These amazing photos take on a whole new meaning of facing danger.
Photographer Jonathan Griffiths risked his life taking these breathtaking images, just inches away from tigers, bears, and cougars, capturing the moment a lion approached so close at his lens.
In one shot, a tiger leaves breath condensation on his lens.
Although they were taken in a controlled environment, the photos represent a remarkable feat – especially for an amateur photographer.
The 32-year-old currency trader from Egham in Surrey has endured extreme temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius, as he has earned the trust of each animal for two to three days.
The father has lured them with meat – mainly chicken – to take close-up photos of them in the remote rocky mountains of Montana, for the past 15 months.
He received a camera just two years ago as a birthday present from his fiancée, with the intention of taking pictures of their newborn son.
However, after spending time at the local zoo, Jonathan decided he wanted to photograph the powerful predators outdoors.
He flew to the US, where he stayed in a motel next to a wildlife sanctuary and would wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day to take pictures.
Jonathan said: ‘At first I was quite nervous around the animals because I didn’t know what was going to happen and they were so wild.
‘It was a big adrenaline rush. When you get up close, you can see drool running down their jaws and you can’t believe it.
“By far the most terrifying animal is the black panther, which made me fear for my life and I think it could a.tt.ack at any moment.”
Thankfully, he and his camera survived to tell the story.
Danger: A pack of grey wolves tear into their prey, alert to the fact there are people nearby
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