Anthony Pierpont, The Everyday Photographer: My Favorite Photos- Bald Eagle

Our national bird, the bald eagle, can be seen on everything from coins to t-shirts, but seeing one up close and personal is a rare treat.

Wildlife photography is beautiful and difficult, since the subjects are rarely eager to be captured on film. That’s a big reason why this bald eagle is one of my favorite photos. I was surprised to see him, thrilled that I had my camera ready to go, and especially pleased that at the last second, the bald eagle looked at me.

I’ve tried unsuccessfully to get other shots of animals in the wild, and often find that I can’t get close enough to get a good shot, or that when animals see me, they run or (purposefully, it sometimes seems) turn their head so that I only get a shot of their backside. Not really one for the album.

The colors also worked in this photo, and I think that’s less attributed to my photography skills and more to the beauty of Alaska. It’s hard to get a bad shot when the lakes, rivers and terrain are all so ruggedly beautiful.

Everyday Photographer Tip of the Day: Check out the wildlife photography at naturephotographers.net for amazing close-ups of animals, insects and other creatures at work and at play.

Anthony Pierpont, The Everyday Photographer: My Favorite Photos- Alaska Salmon

This photo should come with a warning- do not view if you haven’t eaten lunch today!

This is one of my favorite photos because of the way the color of the fish really pops. Alaska salmon has that great pink/orange hue that’s often imitated, never quite captured by paint companies.

I also like the texture of the fish in this photo. The freshness of the fish still reminds me of the day we went deep sea fishing, and the great dinner we enjoyed later that day.

Food photography is a special art that requires set-up and styling just like photographing a model. It’s somewhat more tenuous, since the lifespan of food- and how long it looks good on the plate- is negligible, and you can quickly lose the shot.

This photo (clearly) didn’t involve set-up or styling, but I still like the way it came out- and it still makes me hungry.

Everyday Photographer Tip of the Day: Still hungry? Check out Michael Ray’s food photography portfolio for some awe-inspiring shots of food. Yum, yum!

Anthony Pierpont, The Everyday Photographer: My Favorite Photos- Minnesota Whitefish Lake Sunset Photo

This is one of my favorite photos not just because it was taken at the beautiful Minnesota Whitefish lakes area, but because it’s a photo of a sunset.

I sometimes struggle to get good sunset photos, primarily because the lights and colors that I want to capture disappear so quickly. I’ve often tried to describe the sunsets in Whitefish, and without photographic evidence, it’s easy to see why my friends have a hard time believing that the sunsets there are so colorful.

Photos of sunsets in Minnesota are among the most popular of the travel photos you’ll find in resort gift shops. So clearly, I’m not the only one who’s so fascinated.

Everyday Photographer Tip of the Day: Check out travellerspoint for uploaded travel photos from people all over the world.