23 Photos to fall in love with our planet

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Majestic mountains in the pre-dawn fog, funny animals in their natural habitat, mighty waterfalls and valleys flooded with sunlight. We live on the amazing planet Earth, which is illuminated daily by wildlife photographers around the world. Nature Photography Day, celebrated worldwide on June 15th, seems to be the best day to thank artists for their work.

Depositphotos has compiled a collection of inspiring photos of Mother Earth that prove that wildlife has millions of hidden secrets in different corners of the world. Need a rest in the middle of a busy day at the office? We invite you to travel to these exotic corners of the planet now.

Nature Photography Day was first celebrated in 2006. The idea belongs to the Nature Photography Association of North America (NANPA), which planned to promote nature photography in general. Part of the mission is to show its potential and draw public attention to environmental issues, natural landscapes and endangered species.

Thanks to the NANPA initiative, many people have rediscovered the North American continent. So let’s start our journey with Yosemite National Park (California) and Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana and Idaho) as well.

And who is this thoughtful couple? On the promenade in the small town of Naples, Florida, pelicans love to people watch. You never know when one of them will mistake you for fish from a seaside tavern!

Our next station is Laguna Colorada (or Red Lagoon), which is a salt lake in the southwestern highlands of Bolivia. Despite the famous James, Andean and Chilean flamingos being the main inhabitants of this territory, it is also possible to spot pensive white alpacas here.

The scenic Phetchaburi Province of Thailand, where this photo was taken, is located over a hundred kilometers from Bangkok. During the day, from the coast of Bang Taboon, you can see giant whales jumping. And swimming in the sea at night, you can admire the giant full moon above the sea.

And here comes the whale itself! Did you know that scientists are still curious why whales jump out of the water? However, sociality or attention is considered the most common response.

Dead camel thorn trees in Namib-Naukluft Park (Namibia) attract not only photographers, but also filmmakers. At different times of the day, the sun paints the surrounding dunes in bright futuristic colors: red, orange, white, blue and violet.

Although this young squirrel monkey from the Costa Rican rainforest looks sweet and helpless, it is considered one of the smartest monkeys on Earth due to its large brain compared to its small body! Another amazing fact: squirrel monkeys are one of the few monkeys that only use tails for balance (like a squirrel!). And, yes, he can drink water while he’s upside down!

Kauno Marios is an artificial lake in Lithuania, however, you will hardly be able to distinguish this lake from a natural reservoir. The lake occupies 0.1% of the country and is located in the middle of the picturesque valley of Nemunas.

Today it is difficult to imagine nature photography without drones. The invention of aerial photography seems to have transformed the way we appreciate nature from these unusual vantage points. Ideal contours of coastlines, forest gradients and mountain shadows appear for us in the new set.

Abstract art or photography topic? Try to find the answer while admiring images from Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Turkey.

And how about going down to greet the inhabitants of the Red Sea? In the spring, jellyfish come close to shore to give birth to their young. Fortunately, in the Red Sea there are no deadly jellyfish, but there are very beautiful ones. Perhaps this became the prototype of the Medusa Gorgon?

Whether it’s a river valley, a storm or a herd of wild donkeys in a field, nature loves monochromatic compositions. All the photographer needs to do is press the button in time.

Peninsula Valdés belongs to Argentina and is part of the Patagonia region. Whales, pichi, Magellanic penguins, southern elephant seals and, of course, South American sea lions are why Valdés is popular with wildlife photographers. But without diving equipment, it is impossible to organize a photo session of sea lions: these animals dive to a depth of 300 meters and can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h.

Can you imagine a bird that can only fly if it sees the ocean in front of it? In 2020, the Atlantic puffin is Iceland’s most precious bird, also known as the ‘Fradinho’. Also, every Atlantic parrot on Earth lives there. A bird’s beak changes color over the seasons and this exact photo was taken in spring.

The Falkland Islands, an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, have become home to many species of penguins. The colony of thousands of king penguins enjoys the cliffs of the islands and often spend time by the sea in the company of other seabirds. How do you distinguish a king penguin from other birds? He has an exceptional appetite. An adult king penguin eats up to 400 fish a day!

If you like and appreciate wildlife, as do the Depositphotos contributors, visit the National Nature Photography Day collection page, as it contains dozens of inspiring images. We hope these images inspire you to try your hand at being a wildlife photographer too, and share the discoveries to come with the world. Happy National Nature Photography Day!