2010 National Geographic Photography Contest Galleries

Bicycle Crash

Photo and caption by Karolis Milasevicius

Zestful BMX (Bicycle Moto - Cross) rider crashes after failed attempt to grind the handrail. When in pain, even the ambitious, strong, extreme sports loving man looks like a simple, tired, vulnerable person.

He is not a physicist

Photo and caption by Marlon Delai

It was a painter, on a rainy day in Paris. After he saw I was trying to take a picture of him, he surprised me with this amazing face.

Entrance Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

Photo and caption by Roger Wandless

This is the leading edge of a major front that caused flooding and damage to Southern New Zealand during April 2010. Taken at last light from a tourist vessel. Do the couple have any idea of what lies out to sea?

To See

Photo and caption by Maryanne Yeary

I took this picture at an eye glass clinic in a small town in the Ukraine. People have gone with poor eye sight due to no services. Here, a doctor is hired for a day and travels to treat patients who excitedly enter the room in hopes of receiving glasses.

Girl in Red from Thirteen:Twenty Lacuna

Photo and caption by Katrin Koenning

This image is part of 'Thirteen:Twenty Lacuna', a series documenting a small public alleyway in Melbourne, Australia.

Empower Yourself

Photo and caption by laura roesler

This photo was taken on Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I snapped this shot of my Aunts and feel that it captures the beauty and empowerment a woman can have.

Long dive

Photo and caption by Cyril Bays

Olivier and Jean-Marie, with their "Sentinel" on the back. It is a recycler, which turns into a closed circuit (exhaled air is filtered by lime). This allows to dive with a range of almost three hours, the device does not bubble. And here, after two hours non-stop physical fatigue is felt terribly.

When No One Is Looking

Photo and caption by Susan Ledgerwood

I love capturing moments when no one is watching, yet it is impossible to look away. The moments that unite us as humans. I love everything that's happening separately and together in this one moment.

Butcher, Dharavi

Photo and caption by Donald Yip

A small butcher shop lies hidden within the dizzying labyrinth of streets and alleyways of Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi,in Mumbai, India

Makeup Men

Photo and caption by Ryan Hoover

Traditional Indian Kathakali theater performers apply their makeup on stage, in preparation for the evening’s performance. Kerala, India

Mr Lefteris

Photo and caption by George Stavrinos

While I was cycling through the old Turkish Cypriot part of Larnaca town my eye caught the yard with the mirror and Mr Lefteris' reflection. I stopped and had a chat with Mr Lefteris. We mainly talked politics and about the Cyprus political problem. In Greek Lefteris means freedom. After the talk we had he was kind enough to let me take his picture.

The mistery

Photo and caption by canet mariana

The girl tha never look... it`s a mistery her face

balinese kids on the wall

Photo and caption by rio aditya arianto

pure kindness of little balinese girls

Widowed at the mines of Cerro Rico

Photo and caption by Michelle J. Wong

A woman learns that her husband, a mine worker in the Cerro Rico mines of Potosi, has only days left after suffering mine-related disease.

Big Chuck

Photo and caption by Brandon Tauszik

Meet Big Chuck.

Long time resident of San Francisco’s predominantly black ghetto, Hunters Point, Big Chuck knows what’s going down.

Located south-east of the city center and poorly connected to public transport, Hunters Point is a marginalized community that also contains one-third of San Francisco’s toxic waste. A high crime rate and fighting between gangs also contribute to the neighborhood’s spiraling status. It’s amazing to me that such a place can exist within walking distance from San Francisco’s wealthy and predominantly white downtown.

-Hunters Point ghetto, San Francisco

Boxeo Puro

Photo and caption by Oscar del Pozo Cañas

MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 30: Boxing fight night on October 30, 2009 at the Duke Sport Center of Algete in Madrid,Spain. Boxing specially in Madrid it hasn't sponsors or advertisement to help this sport to growth. Alejandro Pons from Valencia travels to Madrid for a quick fight, his body is full tattooed with nazi symbol, gun, a devil and a virgin. As he told me, boxing helps him to be a better man and to enjoy his live in a better way. (Photo by Oscar del Pozo)

It's Been A Hard Day's Night

Photo and caption by Orhan Aksel

I took this shot in Mardin, a south-eastern city in Turkey, famous with copper handicrafts. A Nikon SB600 flash handheld camera left, bounced off the ceiling full power at 24mm. Camera (Nikon D700) at rear sync mode with shutter speed at 1/25 (also handheld) with a 20mm f/2.8 lens.

bush guy , zanzibar

Photo and caption by pierluigi mulas

this picture is taken in zanzibar in a rural part of the island.the populazion lives in smal village in the bush,in the midddle between the ancient tradicion and the modern ways of life.

Isolation

Photo and caption by Gerardo Sabado

These are patients diagnosed of having multiple drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) that are confined and being treated in the TB isolation ward of a hospital in Manila. A strict "No mask, No entry" policy is being implemented in the ward.

DROUGHT, POVERTY AND FAMINE

Photo and caption by Jose Manuel Lopez Perez

PALMILLA. GUATEMALA. NOVEMBER 2009
Inhabitants of the ¬Caserio Palmilla¬, which belongs to Talquezal Village, pay attention to the teacher's explanations to learn how to avoid getting infected by dengue. Most of the population affected by the drought and famine in this area of the country are natives of the ethnia Chorti.
More than 50 children have died in few months because of the denutrition and famine in the East area of the country known as corredor seco ( dry way ).

The Kayapó warrior

Photo and caption by guta galli

The Kayapó warrior preparing himself for a spiritual celebration
Pará, Brazil