The Drone Awards is a new photography competition dedicated to the emerging art of aerial photography. This year’s inaugural competition has just revealed its winning snaps, a spectacular assortment of photographs ranging from gorgeously abstract images to profoundly unique portraits of urban life. read more
It may have taken six months, hundred of pictures and endless patience, but the efforts of Indian photographer Tapan Sheth have all been worth it after he managed to capture these stunning images of ‘water sculptures’.
Sheth, from Rajkot, in Gujarat, added coloured dye to liquid along with guar gum, a food thickener similar to cornflour, then set up his camera equipment.
The 34-year-old got these mesmerizing images by letting a drop fall into the rest of the liquid, then quickly pressing the camera shutter.
German photographer Jakob Wagner has photographed many cities around the world at night. He scouts each city location for a perfect vantage point before setting up his tripod and capturing long-exposure photos of the cityscape. Shanghai, China, 2011
He says: “I think the most important thing is to be in the right spot at the right time. I was lucky to work as an assistant for a few renowned photographers while they were working all around the globe.” The Freedom Tower construction site in New York, USA, 2012
Picture: JAKOB WAGNER / CATERS NEWS read more
These incredible pictures show the formidable hunting skills of sailfish as they pick off sardines off the coast of Mexico.
The sailfish arrive at the Isla Mujeres every year to feast on the migrating sardines as part of an incredible natural spectacle known as the ‘Sailfish Run’, and were captured by underwater photographer Dr Peter Allinson.
The sailfish work as a group, using their sails to herd the schools of sardines, and then charge at high speed through the ball of fish, known as the bait ball, slashing with their swords to kill or stun prey before returning to consume their catch.
The Atlantic sailfish, also found in the Caribbean, weighs up to 58 kilos. It has been clocked at 110 kilometres per hour (68mph) making it the quickest fish in the ocean.
Dr Allinson, 64, said: ‘A couple of years ago, someone got the idea that game fishing off the coast of Mexico could yield some photos of the fish underwater.
‘You wind up about 20-40 miles offshore, looking for signs of a bait ball of sardines. The most obvious sign are birds repeatedly diving in to feed.
‘You then hop in, swim as fast as you can to keep up with the sardine bait ball and sailfish hunting them.
‘It’s all very quick. They are an amazingly fast fish. Blink your eye and it is over.
‘But it’s really cool to watch the sailfish cooperate as they snack on the sardines.’
Dr Allinson, from Florida, who specialises in underwater and hyperbaric Medicine, added: ‘It can get a bit scary at times as the sailfish charge at and through the bait balls and frequently nearly impale you.’
One of these shots has been awarded The David Doubilet Award for Excellence in Underwater Photography for best in show at the 2013 Beneath the Sea photo contest.
Attribution: Sam Webb, Mail Online
The Wonders of the World have always inspired awe in visitors.
But if it’s possible, these mind-bending photos of them will prompt more gasps.
Wonders of the world have been transformed into their mini-versions in a seven-year round the world adventure – that cost $31,000.
From ancient wonders like the legendary Acropolis of Greece and the stone heads of Easter Island to modern icons such as the famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York and London’s Houses of Parliament – these are the mini-monuments that will dazzle you.
Other outstanding pictures include the Eiffel Tower made to look like a toy over the Paris, the jaw-dropping vista of Machu Picchu in Peru made tiny and while not technically a wonder the fun image of a dreamy landscape invaded by hot-air balloons has been included.
By using a photo-processing method called tilt-shift, New York photographer Richard Silver, 51, spent £20,000 over seven-years to create the eye-popping visual feast from across the planet.
‘In this picture-series you are traveling the world with me,’ said Richard.
‘Since 2006 everywhere I have travelled I take a few photos that will be tilt shift-ed and added to my portfolio.
‘What I am trying to accomplish is to shrink-fit the world, one city at a time.
The globe-trotting snapper’s master-plan is to one-day photograph every city on the planet using his quirky technique for making the epic become miniature.
For Richard it’s the reaction of people who view his work that makes it all worthwhile.
‘Most people are able to recognize the places that I photograph,’ he said.
‘When they recognize the location the smile that seeing my pictures brings to their faces makes all of my work worth doing.
‘Some people don’t believe me, even after I tell them that it is a real photograph with real people.
‘My favorite question is ‘is that a model or is that real?’.
‘When that is asked, I accomplished what I set out to do.’
Richard’s work is on permanent display at the LaGrange Gallery, Georgia, USA.
This is the spectacular moment a photographer struck gold by capturing a bolt of lightning cracking through a rainbow during a freak weather display.
The extraordinary one-of-a-kind sighting was captured by keen photographer Nolan Nitschke, 27, while on a trip to Yosemite National Park in California, U.S.
Mr Nitschke knew a storm was approaching the area and that the incredible rocky peaks throughout the park act as lightning rods. However, he had no idea he would capture such a breathtaking moment.
After spending hours painstakingly trying for the perfect shot he finally hit the jackpot as the bright lightning crashed through the colorful rainbow lighting up the dark sky.
Mr Nitschke, from Bishop in California, said: ‘I was determined to capture a lightning bolt with Half Dome in the background and knowing a storm was getting close I set out to capture it.
‘I was there trying to accomplish this goal which wasn’t a given but little did I know I would get it on my first real visit for this purpose – albeit after a few hours missing out.
‘The thunderstorm rolled into Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. Yosemite and its granite cliffs, domes, and spires are famous for becoming lightning rods during these types of storms.
This wide shot of the rocky surroundings of the national park show how attractive the area is
‘I had seen lightning, rainbows and storms before but never all together at once and especially not in one of the most beautiful places in the world.’
Mr Nitschke tried unsuccessfully for hours to capture a lightning bolt, missing numerous ones that would flash after the shutter would close or before it would open.
‘A split second after I opened the shutter I saw the flash and my heart nearly stopped’, he added.
‘I knew instantly that it was dead centre in the composition and that a partial rainbow had begun forming.
‘At first I couldn’t breathe, talk, or move. A second later, after the reality of what I had captured settled in I yelled with excitement and lot of expletives.
‘It was an incredible moment and I’m just glad I decided that day to pick up my camera and give it a go because I don’t know if I will ever get the chance again.’
Attribution: Anthony Bond , Mail Online
Owls this for a disguise?
An eastern screech owl is barely visible at the entrance to a tree hole – thanks to its perfectly evolved camouflage.
These incredible pictures were taken by photographer Graham McGeorge, 42, in Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia.
Usually solitary, screech owls nest in a tree cavity, either natural or excavated by a woodpecker.
They have either rusty or dark grey intricately patterned plumage with streaking on the underparts, helping them to blend in perfectly in their woodland homes.
The birds don’t actually build a nests. Instead, females lay their eggs directly on the layer of fur and feathers left over from previous meals that lines the bottom of its den.
They are strictly nocturnal, roosting during the day in cavities or next to tree trunks.
Although quite common, and often be found in residential areas, they generally go unnoticed.
‘They are masters of disguise so you need to have a sharp eye in order to see them,’ he said.
‘I found this one that was living in a hole in the tree that woodpeckers usually make.
‘They are easily spooked and every slight movement I made would scare the owl and send it back inside the hole.
‘After 30 minutes or so it would come back out.’
Eastern screech owls are about six to 10-in tall and found throughout North America.
Despite their name, this owl doesn’t truly screech; their call is a haunting tremolo with a descending, whinny-like quality.
They hunt from dusk to dawn.
Attribution: Mail Online
Streaks of crimson lava soar hundreds of feet into the air as an erupting volcano puts on the most spectacular of light shows.
But Mother Nature isn’t quite finished yet.
She throws in blinding flashes of forked lightning, which crack the red-hot sky and show just the sort of fireworks she has at her command.
This awesome display of natural power was captured by German photographer Martin Rietze, who waits patiently for days in remote locations for exactly the right explosive moment.
Scientists can’t quite explain how the phenomenon of volcano lightning occurs. They believe electrically-charged particles of ash disgorged during the eruption somehow react with the atmosphere to create the forks of clear white light.
Mr Rietze, 45, spends his life in the world’s volcano hotspots – travelling from Costa Rica to Italy – to capture the grandeur of an erupting firestorm.
This stunning photo of volcanic lightning striking an erupting crater was taken last month at the Sakurajima volcano near the southern tip of Japan.
‘You have very few chances to catch lightning close to an erupting volcano because it involves being very patient and waiting for many days,’ Mr Rietze said.
‘I waited around four days for Sakurajima. Knowing that very few people have ever experienced something so beautiful gives a very special feeling. I will never ever forget those moments surrounded by poisonous gas, feeling the heat of the flowing and bubbling lava and hearing noises louder than a plane taking off. Sometimes your body can feel the shockwaves and the ground is shaking.’
He shrugs off the dangers of being so close to molten lava. ‘It’s great fun, and so unique. I have had fewer mishaps chasing eruptions than when mountain climbing,’ he said.
A volcano is essentially an opening or vent in the Earth’s crust. When gas and magma – the hot fluid under the surface – build up they erupt through this gap, spewing hot rocks, ash and lava reaching 1,200C (2,192F).
But when lightning follows, it is a different type from that seen in thunderstorms. Dr Sue Loughlin, head of volcanology at British Geological Survey, explained volcanic lightning is still a natural mystery.
‘Lightning typically forms as ash particles are charged through friction during eruption and dispersion in the atmosphere,’ she said. ‘Ice particles in the atmosphere are also involved. But scientists are unclear about the exact mechanisms.’
Attribution: Nick Mcdermott, Mail Online
A stunningly beautiful canyon in Utah’s Zion National Park has become so popular that park officials have instituted a lottery for hikers who want to discover its untouched natural beauty.
Down between two peaks called the North and South Guardian Angels, the Subway’s low light is the perfect place for algae to grow in vibrant and rich greens.
The park is issuing 80 permits a day to hikers who want to visit the cylindrical slot canyon.
The lottery will only be done between peak seasons between March and November when demand to journey to the gorgeous canyon is at its highest.
Groups are limited to fewer than 12 people.
The subway itself is roughly a quarter mile long, but finding your way to the canyon can be difficult.
The hike is 9.5 miles round trip, and is more difficult than a novice hiker should attempt on their own.
Hikers will face route finding, creeks that need crossing, and boulders that must be scaled. ***
Because of the extensive obstacles, the park encourages people who haven’t much experience are encouraged to either find an experienced hiker to go with or to make sure they have a detailed map before they leave.
It’s even more difficult to reach The Subway if you attempt to do it from the top down, as hikers will need to rappel on route as well as swim through pools of cold water that will likely have debris.
But if the images that have come out are at all accurate, the beautiful scenery is worth the hardship of reaching it.
Attribution: Daily Mail
Cheetahs may be the fastest land animals in the world, but this pair look more content riding a car.
Wildlife photographer Paolo Torchio held his nerve as a fully-grown mother and her juvenile son hopped on to the roof of his vehicle just feet away.
‘I was already out from the hatch, and so we found ourselves sharing the tiny space of the roof with the two big wild cats,’ he said.
‘The female was looking around using our car as a perfect viewpoint to spot prey or threats while her son was curiously looking at us.
‘He was so comfortable that he used one of the spare diesel tanks like a cushion to take a nap.’
Mr Torchio captured the images at the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, which is home to thousands of cheetahs.
This particular mother Malaika, who like other adults is capable of speeds approaching 70mph, is well-known in the area for hopping onto cars.
Mr Torchio, 52, who hails from Italy but now lives in Kenya, is well accustomed with the behavior of cheetahs and says they are ‘very polite and friendly’ when not disturbed.
‘Of course the emotion was high, very high,’ he added.
‘But slow movements and by keeping our voice-level low was enough not to scare them and escalate to a potentially dangerous situation.
‘Wild animals should always be treated with full respect.’
Attribution: Daily Mail
