16. Frozen Jeep Grill
Possible Camera Used: Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $400*
There are tons of different cameras on the market, from ones worth thousands of dollars to more affordable models like the Panasonic Lumix DC-TS7. And while this picture looks like it’s been digitally altered, it hasn’t. A waterproof, blizzard-proof camera like the Lumix likely took this icy photo in bad weather.
Frozen Jeep Grill @BugEyedRecords / Twitter.com
Ice formed on a Jeep before the Jeep pulled away, leaving it hanging in place like it’s suspended by some kind of invisible force. This is the kind of picture you take and send to everyone in your office on your lunch break.
17. Spying Polar Bear
Possible Camera Used: Canon 1DX Mark II
Where to Buy: Canon
Cost: $1,500*
It’s not very often that a polar bear walks up to photographers to take a look at what they’re doing. These animals are incredibly majestic and sadly, getting rarer by the day. That’s what makes this photo even more special.
Spying Polar Bear @John Downer Productions / GettyImages.com
Cameras like Canon’s 1DX Mark II are more than capable of taking a clear, high-quality shot like this in colder climates. Although they cost upward of $1,500, they’re reliable pieces of tech that can deliver the goods when you most need it. For any photographer, this is the shot of a lifetime.
18. Tree Lion
Possible Camera Used: DJI Mavic Pro 2
Where to Buy: DJI Drones
Cost: $1,449*
Drones have offered us a wonderful insight into the life of animals. This spectacular shot was taken on a high-definition embedded drone by researchers in Uganda. A local lion takes a minute in a tree, but it wasn’t an easy process to capture this seemingly off-the-cuff photo.
Tree Lion @Guardian / Twitter.com
Photographer Alexander Braczkowski spent a long time getting lions used to drones like a DJI Mavic Pro 2 before the animals were relaxed enough to ignore them and go about their business. If he hadn’t put so much work in, this shot might never have come to fruition.
19. Hugging Tiger
Possible Camera Used: Sony a9
Where to Buy: Sony
Cost: $3,300*
At first, the Sony a9 wasn’t an out-and-out wildlife camera as the brand didn’t create lenses that were ideal for the setting. When that changed, so did the possibilities. Users soon found that they could take heart-stopping stills like this.
Hugging Tiger @wef / Twitter.com
Anyone that’s worked with animals as powerful as tigers knows that you have to be quick off the mark and fast. Otherwise, it could be a very dangerous process. The Sony a9 has it all, from speed to high-quality. It’s not cheap, but worthwhile things rarely are when it comes to art.
20. Fisherwoman
Possible Camera Used: Nikon Z 7
Where to Buy: Wex Photo Video
Cost: $1,800*
There are several elements to this photo that make it pop, from the subject to the several shades of blue – the fish, the water, and the sunglasses. Each detail is perfectly clear and crisp, scales and all. A camera like the Nikon Z 7 is capable of taking similar portraits.
Fisherwoman @Interesting facts / Pinterest
With a high-res viewfinder and great, user-friendly handling, the Z 7 is perfect for portraits on the go, according to multiple reviews. The downside? It’s not cheap, so be incredibly careful when you use it. Fishing is all fun and games until someone drops the thousand-dollar camera in the bait bucket.
21. Slow Motion Bubble Pop
Possible Camera Used: Canon 80D
Where to Buy: Canon
Cost: $1,000*
Photographs like this really don’t come around all that often. It’s the perfect moment captured at the perfect time. When it comes to taking a shot like this, it’s not all down to the person holding the camera. It’s about the camera used, too.
Slow Motion Bubble Pop @theCHIVE/Pinterest
A Canon 80D could take a shot like this as it has both full HD video recording at 60fps, as well as a 24 megapixel sensor. At around $1,000 it’s at the lower end of the price spectrum too, making it a very attractive purchase.
22. Dark Forest
Possible Camera Used: Sony RX100
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $800*
Forests are incredible to look at, especially when they’re as neat and as green as this one. This wonderful snap could have easily been taken on a camera like a Sony RX100. According to What Photography Gear, it’s one of the most advanced point-and-shoot cameras out there for nature photography.
Dark Forest @Olga Vinogradova / Pinterest
While the models have advanced since the first RX100 was released, the original is still a sturdy piece of kit capable of churning out stunning shot after shot. With a Carl Zeiss zoom lens, it’s largely considered one of the best travel cameras out there.
23. Underwater Iceberg
Possible Camera Used: Olympus Tough TG-6
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $600*
Going on an expedition anywhere with sub-zero temperatures isn’t for the faint of heart, but thankfully for us there are photographers willing to go where we fear to tread. They bring back incredible shots like this, of underwater icebergs.
Underwater Iceberg @r/intrigescatterfelt / Reddit.com
The equipment used to take photos like this varies, but an Olympus Tough TG-6 could do the job. This model is known for being hard as nails and virtually unbreakable. It’s waterproof, freezeproof, and has a chunky handgrip to make shooting easier. Plus, it’s only around $600 which is an added bonus.
24. Mount Ararat Eruption
Possible Camera Used: Sony Alpha a6500
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $1,800*
Capturing moments like an erupting volcano requires a camera that can shoot well from a distance. No one wants to be close to boiling hot lava, so it’s much better to set up camp a good distance away and invest in a tried and tested camera like a Sony Alpha a6500.
Mount Ararat Eruption @u/flappytowel / Reddit.com
Sony is known for making decent cameras that can withstand harsh climates while also bringing a creative vision to life. Resulting photos like this one make all the hard work worthwhile. Yes, they’re pricey, but it’s worth every cent to end up with snaps like this.
25. Sleepy Polar Bear
Possible Camera Used: Canon Rebel T7i/800D
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $800*
It’s not every day you stumble across a polar taking a rest, so when you do, it’s better to make sure you’ve got a camera that’s up to the job. Photographer Paal Uglefisk Lund was on a boat when he noticed the bear lounging on a rock.
Sleepy Polar Bear @Kim Sam / Pinterest
He quickly whipped out his camera – likely something similar to a Canon Rebel T7i – and captured the moment. He told Insider, “I wanted to contrast his snow-less bed with the snowy mountains behind him that reflect the global-warming crisis.” The resulting photo was nothing short of genius.
26. “Among the White Umbrellas”
Possible Camera Used: iPhone Camera
Where to Buy: Apple Store
Cost: $599-$800*
Aung ThuYa took this photo, believe it or not, with his cellphone, something he explained to viewers in a YouTube video on his channel. “Among the White Umbrellas” is a photograph of a woman seated inside a factory, wearing a sunhat and painting a traditional umbrella. The factory in this photo is located in Mandalay, Myanmar.
“Among the Whute Umbrellas” @We Heart It / Pinterest
ThuYa entered the Agora Awards, and he made the top 50, though he fell a little short of the $25,000 prize. The photo is amazing for its clarity, but iPhone cameras are top-notch. There are many tech reviews online that show iPhones outperforming other, store-bought cameras.
27. “Reitdiephaven”
Possible Camera Used: Sony a7R II Body
Where to Buy: Best Buy
Cost: $1,799.99*
Anskar Lenzen entered Agora’s photo competition, and he said that he appreciated the contest because it was about the quality of the photograph—not the experience level of the person taking it. The German photographer took home a $1,000 prize for #Blue2019, thanks to his photo, “Fishermen.”
“Reitdiephaven†@elroyspelbos / Shutterstock
Another classic Lenzen was “Reitdiephaven,” which he also entered. “Reitdiephaven” The ethereal photo captured the colorful district of Groningen in the Netherlands. Lenzen might have used the Sony a7R II Body, which is a 500px camera often recommended for landscape photography. It isn’t as heavy as other cameras, so carrying it while exploring isn’t an issue.
28. “Run and Fun”
Possible Camera Used: EOS 75 Mark II
Where to Buy: Walmart
Cost: $1,399*
When we think of monks, we assume that it’s all seriousness and silence. However, “Run and Fun” sought to change that perception. Taken in Myanmar, “Run and Fun” showed young monks chasing one another and running around in Hsinbyume Pagoda. The photographer behind this snapshot was Agora user @lingling25.
“Run and Fun” @Julie McDonough / Pinterest
The possible camera used to take this photo might have been the EOS 75 Mark II by Canon, which is perfect for in-motion photography such as this. The Mark II has a APS-C 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor, capturing gorgeous imagery, even if that imagery is moving rapidly—i.e. kids chasing each other.
29. “Blue Eye”
Possible Camera Used: Nikon D5
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $3,700*
Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz was the photographer behind “Blue Eye,” which does, in fact, look like a giant blue eye with a little kid running through it. The giant eye is actually Valencia, Spain’s “City of Arts and Science” being reflected on the water, making this photo a reflection of a reflection.
“Blue Eye” @AGORA images，惊艳你的视觉 / Pinterest
Saiz got a little help from his son, who ran through the photo in a bright yellow coat. Whether that was unintentional or not is unclear. A camera that would have been great for this photo is the Nikon D5, which does a fantastic job of capturing in-motion photographs.
30. “Sand Wasp With Prey”
Possible Camera Used:
Where to Buy: Best Buy
Cost: $3,400*
If you’re scared of bugs, you might want to look away, as this photo might actually make you feel bad for a fly. In Imam Primahardy’s photo, we get a close-up of nature in its most primal. A sand wasp is flying away with a fly in its grip, assumedly to eat it later. Sand wasps hunt by stinging their victim, paralyzing it, and then dragging it down to their burrow.
“Sand Wasp With Prey” @Krzysztof Wydra / Pinterest
This photo was taken from a close-up angle, though not so close-up as to spook the wasp (or get stung by it). A camera that could have been used is the Sony Alpha a9, which is excellent for Macro-Photography.