The first ever wildlife photographs that were published in the National Geographic would not have been possible without the help of George Shiras, a U.S. Representative who had an interest in wildlife photography.
Shiras’ wildlife photos were first featured in the July 1906 edition of the National Geographic magazine after being picked up by then-editor Gil Grosvenor in 1905. Soon after, the magazine started a tradition of publishing and featuring wildlife photos.
Interestingly, Shiras unknowingly established some photo-taking methods, such as flash photography, and a camera trap system, as he worked on capturing photos at night.
By using these two methods, Shiras managed to produce the first ever wildlife photos taken at night, featuring wild deer grazing in the forest, and intriguing photos of these animals reacting to Shiras’ strong camera flashes.
Take a look at Shiras’ wonderful work below.
George Shiras using his canoe camera and handheld flash on Whitefish Lake, Michigan.
[via PetaPixel, images by George Shiras, III via National Geographic]