2010 National Geographic Photography Contest Galleries

Alone

Photo and caption by Mats Almlöf

I was upp in the air in an helicopter, taking images for the community and suddelnly I saw one tree surrounded by thousands of spruces and I got only one shot in this perfect light.

Reflections of Changing Leaves

Photo and caption by Sam Augsburger

While standing on the bank I watched the water as my son rowed by in a small boat. The leaves across the small lake were beginning to change as fall was starting to settle in. The unique wave patterns cause by the boat and oars were stunning. Mesmerized by the rippled reflections I almost missed the shot. The picture gives me the sensation of a Van Gogh water color.

Brown bear, Buskin River, Kodiak Alaska 100912-152a

Photo and caption by James Haskins

This bear had been fishing in the river on this morning. It climbed onto the bank and laid down in the grass. This photo was taken about an hour after sunrise just as the sun was starting to clear the trees. The temperature was near the dew point and steam was rising off its body. It didn’t seem at all concerned by the fishermen in the river or the photographer on the bank.

Sailing through a tiny reflection!

Photo and caption by GEORGE RIGOUTSOS

While I was trying to create a half into- half out of the water picture of a jellyfish, this fishing boat appeared in the horizon. I moved a little so as to bring my camera at a straight line with the boat which seems as if it is sailing through the reflection of the jellyfish on the surface as the sun was setting.

Old Man of Storr

Photo and caption by stefano giammarco

The Storr is a rocky hill on the Trotternish peninsula of the Isle of Skye, Scotland. The hill presents a steep rocky eastern face overlooking the Sound of Raasay. I wanted to take this picture at sunrise, so i woke up at 3 o'clock A.M. and after 1 hour of hiking up, i reached the point just above The Storr. The place was perfect, because I checked the day before in the afternoon, but that morning I was in the middle of a cloud: nothing in front of me. But at the exact time of sunrise, the cloud was gone away and i just admired the fantastic scene. It really worth the trip.

Ancon Peru flying pelicans

Photo and caption by Ana Maria Garcia Montero

Ancon has a group of islands where different kinds of birds (aves guaneras) make their home..
This image freeze a moment when one wave strikes to the rock where this two pelicans were resting, making them to fly in between the water..

Balance

Photo and caption by Bret Webster

An entire central band of our Milky Way balances precariously on THE “Balanced Rock” of Arches National Park in Utah. Although unquantified to date it appears that many materials are more resistive to natural erosion while "under load" than surrounding material with less load imposed upon it. This phenomena helps explain not just balanced rocks but many of the spectacular arch formations that are seen throughout the American Southwest such as those in Arches National Park, Rainbow Bridge of Lake Powell and thousands of others. The erosion reveals the hidden load path!

Sorrow of the Land

Photo and caption by Nick Ambrose

The sorrow of the land abused for the purposes of man.

Sleeping Giant

Photo and caption by Judy Bujold

On our first day out for a safari in Kenya, we came upon a sleeping lion and his mate. The male was very well hidden in the grass, but the female peeked her head out of the high grasses to make sure we were not getting to close to her and her mate.

Wasp on Window

Photo and caption by Ryan Van Meter

Wasp photographed climbing on the outside of a dirty window, side-lit by late afternoon sun, against a clear sky and forest treeline. Photographed in Pawlet (VT) on 15 September 2010, at 5:30pm, using a Nikon D5000 and a Sigma 70-300mm lens on macro.

Relax and Enjoy the Morning Drive

Photo and caption by Wesley Bushby

Driving to work one foggy morning it felt like I was meant to be there, to slow down and enjoy. The fog reached out as to say, "relax and enjoy the morning drive".

Slipping Through My Fingers

Photo and caption by Laurie Search

The Imperial Sand Dunes, near Glamis, CA. I love these beautiful ridges and patterns that nature makes in the sand. Pretty incredible to see.

Bee stare

Photo and caption by Linda Basson

Macro photograph taken of a bee in mid flight after collecting pollen from a lavender flower.

Alpental at Snoqualmie Pass

Photo and caption by paradie stewart

An inversion caused a sea of clouds to hover over the lower part of the mountain. It was hot enough for me and my brother to remove our heavy jackets as soon as we reached the peak. I snapped this coming down from our first run, the sharp line at the top of the cloud bank made it seem like a sea that was slowly encroaching on the hut at the base of the lift.

Heavy load

Photo and caption by Audun Wigen

One morning in august I was on my way to pick up the newspaper. Everything was moist and wet, and I spotted this little fly on a small white flower, just outside my bedroom window. Two hours after I shot this picture I went outside again, and the fly was still sitting on the same flower - still not able to fly.

Ghost Panel Night

Photo and caption by Bret Webster

The Milky Way provides many contrasts in time and space with the famous Ghost Panel portion of the Great Gallery in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. The Ghost Panel is of the Barrier Canyon style pictographs peppered around the region and are sometimes dated as old as 9000 years although controversy remains. This image is a single exposure photograph which captured the Milky Way while the famous panel was carefully illuminated for several seconds. Elements of the deep past, the present and perhaps the future are seen in this image.

Pink dolphins hunting in the Rio Negro, Amazon, Brasil

Photo and caption by Michel Braunstein

Inia geoffrensis or more commonly known as the pink dolphins, nicknamed locally as ‘Boto’, reside in the waters of the Rio Negro. Although still poorly known, this species is considered the most intelligent of the five species of freshwater dolphins. This dolphin has a melon shaped head, a thick and elongated back, a crest instead of the dorsal fin, disproportionately large ventral fins and tail, all of which making it less refined than the common dolphin. Yet when you see its agility and wild grace, it makes you think of the legendary Amazons.
It's a project to picture in these dark waters