A career in photography may seem as simple as snapping pictures, trying to capture cool angles or vivid colors. But there’s a heck of a lot more that goes into capturing the pictures we see adorning the pages of magazines like National Geographic than we think.
You may rebuff the idea that a still image has the ability to up your heart rate, but once you’ve looked at the work of someone who knows the ins and outs of the photography landscape, you’ll immediately see what we mean. If at least one these 20 photos don’t get your heart racing, you might need to check yourself for a pulse!
1. Is this really a bridge worth crossing? Apparently many people think so because it’s a huge attraction in China. Those who dare to walk it are harnessed in, but that really doesn’t mean much when you’re staring directly down a sheer 1,000-foot drop.
2. You better “bee” careful if you’re trying to go for a ride on this bike! Whoever owns it better have an EpiPen handy. Either that, or a whole bunch of Off! at their disposal. Who knew bees were interested in mountain biking?
3. How terrified would you be to walk underneath this massive boulder? It’s hard to believe people do it every day, but it’s even harder to believe this city in Southern Spain actually built apartments all around it. “Don’t worry, my next door neighbor doesn’t mind loud music. They’re a boulder.”
4. This is one bad-to-the-bone swimmer. Instead of freaking out, he threw this Great White a hang-ten sign. This shark was totally harshing the dude’s mellow with those gnarly teeth. The ocean’s not big enough for both of us, bro.
5. Whoever is behind the wheel of this car needs to put the pedal to the metal before they’re completely consumed in the thick plumes of volcano smoke. Warning: terrifying ash cloud in mirror is much closer than it appears!
6. The man in this space suit is Felix Baumgartner, and he set the world record for the highest skydive of all time, from space! He leaped from the stratosphere down to Earth in 2012, and he survived to tell the tale!
7. This was a plane that was built during World War II and flew several missions. It’s hard to believe it made it through a time of war but couldn’t handle a simple training session in the desert. The pilot was luckily unharmed when the engine lost power over this highway.
8. Well, if there’s one sure way to tell you’re in unfriendly territory it’s finding a dismantled doll strung up in pieces. Whoever snapped this photo should probably think about turning back soon; all signs point to evil ahead.
9. Umm, someone should probably be made aware of this, right? It seems a little concerning that flames are suddenly beginning to lick out of this sewer. Is Pennywise down there starting fires again?
10. This startling-looking blob of pink actually looked like something you’d really want to eat not long before this photo was snapped. Believe it or not, it’s a hollowed out apple! Yuck!
11. This photo was snapped just minutes after a massive fire tore through an enormous field of crops. The plumes of smoke make it look like there’s a volcano underneath the earth. God help the firefighters tasked with this challenge.
12. It’s a good thing this girl took cover behind the fence; this deer has a serious jump game! Throw some track shoes on him and put him in shorts, and he’ll give any Olympic hurdler a run for their money.
13. This bridge is a true test of coordination; it looks like it’s twirling while you walk down it. Many people would have to close their eyes before they ventured down this thing. Feeling dizzy anyone?
14. How is everyone who’s sitting around this woman not staring at her in total horror? Also, why is that creepy Michael Myers-esque mask glowing from the inside? Maybe her evil powers are growing…
15. Whoever gave this girl on the left the invite to the party definitely regretted it after seeing this haunted picture. Something is either wrong with the camera, Jenny showed up possessed by Satan… or she’s wearing white eyeshadow and her eyes are closed.
16. Playfully teasing pets can be a great source of entertainment; you never really know how they’re going to react. This woman was brave enough to have an epic showdown with her cat. Two felines enter, one feline leaves!
17. This is a stunning photo of a pod of whales sleeping. Even though most whales are harmless, simply coming across something so massive would be enough to make even seasoned divers a little apprehensive. Humans are like ants to these animals!
18. This spider might just be the result of a talented paper mâché artist, but looking at all those legs still sends shivers down the spine. Paint that thing black and place it in someone’s drawer for one heck of an intense scare!
19. When a cloudy day finally starts to give way, it’s always a relief. But, when those clouds start to part and suddenly you have this glowing face glaring down at you, that feeling goes from relief to regret real quick.
20. You’ve probably never seen someone try to take down a slice of pizza like this before. Sure, this photo may not be as intense as that Great White, but think about the absolute mess the cheese and sauce are going to make once they inevitably tumble down his face and try not to shiver with fear!