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Epic drone footage captures wolf fighting a moose in the Canadian wilderness

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Nature holds so many amazing sights the world never gets to see. Thanks to the proliferation of digital cameras and drones in the last decade or so, though, now there’s the chance that we can. It’s not that there are more people going out and looking for these sorts of things. When they do happen, though, it’s more likely that somebody’s got a camera handy to film it.

In this particular instance, that somebody is Ontario resident, Dan Nystedt. While out filming with his Phantom 4 Pro recently at Achigan Lake, Dan came across a moose. This moose sighting already excited him. But he definitely wasn’t prepared for what happened next, as a wolf comes running out of the trees to attack.

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A group of tourists damages thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park in order to take photos

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Taking photos and videos on vacation is what we all do, and it’s totally okay. But when you start ignoring signs and destroy the nature just to get more likes on Instagram, it becomes unacceptable. Recently, a group of tourists in Yellowstone National Park ignored all the warnings and gathered around a thermal feature to take photos.

Not only they walked all around the restricted area, but they even stuck their fingers i the water. All this doesn’t only damage the park, but it puts them in danger of hurting themselves, too. One of the visitors filmed them and warned them not to do it. While a part of them stepped away, some of them stayed persistent in sticking their fingers in the water and taking family snapshots.

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How a photographer persuaded President Lincoln to protect Yosemite

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No matter how cliché it may sound, it seems that photography sometimes really can change the world and influence the course of history. A perfect example of this is a 19-century American photographer Carleton Watkins.

He was born in 1829 in New York, and upon moving to California, Yosemite became his most favorite subject. Believe it or not, it was thanks to his work and his love for Yosemite that this area was preserved. And not only that – he also influenced the development of the national park system in general. This is the story of photography that, indeed, changed the world.

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Man puts his dog near dangerous geothermal pool to take an Instagram photo

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The stupidity of people who want to get attention on social media constantly evolves, and it has just reached a new level. One Instagram user made his dog stand on the edge of a boiling hot spring in Yellowstone National Park only to show off some photos and videos. He filmed himself and his dog with a drone, and the dog was running around off leash, dangerously near the hot thermal pools.

Not only did the guy break all the possible Yellowstone’s rules regarding pets, but he also got his dog in danger. The community reacted fiercely, and how can they not. One wrong step and the dog could have got plunged in boiling hot water.

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Photographer captures incredible light pillars that look like something out of a Sci-Fi show

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Beam me up, Scotty! At least, that’s what photographer Timothy Joseph Elzinga (AKA Timmy Joe) thought when he was woken up by his 2 year old son at 1:30am and saw this through the window. Being based in Canada, Timmy initially thought these were actually the Northern Lights. What was odd, though, was that they seemed to be emanating from the ground. He says they were “blasting hundreds of feet into the air” while shimmering and moving.

To further investigate, he went outside and grabbed a little footage with his phone. He also saw his neighbours out looking at the strange lights in the sky. Now convinced that it’s the Northern Lights, he gets into his vehicle to head areas free from light pollution. Upon seeing them disappear, he heads back home, where they’re still shining brightly in the sky. He later finds out they’re called light pillars. Caused by light shining off ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.

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BBC takes hidden cameras to new levels putting them inside in animatronic animals

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Using hidden cameras to capture video and photographs of wildlife has been going on for years. There’s been a change over the last few years, though. Moving cameras capture more interest. As does being able to get right into the thick of it with the animals, rather than simply hoping they walk by your camera. Pioneered by companies the BBC, the practise of disguising cameras to make them interactive allows footage not previously possible.

The technology has come a long way in the last few years, too. It started off as radio controlled car mounted cameras covered in bits of fur or undergrowth. Then a couple of years ago, the BBC went a bit further with the TunaCam; An fish-like underwater camera that could swim with other fishes. Then there was the VultureCam. Essentially a radio controlled fixed wing aircraft which vaguely resembled a vulture. It does look a little like the Borg have started to take over the animal kingdom, though.

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Photographing a mosquito hatching from its pupa

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I suppose like most photographers I have a “photographic bucket-list”, and documenting the life-cycle of the much maligned Mosquito has always been high on that list. Like many of my projects this turned out to be quite the undertaking filled with many challenging and unique problems.

Mosquitoes start off as eggs which hatch into larvae. The larvae, also called wrigglers feed on algae and micro-organisms in the water. They spend much of their time at the water’s surface sucking oxygen through breathing tubes attached at their tail. After about a week they turn into pupae.

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Protect your gear from rain and snow for less than $1

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These days, most cameras and lens build quality is pretty high. Even if not completely weather sealed they can still take quite a lot of abuse from nature. Sometimes, though, you do want to take the extra step to protect your kit.

Landscape Photographer Benjamin Jaworskyj has a great tip to help cover your gear at virtually no cost. I used to use one of the more expensive solutions. It worked rather well, but it always did feel like overkill. This solution is much easier, and uses less room in your camera bag.

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How to add some extra stability to your long lens shots on tripods

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Working with real big lenses is fun, but often troublesome.  Handholding with image stabilisation can help, but only until your arms get tired, which is where the trusty tripod steps in to give you a solid foundation on which to rest your lens.

But even when working with tripods, the view can sometimes be a little unsteady.  In this video, wildlife and nature photographer Steve Perry offers us a few tips to help improve stability when using big long lenses on tripods.

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