Unistellar and Amazon are offering one of the best festive deals we’ve seen as their eVscope 2 telescope is $900 off (opens in new tab) while their eQuinox telescope is $600 off (opens in new tab) until Boxing Day 26 December 2022.
From December 8 through to December 26 these smart telescopes are on offer. So if you’re looking for a high-end, high-spec, powerful telescope now is the time as you can either get $900 off their eVscope 2 (opens in new tab) model or save $600 on Unistellar’s eQuinox telescope (opens in new tab).
This time of year is always great for telescope deals and trying to bag a bargain on the best telescopes around. The appeal of these telescopes is their ease of use, their power, the sophisticated design and the use of technology all contributing to an out-of-this-world stargazing experience. If you want to take a look at more fantastic deals on telescopes that are more suitable for a smaller budget check out our guide to the best budget telescopes under $500.
It’s easy to look at the huge amount of money off these two telescopes and see the value in these deals, but what makes the telescopes worth getting? Well, the specs on these scopes are enough to make you want these alone, and the savings might just tempt you. Both make use of an app and because of the sophisticated technology, not much experience is required as they can auto-detect night sky objects for you to view.
While these aren’t like traditional telescopes, the two do share similarities with each other. Firstly, the eVscope 2 which you can save $900 (opens in new tab) on offers its users a lot of power for the price. The telescope operates solely through the use of a smartphone so it’s fantastic for astrophotography too. It also comes with 7.7MP enhanced image resolution and a Nikon eyepiece so there’s no need to purchase any extra astrophotography equipment.
Focusing on the eQuinox telescope and the $600 saving (opens in new tab), it has a focal length of 450mm and a digital magnification of up to 400x meaning that given its wide field of view, deep-sky and faint objects like star clusters, nebulas are clearly visible. What’s more, there’s a light pollution reduction system so you’ll even have a good star gazing experience in built-up areas.
These are highly sophisticated telescopes and although they come in at the higher end of most budgets, they are both huge holiday discounts. With savings of $900 and $600 respectively, these discounts are not to be missed so easily.
Be sure to check out our guides to the Best telescopes and Best telescopes for beginners. Or if you’re hankering for a discount read our Telescope deals page to bag a bargain.
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I tend to be somewhat on the better-safe-than-sorry side when it comes to shooting and traveling. Aside from the obvious camera and lenses, I usually bring quite a few accessories and other production gear. (You can never have too many SSD’s audio options, cables, and power). The last camera bag I reviewed, the Orca OR-516 was spacious enough to fit all my gear, but sadly, it was too big to fit in most planes. I was constantly negotiating with the airplane personnel to let me put it in the cabin, but sometimes, the overhead storage was just not big enough, and I had to farewell with my precious gear for the flight. (i;ve seen how they handle the bags in general storage, it’s scary). That’s when I decided to test the Manfrotto Pro Light Reloader Spin 55, which was the perfect size for air travel.
The bag has 360-degree (dual) rotating wheels, which are great for light traveling and smooth sidewalks. This makes the case a good candidate for city travel. It also features customizable dividers, which make organizing gear easy. Lastly, the Spin-55 boasts a water-resistant exterior, which should do with light rain.
Presentation
Full View
Top Front
Laptop zipper
Manfrotto is known for making high-quality products that last for years, and its Pro Light Reloader Spin 55 camera bag is no exception. It is a semi-hard case in a clamshell configuration. Considering the amount of padding and the fact that it’s hard-shell, it is quite light at 3.66 kg.
If you fancy a slick design, you’ll love the shiny black exterior with red highlights.
The bag has four double wheels that make it easy to move around, even when it’s fully loaded. No matter how much gear and weight I placed inside, it stayed smooth. The handle is adjustable to two different heights and feels very sturdy. There is also a small handle for when you go up a flight of stairs. Lastly, the spin 55 comes with a TSA lock, but every airline where I had this bag asked to keep it open, so I am not sure if TSA locks are as big of a feature as they used to be for traveling. they do still allow you to lock the case against prying eyes and to prevent accidental opening.
The TSA Lock
4 sets of double wheels
The Bottom shell and general storage
One nice thing that Manfrotto did here is that the lower part of the shell does not go all the way up to meet the dividers. Instead, it cuts halfway and leaves the dividers semi-exposed. Instead, Manfrotto added a zipped mesh that “seals” the entire bag to keep the gear from falling. I like this configuration far better than the usual cases. The mesh is secure, but the bag feels slicker and lighter. Actually, the entire interior can be removed from the case and swapped out. The more I used the bag, the more I liked this interior design.
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In terms of space, using a semi-hard (or semi-soft) shell allows for thinner walls, which in turn equals more storage, more about this in a bit.
Bottom shell only goes half way
With the insert removed
The top shell and accessibility
The top shell here is not flat. It is symmetrical to the bottom shell, and when it closes down, it covers the dividers completely. As I mentioned, it felt kinda weird in the beginning that the zipper was not on the top of the bag, but after a very short time, it became very natural.
In terms of storage, the top shell has a mid-sized pocket and medium-small-sized mesh storage. The kind of pockets you would use for batteries, cables, or other small accessories. Manfrotto says that you can place a small tablet in the bottom pouch, but I did not test this myself. But if I did, I would love the fact that the gear on the bottom is protected by that zipped mesh.
Lastly, there is also a laptop pouch that you can access from the outside of the case. According to Manfrotto, it fits a 15-incher, and I definitely did not have any issues with my Asus as it’s only 14″. I love the fact that you can access the laptop from the outside without needing to open the entire bag. This access point has two additional small meshed pockets in the right size for memory cards or more small cables.
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There are two small velcros that hold that access point from opening all the way through, which is a nice touch.
Laptop access and pouches
Pocket stoppers
This is how much “Case” you get
So, here is what I am able to fit into the case. Obviously, I am way over my eight-kilos limit, but the bag is so inconspicuous that I was never once asked to weigh it. I just stroll along the check-in stands.
What goes inside
Full loaded
That makes the bag a worthy candidate to carry all you need for a two-person interview (sans lights and tripods). Actually, It does have a pouch and straps on the side for one small tripod.
Tripod holster
Tripod strap
Consider this
The only downside I found is that the bag is not tall enough to fit a Sony FX3 kitted with the audio handle. You will have to break it down when you put the kit in the bag.
The wheels on the case are pretty smooth, and they use variety where each wheel is doubled, so the weight is well distributed. On the other hand, those are small wheels and do not fit rough terrains.
Final words
The Manfrotto Pro Light Reloader Spin 55 case is a great option for carrying a lot of gear. Either in the photo or video realms. It is even more so if you need to get your gear on a plane. The case is selling for $399.95 over at B&H, making it a no-brainer if you are looking for a new bag or an upgrade.
In a drone photograph by Yevhen Samuchenko, Lake Lemuria, the so-called “Dead Sea of Ukraine,” takes on a surreal, otherworldly quality. Its waters turned pink by algae, its shoreline streaked with white salt deposits, the body of water might easily be confused for an abstract painting were it not for the presence of two tiny figures and their nearby car.
“I wanted to show the scale of the landscape, because when you see the very small people, you understand how big the location is,” said Samuchenko, via a translator, on a video call from his home in the Ukrainian city of Odesa. “But I also want the viewer to see themselves as being like these people — to invite them into the photo.”
The photographer’s mission to showcase Ukraine’s natural beauty has taken on new urgency following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February. Since Samuchenko captured the image, titled “White Car & Two People,” in 2019, the region in which the lake is located, Kherson Oblast, has been partially occupied by Vladimir Putin’s forces.
When Samuchenko visited, however, the lake was a peaceful spot — one reachable only via “very bad roads” and with very little tourist infrastructure, he explained. The figures standing face-to-face in the image are two of Samuchenko’s fellow photographers, though he says the moment shared by his two friends was spontaneous, not posed.
Samuchenko’s photos of Lake Lemuria have been recognized by several major photography awards. – Yevhen Samuchenko
“White Car & Two People” has since been shortlisted for the prestigious Earth Photo 2022 competition, while the photographer’s wider series on Lake Lemuria, titled “At the Pink Planet,” has been recognized by Sony World Photography Awards and Travel Photographer of the Year competitions.
‘My frontline’
Samuchenko recently donated his drone to the Ukrainian military, and he says it is currently impossible for him to operate as a photographer. But in a conflict that may hinge on the support of sympathetic allies, he hopes his work can still contribute to the war effort by appealing to hearts and minds. “It’s my frontline,” he said.
Over the summer, Samuchenko published a book featuring almost 150 of his photos, including many from regions devastated by conflict, such as Mykolaiv and Zhytomyr Oblasts. “The Beauty of Ukraine,” which was shot over the course of two years, acts as a survey of the country’s vast and varied geography, spanning both natural and man-made landscapes.
Like his images of Lake Lemuria, the painterly photos reveal hidden symmetries, patterns and shapes. Canyons, riverbeds, forests and farmland burst with color and take on a surreal new beauty when viewed from above.
Samuchenko’s new book shows Ukraine’s vast and varied landscapes. – Yevhen Samuchenko
Samuchenko’s book was already in production when the war began. Some of the places depicted have since been damaged, according to author Lucia Bondar, who wrote the accompanying text.
“Even nature has suffered because of this terrible war,” she said, adding: “It’s very important to show the world now the other side of Ukraine. Every day, the whole planet sees these dramatic pictures on their screens, in real time. They see this pain and these tears… In our book they can see the other side of Ukraine – of our people, of our lives and of pure beauty.”
“The Beauty of Ukraine: Landscape Photography,” published by teNeues, is available now.
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Battling freezing temperatures and the seemingly constant dark of winter can make it challenging to find inspiration.
But wilderness photographer and Canon Ambassador Valtteri Hirvonen – who spends more than 16 hours of the day in darkness in Finland – has seized this as an opportunity to experiment with shooting new subjects in his personal work.
He reveals how he turned his lens to the night sky and bent the rules of astrophotography to create beautiful, yet unique photos.
Is it tough being a photographer when you spend so much of your winter in darkness?
In Finland, we spend nearly half the year in darkness, so during the winter months I wanted to find a way to continue pursuing photography in my personal time.
It’s not just my profession, it’s also my hobby.
Like so many other photographers, I had to find ways of working creatively with what is within reach and that’s what ultimately inspired me to shoot the night sky.
Luckily, Finland is a great place for it.
There are so many forests and amazing places where you have great visibility of the stars, so it all came together very naturally.
The Milky Way over Finnish Lapland, Arctic region. Equipment: Canon EOS R5, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III, ISO 3200, 30s, f/2.8. Credit: Valtteri Hirvonen
What equipment tips do you have for beginner astrophotographers?
Some astrophotographers will have a lot of gear to help capture really sharp photos and use apps to track the stars or how the world is spinning.
However, I’ve shot a lot of astrophotography in my personal work handheld.
With today’s technology, you can find a way to make it work most of the time.
For astrophotography, you just need a camera with full manual control and a lens with a wide aperture.
Of course, the results between handheld and long-exposure shots taken with a tripod will look very different, but there is great creative potential in trying more artistic approaches, for example with a bit of movement in the shot, you can almost paint with your camera.
How else can people experiment when shooting the night sky?
I love experimenting in my personal work and trying to create something that we don’t really see as much on our social feeds.
For instance, shooting the Northern Lights in black and white or painting with an artificial light source.
I’ve played around with having a light on my drone and using long exposure to create these unusual light trails in the foreground of my images.
Normally people recommend staying away from any distracting light sources, but even if you live in a city or somewhere with a lot of light pollution, you can use it in your shot to create an interesting effect.
In one of my photos of Joshua Tree, you can see the light pollution, but it creates this beautiful gradient from orange to black, which I love.
Even clouds can make the scenery much more interesting – just try to embrace the elements in the frame.
Light trails created by a headlamp in front of the night sky in Joshua Tree National Park, California. Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark III with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens at 24mm, 30 sec, f/2.8 and ISO1600. Credit: Valtteri Hirvonen
What do you like about shooting during the winter months?
Shooting the night sky makes you forget about time.
On my work shoots there are usually a lot of people and this sense of hustle, but with astrophotography I am out in nature on my own or with one other friend.
I love being in nature, especially during the night. It’s so silent and creates really peaceful moments.
I also love that it forces you to be totally present in the moment.
Living in Finland, I’ve seen the Northern Lights a number of times, but it’s always a surprising and fun experience.
It all happens very fast, so you get a huge adrenaline rush, running to get the shot because it can be over within seconds.
You also don’t know how the images will turn out because you can get different colours each time and that makes it all even better.
When we shoot in darkness, we’re shooting blind so the best thing is creating images that you can’t normally see with the naked eye.
Only a camera can capture the long exposure, amongst other features and that’s what makes these moments magical – the end result is always a surprise.
Where’s the best place to do astrophotography?
You can capture astrophotos anywhere. Of course, there are pros and cons to any location.
For example, if you live further south, you have the benefit of having a more consistent night fall which gives you the freedom to shoot all year round, while those of us in the arctic regions are lucky enough to have the Northern Lights.
There are unique astronomical moments everywhere – it’s just knowing how to look for them and then capture them.
Credit: Valtteri Hirvonen
What are some easy objects to start out with when astro imaging?
As a starting point, the stars or Milky Way are easy and interesting subjects to shoot.
You need to be mindful though that it is difficult to photograph them when there is a full Moon, or when the Moon is really bright, so consider the current moon phase before you head out.
Has the advancement of tech has changed the way you shoot?
The cameras launching today are so good that it allows us photographers to capture professional looking shots way more easily.
I don’t just mean the higher end cameras, but even entry level models are sensitive enough to capture the detail of the night sky.
I’ve spoken a bit about handheld shooting – something that wouldn’t have really been as successful in the past – but with the image stabilisation in cameras now, you can get really sharp images.
It’s also making it far more accessible. With mirrorless cameras you have a much lighter and more compact kit bag, which makes the experience much more fun and not so sweaty.
Aurora borealis, the Northern Lights. Credit: Valtteri Hirvonen
How has your own technique developed through the years?
The basic principles are the same, but the whole experience has changed.The innovation of cameras lets me be more experimental in my work.
Of course, you can now see results much faster.
When I first started, I had to make my experiments and would find out weeks later what went wrong after the film had been developed.
But now I can see it instantly on my screen on the back of my camera – even down to tiny details that add up to help you make the final image.
Apart from technical skills, what else do you need to succeed in shooting the night sky?
I say this for every genre of photography, but it really helps if you master the basic techniques as it frees you to not have to think about it when it really matters.
Give yourself the freedom to experiment, even the things people say you can’t or shouldn’t do such as shaking the camera.
Trust your instincts and push your creativity to achieve new styles.
It also helps to know your surroundings.
I usually go somewhere before it gets dark to wander around before the shoot and figure out where the trees or foreground are.
This helps me to find different elements to create a beautiful shot when its dark.
See more of Valtteri Hirvonen’s work via his Instagram and Facebook pages.
Here are the 20 photos of people trying to sell mirrors that are so funny and will make you laugh. People trying to take selfies in front of mirrors are so common, but here people trying to sell mirrors online and they want to take a photo of that. The problem with mirrors as it seems like it’s impossible to take a photo of a mirror without you having to stand in front of it. Here in this post, you can find a few funny photos that will make you a good laugh.
Scroll down and enjoy yourself. All photos are linked and lead to the sources from which they were taken. Please feel free to explore further works of these photographers on their collections or their personal sites.
The welcoming sights and sounds of the holidays can be found at the corner of H and Cypress. Along with the towering city Christmas tree and the gazebo decorated with lights, is the Cypress Gallery, full of gifts.
Our artists have created a myriad of little jewels for you to choose from this month. Hand-crafted objects of personal adornment glitter in their cases, luscious little paintings and glassware glisten on the walls and pedestals.
A Christmas tree is hung with ornaments made by creators. And a smiling yellow moon, crafted from a wooden bowl by Linda Gooch, adds a most welcome dose of whimsy and good cheer.
The gift items are placed throughout the gallery, and offered to art lovers in a variety of price ranges, all of them holiday wallet-friendly.
Carol Wood has an entire wall of small exquisite oil paintings on display. Still-life, florals and landscapes, of isolated objects and scenes, are painted with deft paint strokes and jewel tones that are irresistible.
Kathy Badrak, using the malleable gourd as her medium, transforms what is essentially a plant into objects of art. Delightful figurines, vessels, and even a hanging lamp are on display.
Larger works by your favorite gallery artists deck the halls as well.
Neal Abello’s nature photography is breathtaking. The artist’s excitement of searching for and finding his spellbinding subjects is evident. We feel the wonder of a breaching humpback whale, and of a snowy egret making contact with its prey.
Charlton Heston as Moses makes an appearance too, in a powerful predominantly white acrylic by Douglas Clark.
“Holiday 2022” by Michael Corob, is a peaceful pastel of seasonal lights, incorporating the artist’s personal iconography of doves and their wings.
The Cypress Gallery is indeed a place of contrasts.
We are especially proud of our jewelry selection, with pieces not be found elsewhere. It is a joy and honor to wear the polished and cut stones of nature, the painstaking bead work, and hand-wrought metals created by gallery artisans. That they make great gifts is an understatement.
A marvelously large and wonderful door decoration by Chris Jeszeck is probably the most unique piece in the show. Come and see for yourself this three-foot Christmas ornament, if it is not already sold! We’re fast approaching the halfway mark of December.
The annual Geminids meteor shower reaches its peak on Wednesday (Dec. 14).
The peak of the Geminid meteor shower offers skywatchers the opportunity to view what is regarded as the most consistent and reliable meteor shower of the year while at its best — as long as they are willing to brave the frigid weather of mid-December.
Over New York City the Geminids peak at 8:00 am EST (1300 GMT) on Wednesday (Dec. 15). As a result, the best displays should be seen in the pre-dawn hours on this day, according to In the Sky (opens in new tab).
Related: Meteor showers 2022: Where, when and how to see them
This year the Geminids have been active since Dec. 4, and will end on Dec. 17. During this period, the best way to see plenty of meteors is to view the sky when the viewing location is pointed towards the shower’s radiant point, found in the constellation of Gemini.
More meteors from the Geminids shower will be seen when its radiant point is above the horizon, with the number of meteors increasing as this point rises higher in the sky. For astronomers in New York City, the Geminids will become visible at around 5:32 p.m. EST (2232 GMT) each night when the radiant point rises above the horizon and the radiant point will be at its highest at around 2:00 a.m. EST on Dec. 15 (0700 GMT).
EarthSky recommends (opens in new tab) not waiting for this point, however, instead suggesting to attempt to view the meteor shower after its radiant point is above the horizon but before the moon, which will be in its waning gibbous phase, rises and illuminates the night sky. This is because the bright streaks and fireballs created by meteors are most visible in dark skies.
In suitably dark conditions with clear skies and no moon, skywatchers could spot as many as 120 Geminid meteors per hour at its peak.
Geminid meteor shower captured above a railroad water tower at Dos Cabezas Siding in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, U.S. (Image credit: Kevin Key / Slworking)
Meteor showers occur when Earth, on its annual journey around the sun, passes through clouds of debris left behind by comets or asteroids. These fragments enter our planet’s atmosphere at high speeds and burn up creating streaks of light and the occasional bright fireball created by larger pebble-sized chunks of material.
The Geminid meteor shower can be traced back to dusty debris left behind by the asteroid or possible ‘rock comet’ 3200 Phaethon that Earth passes through each December. This 3.6-mile (5.8-kilometer) wide space rock comes closer to the sun than any other named asteroid and is considered a strange hybrid somewhere between an asteroid and comet. This is because while 3200 Phaethon is composed of rock (like an asteroid) rather than ice (like a comet), it brightens when it approaches the sun once around every 524 Earth days similar to the behavior of a comet, not an asteroid.
Comets usually act like this when the icy material within them changes immediately from solid to gas due to the heat of the sun, a process called sublimation. In lieu of ice, which was baked off the space rock long ago thanks to its frequent close brushes with our star, 3200 Phaethon’s glow as it approaches the sun may come from the ‘fizzing’ of sodium scientists suggested in 2021.
The movement of asteroid 3200 Phaethon imaged on Dec. 25, 2010 (Image credit: Marco Langbroek/Wikimedia Commons)
As the asteroid approaches the sun, its sodium heats up and vaporizes. This has depleted the element at 3200 Phaethon’s surface, which explains why when its debris enters the atmosphere at 79,000 miles per hour (127,000 kilometers per hour) to create the Geminids, these meteors are low in sodium.
To learn more about this strange hybrid comet/asteroid and the source of the Geminids meteor shower the Demonstration and Experiment of Space Technology for INterplanetary voYage with Phaethon fLyby and dUst Science, or DESTINY+ mission (opens in new tab), will flyby 3200 Phaethon later this decade.
Though the Geminids will be visible with the naked eye, there are plenty of other wondrous objects in the night sky that require specialized optics. If you need a telescope or a pair of skywatching binoculars, make sure to read our guides for the best binoculars and the best telescopes to view the night sky. For capturing the best pictures of the Geminid meteor shower that you can, don’t miss our recommendations for the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s Note:If you snap the Geminid meteor shower and would like to share it with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to [email protected].
Follow us on Twitter@Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or on Facebook (opens in new tab).
From a salmon punching a bear in the face to a penguin that seems to have no head, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards announced its winners this year.
The organization fields thousands of submissions for each of its photo categories: creatures of the land, creatures of the air, creatures of the sea, a junior award for photographers 18 years old or under, an internet portfolio award, and a people’s choice award.
Jennifer Hadley, a photographer from Texas, claimed the top prize as the overall winner for her January 2021 photo of a 3-month-old lion cub tumbling out of a tree in the Serengeti region of Tanzania.
“It was definitely unexpected,” Hadley told NPR. “How often do you see cats falling out of trees?”
Though shots like these are often unpredictable, she said photographers prepare themselves for the unexpected.
“What you can anticipate is potentially something happening so you want to position yourself in the way you think that animals will move, where the light is, how that’s going to affect the speed of your camera,” Hadley said.
Hadley will receive a handmade trophy from the Wonder Workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, two photography bags, and a one-week safari in Kenya. There, she hopes to potentially capture the great migration, when millions of zebras, wildebeests and gazelles roam across the Serengeti during the dry season in search of fresh grass and water.
Despite taking home the top prize, Hadley had only recently begun to pursue photography full time. She left her corporate job in 2021 to pursue wildlife photography. She called it a leap of faith.
“It was a little bit scary, because I had a good job, well paid, and it’s what I’ve done my whole career. So to make that leap and go into the unknown and try something completely different, that I didn’t know if I could really do on a professional level or not, was nerve-wracking,” she said. “But I just thought, if not now, when?”
John Chaney, a businessman and photographer of over 50 years, was one of the 10 “highly commended winners,” recognized for his August 2021 photo of a salmon seemingly punching a bear in the face at the foot of Alaska’s Brooks Falls.
John Chaney / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
John Chaney’s photo of a salmon appearing to punch a bear in the face at Alaska’s Brooks Falls.
From late June to September, mature salmon make an arduous upriver journey from the ocean to the gravel beds of their birth to spawn every two to three years. The National Park Service estimates 200,000 to 400,000 salmon successfully leap the waterfalls each year.
Chaney said bears planted themselves at the top and bottom of Brooks Falls to feed on the flapping salmon.
“Wherever wildlife is happening, you try to stake out a good spot and you just take pictures for hours trying to get the best image, whether it’s a unique facial expression or an animal doing something unique to make the picture special,” he told NPR.
Chaney said he does not have any tips or tricks to taking a comedic shot.
“It’s just luck,” he said.
Jean Jacques Alcalay / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Jean Jacques Alcalay’s photo of a hippo yawning next to a heron. The photo won the Spectrum Photo Creatures in the Air Award.
Arturo Telle Thiemann / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Arturo Telle Thiemann’s photo of a couple triggerfish looking into the camera. The photo won the Creatures Under the Sea Award.
Jennifer Hadley / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Jennifer Hadley’s photo of two penguins on the Falkland Islands. The photo won the Affinity Photo 2 People’s Choice Award.
Arshdeep Singh / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Arshdeep Singh’s photo of an owlet in a pipe in Bikaner, India. The photo won the Junior Award.
Michael Eastwell / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Michael Eastwell’s photo of two wallabies playing on the beach in Australia’s Cape Hillsborough.
Miroslav Srb. / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Miroslav Srb.’s photo of a raccoon seemingly thanking Srb. for feeding him shrimp on a Florida beach.
Federica Vinci / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Federica Vinci’s photo of two monkeys near a Cambodian temple.
Jagdeep Rajput / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Jagdeep Rajput’s photo of an Indian sarus crane attacking a blue bull from behind.
Emmanuel Do Linh San / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Emmanuel Do Linh San’s photo of two meerkats on the Kalahari Trails game reserve in South Africa.
Ryan Sims / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Ryan Sims’ photo of a duckling waddling across a turtle-covered log at the Juanita wetlands in Washington state.
Alex Pansier / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Alex Pansier’s photo of a red squirrel jumping in a rainstorm.
Mark Schocken / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Mark Schocken’s photo of two Eastern screech owls squeezed into a nest hole in Florida.
Martin Grace / Comedy Wildlife 2022
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Comedy Wildlife 2022
Martin Grace’s photo of two king penguins at Volunteer Point in the Falkland Islands.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
‘Talk to the fin’ People’s Choice Award, Falkland Islands – The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Jennifer Hadley
It’s the most popular photography competition in the world—because the winning photos are some the funniest moments of mirth on Earth.
Some of the most famous photographers from 85 countries submitted their most spontaneous snaps, capturing the amusing side of nature, in a bid to win the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
The contest was founded in 2015 by Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, both professional photographers and passionate conservationists who wanted create a competition that focused on the lighter, humorous side of wildlife photography.
The online competition is free to enter, yet both money and awareness are raised for a charity partner each year—in 2022, the fantastic Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN)—with 10% of net revenue donated.
The overall winner of this year’s competition, which saw 5,000 incredible entries, is Jennifer Hadley, for her perfectly timed photograph of a lion cub losing its grip on a tree trunk entitled ‘Not so cat-like reflexes.’
The image was captured in the Serengeti, when Jennifer managed to capture the exact moment a young 3-month-old cub attempted to descend from a tree, and it didn’t go so well. She had already positioned her camera, then the unexpected happened.
“I think part of what makes this contest great is that most of these photos probably happen by complete accident and that was certainly the case with the lion cub falling out of the tree,” she explained. “How often do cats fall out of trees?”
LOOK: Magnificent Picture of Ape Cuddling Another Species is Finalist in Wildlife Photographer of the Year – SEE Photos
‘Not so cat-like reflexes‘ – The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Jennifer Hadley
“It was probably his first time ever in a tree and he decided to just go for it. Happily, as cats do, he righted himself just in time.”
As the 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Jennifer won an African safari trip to Kenya. She also won the Affinity Photo Award and People’s Choice Award for her charming shot of two penguins (pictured above).
“I really love this photo contest because it’s just so different from anything else and really shows off the personalities of the animals,” says Jennifer.
‘Hello Everyone’ by Miroslav Srb / The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022
The Creatures of the Air Category Award was won by Jean Jacques Alcalay with ‘Misleading African Viewpoints’, which shows a hippo looking like he’s about to scoff a great blue heron whole.
‘Misleading African viewpoints’, Kruger National Park, South Africa – The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Jean-Jacques Alcalay
The bird seems completely oblivious—maybe that is because he knows that, in fact, the hippo is actually having a yawn.
‘I’m gonna strangle you!’ features meerkats in South Africa – Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Emmanuel Do Linh San
“With so much going on in the world, we could all use a bumper dose of fun and laughter and this year’s finalists have definitely delivered that,” said Sullam in a press release.
‘Excuse Me… Pardon Me!’ – The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Ryan Sims‘Tight Fit!’, 2 baby Eastern screech owls in Florida – The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Mark Schocken‘Pegasus, the flying horse’, featuring an Indian Saras Crane attacking a Bluebull from behind, India – The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Jagdeep Rajput
Sullam summed it up perfectly: “When you see these amazing photographs, like the wallaby at sunset—seemingly about to launch another wallaby into space—it makes you smile and wonder at the incredible animals that are on this earth with us.”
CHECK OUT: Mom’s Zoo Pic is Adorably Photo-bombed by Stingray With Remarkable Resemblance to Her Daughter
Two wallabies – The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022 / Michael Eastwell
SEND These Adorable Moments of Nature to Your Flock by Sharing on Social Media… AND, Check out the 2021 winning photos: From Cheeky Bears to Goofy Gophers, See the Fun Finalists of the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards
35mm lenses with wide apertures are some of the most important and popular options out there, equally at home in a huge range of scenarios, including portraits, weddings, events, astrophotography, and more. Premium 35mm lenses can easily run north of $1,500, which makes the Viltrox 35mm f/1.8 AF a breath of fresh air. This great video review takes a look at the lens and if its performance and image quality allow it to compete with those much more expensive options.
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HD nano multi-layer coating for reduced flares and ghosting and improved contrast
STM autofocus motor with full-time manual focus override
Nine-blade diaphragm for smoother bokeh
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