If I could make a living being any type of photographer, other than climbing/sport, it would be a wildlife photographer.  National Geographic is obviously a great source of beautiful and inspiring wildlife photos.  They just posted a compilation of the best pictures from January, and here the two wildlife pictures:

I can't write a post about wildlife photography without talking about my all-time favorite photogapher: Paul Nicklen.  His specialty is photographing animals from the polar regions.  Essentially, he sits around for hours and days on end, freezing and waiting for that fleeting moment when the animal appears.  I've chosen three of my favorites, a virtually impossible task, for your viewing pleasure.  If you have 20 minutes to watch the video of his TED 2011 talk, I promise you won't regret it.  His story and images will touch your heart. 

Sincerely,
100% Animal Lover and Tree Hugger