott Portelli, has spent the better part of two decades freediving with humpback whales around the tiny South Pacific island nation of Tonga. In this video, Portelli, one of Australia's top wildlife photographers, captures stunning aerial and underwater footage of one of nature's most amazing events—the heat run.

Nine Tips for Photographing Great White Sharks

As we are now in the middle of the white shark season in Guadalupe, Mexico, many shark lovers are preparing to make their way to the waters surrounding the volcanic island situated 150 miles off the western coast of the Baja Peninsula. Having photographed white sharks in various locations around the globe, I thought I’d put together a few tips for anyone keen to shoot them for the first time.

A great white shark investigates cage divers

1. Fish-Eye and Wide-Angle Lenses: While I mostly shoot underwater with a fish-...

Photographer Shares Shocking Images Commercial Fishermen Don't Want You to See

Brian Raymond, a lifelong fisherman turned shark dive operator and photographer, recently shared some powerful and disturbing images he captured of bycatch in the waters off of southern New England. Bycatch refers to unintended species that are caught while fishing for another species and is a regular occurrence in commercial fishing.

Pet Photography Tips From a Successful Dog Photographer

Pet photography is as popular as ever right now, as more and more people become pet owners. In fact, according to a recent survey by American Pet Products Association, nearly 80 million American households have pets.

National Geographic Admits Polar Bear Video's Link to Climate Change Got 'Out of Hand'

Last year, in what became one of the most widely circulated pieces of footage in recent history, National Geographic posted the now-infamous video of a starving polar bear, with the accompanying caption “[This is] what climate change is like.” The company has now addressed their wording, saying the situation “went too far.”

Stunning Orca Whale Video Reveals Unusual Predatory Behavior

Few people have had the chance to look a wild orca in the eye underwater, and even fewer have had the opportunity to document an orca hunting on video. While there is not much that can prepare someone for a face-to-face encounter with an orca below the surface, no one is better suited for such an event than Underwater Photographer and Pelagic Fleet CEO Jorge Cervera Hauser.

Five Tips for Underwater Wide-Angle Composition

As with land-based photography, patience and planning can go a long way underwater. And while some aspects of topside image composition are the same below the surface, there are other elements at play underwater that you should keep in mind when composing your shots.

Photographer Has Standoff With Polar Bear While on Shoot

It's every nature photographer's worst nightmare. You're snapping away at a majestic creature, capturing all its beauty and magnificence, when suddenly you find yourself face-to-face with danger. This is what happened to photographer Maxim Deminov, and his reaction was gutsy to say the least.

Five Tips For Getting Better Natural Insect Macro Photography

Macro photography specifically the insect type is a world unto itself when it comes to the tools and techniques needed. Getting high-quality portraits of some of the smallest and most import creatures on the planet takes a steady hand and plenty of patience. With better cameras and more affordable lens options, it's even easier now to give insect photography a try.

Cats, the Internet, and Photography Tips

Welcome to the Internet, where cats pretty much reign supreme and photos of cats are among the foundations of the web itself. All joking aside, anytime you're photographing animals (even the elusive house cat) here are some practices that can make your life a bit easier.

Eight Helpful Tips for Better Dog Photography

Everyone loves pictures of those cute pups, but they can be a bit difficult to get when you're dealing with all that energy. This great video will show you eight tips for getting better photos of dogs.

Eagle Battles Fox in Midair During 'Dramatic Act of Thievery'

Nature Photographer Kevin Ebi was tracking a young fox with his camera Saturday while it trotted with a rabbit in its mouth in northwestern Washington when he heard the screech of a bald eagle behind him. Knowing what was about to happen, Ebi focused in and readied himself to capture what has quickly become the most widely shared photograph of his career.

Conde Nast to Turn Monkey Selfie Legal Battle into a Movie

The studio Conde Nast Entertainment has officially acquired the rights to the life story of photographer David Slater, who became known around the world after getting locked in a copyright battle involving a monkey.