Photography & National Geographic ... I choose you!

I recently had a wonderful, adventurous few days in Dingle, Co. Kerry. I must say I came home very inspired by some of the artwork dotted all over the town. It was wonderful to see so many artists set up with very successful studios.
While there I got into a conversation about my work. I do tend to dabble in a little bit of everything and never really set my focus on any one thing. Jack of all trades, master of none. That's me.
So, I was asked 'if you had to choose one medium from now on which would you pick?' ... my immediate instinct told me to say painting, but when I thought about it the one thing I go to every time is my camera. Instead of creating a painting I usually tend to construct a scene for a photograph. I know way more about the history and techniques of photography than any other medium (which is a little ridiculous because I have a degree in Sculpture and really should know more about it) and when asked about my dream job I have two answers: to be a Set Designer for films, or a photographer for National Geographic.

Being a photographer for Nat Geo doesn't come easily. You have to have a minimum 5 year portfolio with photographs from all terrains ... snow, dessert, forest, underwater, mountain, people, etc ... plus all the qualifications (i.e. all those lovely letters after your name) and then if you get the job it's very, very tough.
You spend an enormous amount of time waiting belly down in water holding a giant lens to snap a crocodile, cooped up in a small hut for days to see that one little bird flutter by, or the famous photograph shown below by Steve Winter of a snow leopard which took him 10 months of waiting in Northern India to capture.

Still, I think it would be an amazing job.

So, after re-awakening my ever growing passion to photograph elusive animals and dangerous landscapes for Nat Geo, I have decided to share with you some photographs from others who aspire for their shot to appear inside it's glossy covers.
These are enteries for the annual photography competition held by National Geographic. Every day I flick through these to keep myself inspired and here are some of my favourites from each category: animals, people, landscape. I hope they inspire you too.

Animals:

Manout and Elephant

Manatee and Fish

Cuban Tree Frog, Florida

(yes, the frog is eating the light!)

Lion Profile

Penguins Underwater, Antarctica

People:

Dance Practice, Australia

The image above is very special to me because of it's caption: 'Friends for over 40 years, ballroom dancers Mary Hall, 85, and Gerald Kavanagh, 80, practice on a warm spring evening in Bendigo, Australia.' This image is exactly how I see my self and my oldest friend, John, when we're old and grey. We both became friends from gymnastics before we were even teenagers and I hope we'll be doing handstands in the backyard at the age of 80.

Football stadium, Colorado

Tightrope Performer, India

Triplet Policemen, New Jersey

Mahout Bathing Elephant, India

Landscape:

Terraced Rice Fields, China

Manarola, Italy

Candle Spruces at Night, Finland

Fly Gezer, Nevada

Rock Fort at Sunrise, India

Amazing, aren't they? All images are from  here.  

***PLEASE NOTE I do not own any of these photos nor did I take any of them, I am simple sharing them and linking them from the National Geographic website, thanks :) ***

Aoife x