Photography by Tim Flach

Photo credit: Tim Flach . . . the best dog photos I've seen in a long time.

Wild Wonders of Europe

Wild Wonders of Europe showcases beautiful photo galleries sponsored by National Geographic which highlight the flora and fauna of Europe.

This is Marmots Feeding on Flowers by Grezgorz Lesniewski, from the Austria Galleries

International Garden Photographer of the Year

The finalists of the UK's International Garden Photographer of the Year award have just been announced.

Garden tiger moth close-up by Paul Keene

This picture of a garden tiger moth (Arctia caja) was taken in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. The caterpillars of this moth feed on nettles, so if you want these moths to be a feature in your garden, then keep a rough, uncultivated patch

(via Look at This)

The four faces of the Bengal tiger

Displayed for the first time in a specially constructed studio in South Carolina, The Four Faces of the Bengal Tiger show the four varieties of Bengal tiger.

"There are only four distinct types of Bengal tiger in the world and they are all in this amazing photo shoot," says Dr Bhagavan Antle of The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S), who brought these majestic animals to the studio.

Dr Antle believes the images give away the characteristics of behaviour, age and personality of each tiger. "Like human photographs, you can see the difference in their age as some of them look a little more grizzled and haggard than others."

See all 18 photos

Photograph: Barry Bland/Barcroft Media

Smile, it's Friday!

It's Tanis Guinness & "Ta Wang"

From The Library of Congress Collection at Flickr

Great Animal Portraits

20 Great Animal Portraits: A Sneak Peek at PDN Faces

Photo by Michael C. Rathsam: “Captured during photo shoot of one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met.”

PDN is conducting their second annual Faces contest, seeking today’s best portrait photographs.

This is a sneak peek at some early entries in the Animal Portraits category.

These are not the winners of the Faces Contest. These are a few early favorites based on popular votes on the People’s Choice page.

There’s still more great work being entered in Animal Portraits and the three other categories: Celebrity/Editorial Portraits (studio), Environmental Portraiture and Self-Portraits.

The contest remains open for entries until April 7, 2009. Select winners will be exhibited at the PDN PhotoPlus International Expo from October 23 to 25, 2009 in New York City, and a winner’s gallery will appear in the December issue of PDN.

To see more People’s Choice entries, or to enter the contest yourself, visit the PDN Faces portrait photo contest.

Sold!

Taken by an anonymous American photographer in the 1850's, and titled "Poodle With Bow, On Table," this daguerreotype was sold at a Sotheby's auction for $8,125.

This might possibly be one of the first "Pet Photos" ever taken.

Sony World Photography Awards 2009: professional finalists

The professional finalists of the 2009 Sony World Photography Awards have been announced.

Here are some of those which feature animals.

Natural History: Lisa Maree Williams (Australia)
Winner - Wildlife Warriors: A kangaroo joey receives treatment at The Australian Wildlife Hospital

Natural History: Lisa Maree Williams (Australia)
Winner - Wildlife Warriors: An injured koala receives treatment at The Australian Wildlife Hospital

Second: Steve Morenos (Australia)
Australian Possum

Second: Steve Morenos (Australia)
Kestrels

Conceptual & Constructed: Tamany Baker (UK)
Winner - A series called Living With Wolfie, a response to the "presents" that her beloved cat brings into the home.

Fashion: Piotr Fajfer (Poland)
Winner - Princess of the Crows for Eva Danhofer

Source

Photography by David Stewart

See many more at the photographer's web collection.

Photography by Murphy Dog Studios

Based in San Jose, CA, Murphy Dog Studios is the home of professional photographer, Robert Vreeland. Robert specializes in creating unique contemporary, fine art dog photography.

You can admire Robert's photography at
his website: Murphy Dog Studios
his Flickr collection: Murphy Dog Studios Photostream
or you can visit his blog: Murphy Dog Studios, the blog


Photo from Flickr, uploaded by Murphy Dog Studios

(via Fetching Dog Collars blog)

Snap* What a great idea

Ever wondered if there was a stylish pet photographer in your area? Ever look at a pet magazine spread and wonder if your dog could look that good? Ever wonder if there was someone who could capture your pet’s unique personality, with an aesthetic that expresses your personal style?

Now, it's much easier to find a professional pet photographer because some of the best are showcased at Snap* the Pet Photography Showcase.

This sample is from April Ziegler Photography

April also has her own website: www.aprilziegler.com

(via Mod-Dog Blog)

Say "Cheese!"

Photo: Bernard, Jeanette
ca 1890-1910
Miller Plummer Collection
From George Eastman House Collections

I wish I could take pictures like this

hummingbird, Rufous Female, breaking the topmost water bubble from the fountain spray with her beak. You can see the spray above and below her beak here.

Also by the same photographer:

hummingbird from a different view, atop the water droplets from fountain. Reminds me of a bumble bee here :) Note the little dash of bright red iridescence on it's throat in this shot. Don't know if its an immature male or female.

Photo credit: Alandrapal

On the subject of penguins

Looks like the inauguration, doesn't it?

This amazing photo was taken on South Georgia Island. The photographer says, "This is not the largest colony of king penguins on South Georgia but there were over a hundred thousand breeding pairs in this location. The brown spots are not open spaces but chicks that have not fledged."

from Flickr, by chuck12600

Take a look at it in the largest size: 3200 x 2135. Better yet, set it as your desktop wallpaper.

Photography by Gary Parker

When attempting to describe Gary Parker’s unique brand of photography forget words.

Begin with this: picture what an exuberant 8 year old boy might do with a camera if he had 25 years of experience winning awards in advertising and photojournalism, could light anything and could read the minds of dogs and go figure, EVEN CATS!

Gary is so busy taking photographs, he actually needs 2 websites to show them
all off.

At Gary Parker's Cat/Dog Photography, I found this wonderful photo:

But Gary Parker Photography, which seems to be his main site, is also crammed full of pet photography, like this:

Doesn't this look like FUN?

Gary Parker Photography also showcases Gary's pro bono work with Little People of America (LPA). His photos encompass the #1 dwarfism photography website in the world, a site which has positively impacted the lives of many Little People families worldwide, as well as many of average stature who have found the portraits a source of inspiration, education and delight.

Look:

Please note:
All photographs are the exclusive property of Parker Photographic productions, Inc. – and are protected by US international copyright laws. These photos may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, stored, manipulated, projected or used in any way without the expressed permission of Gary Parker. If you wish to use any of these photographs please contact ary@garyparker.com.

Gary Parker is currently creating Gary Parker's "Lunatic Light Workshops,"a series of workshops on various photographic topics including lighting, photoshop techniques, backyard photography, and the art of photographing your pets.

A beautiful lady and her dog

Portrait of Billie Holiday and Mister, Downbeat(?), New York, N.Y., ca. June 1946

Portrait of Billie Holiday and Mister, Downbeat, New York, N.Y., ca. Feb. 1947

Was Billie Holiday thinking of Mister when she sang this song?

Portrait of Mister (Billie Holiday's dog), New York, N.Y., between 1946 and 1948

Photos by William P. Gottlieb, found at Photographs from the Golden Age of Jazz, because of a link through benhasten

Bug love

The diversity of insects on this planet is astonishing and should be a source of continual wonder for us all. It can only be hope that these incredible creatures can be left to survive and continue their species for many millennia to come. Of course they do everything we do - sometimes with much more aplomb!

Making a splash

Most people know that it's not true that cats have a fear of water. Some cats actually like to swim.

But it is pretty rare to catch wild cats enjoying a dip.

Photographer Per Gunnar Ostby, was very fortunate to capture three female lions enjoying their swim one crisp, dawn morning on a trek near the Chobe National Park in Botswana.



Source: Daily Mail

Photos: Per Gunnar Ostby

Exhuberance!

Photo credit: Helmi Flick
More great photos at Helmi Flick's website.

Three tenors

Photo by Tanja Askani