Thiessen Wildfires

Mark Thiessen has been photographing wildfires for almost 20 years. And he’s been on staff at National Geographic for almost as long. In his own words, he’s been “bitten by the fire bug.”

In the video above, Thiessen talks about the time he got covered in flame-retardant goop, shares tricks for shooting fires when they’re at their peak, and reveals the surprising personal characteristics that are indispensable when shooting wildfires. Hint: It’s not being a daredevil.

Is there an extreme subject you love to shoot? Tell us about it in the comments below.

*****
Last year, Thiessen worked with National Geographic’s Your Shot community to curate the #wildfire2014 hashtag.

See more wildfire photographs taken by Thiessen for National Geographic magazineNational Geographic magazine.

Meet one of the photo engineers who make tools like Fire Cam possible.

Read This Next

The troubles and triumphs that shaped 2021
How prescribed burns are protecting ancient sequoias from wildfires
Here’s how wildfires get started—and how to stop them

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet