Friday, November 30, 2012

Medici Villas, Italy

Medici Villas, Italy

Photograph by Giacomo Baldi

A guard at a Medici villa in Poggio a Caiano, Italy, enjoys a cigarette at the end of the day.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Weedy Sea Dragon

Weedy Sea Dragon

Photograph by Richard Wylie

The camouflage that weedy sea dragons use to hide in the temperate marine vegetation they derive their name from is so successful that once they reach adulthood they have no natural predators. Unfortunately they are still at risk due to habitat destruction. The males of the species carry the bright pink, fertilized eggs underneath their tails for about two months before the fully formed young hatch and are left to fend for themselves.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Sunrise, Saxony

Sunrise, Saxony

Photograph by Jens Elste

Sunrise from the Bastei. It was the first sunny day in our country this year. The Bastei is a rock in our sandstone mountains in Saxony, Germany .

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Tour Guide, Vietnam

Tour Guide, Vietnam

Photograph by Matthew Nelson

A Vietnamese lady waits for passengers for a journey on the Thu Bon River in Hoi An Ancient Town. Increasing competition from locals for the tourist dollar means many of the local tour guides are left to wait.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Monday, November 26, 2012

Cheetah and Cubs

Cheetah and Cubs

Photograph by Scott Belt

This mother cheetah , with five cubs nearby, made it clear that her limits had been met (or exceeded).

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Pink Anemonefish

Pink Anemonefish

Photograph by Mike Ricciardi

This is a photo of a "family" of pink anemonefish in and around their host anemone. If you look closely you can also see the small anemone shrimp (tiny white eyes) in and around the anemone.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Skier, Afghanistan

Skier, Afghanistan

Photograph by James Robertson

A young Afghan skier in the province of Bamyan takes to the slopes on homemade skis. The skis are made from wood and metal and fasten to his feet with string and chain. He has been inspired by seeing Western tourists who are traveling to the area in ever increasing numbers to take to the remote slopes of the Hindu Kush.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia, Turkey

Photograph by Sukru Mehmet Omur

During a lovely sunrise in autumn, the view from the sky was wonderful at Urgup, Cappadocia, Turkey . The colors are going from green to red in a spectacular moonlike landscape.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Bear Cub, Alaska

Bear Cub, Alaska

Photograph by Douglas Croft

This yearling cub was "fishing" with his mom at Brooks Falls, Alaska . Mostly, he was getting in her way. Suddenly he became quite agitated and ran from the water and into a tree right next to the viewing platform where we were standing. It provided the best photo op of our trip.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt, Austria

Photograph by Weimin Chu

When the dark falls and tourists rest, the town of Hallstatt comes back to peacefulness. As fog winds around the spire of the famous Parish Church, and the blue tint of the rainy night is decorated by warm light, the town really looks like a fairyland.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Pheasant, Italy

Pheasant, Italy

Photograph by Michel Giaccaglia

This pheasant is proudly calling to mark its territory spotted with poppies, and seems to like to wear one of them as a mask the right face at the right place for the right shot.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Monday, November 19, 2012

Oryx, Namibia

Oryx, Namibia

Photograph by Mikael Stiller

Oryx captured in Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia just after sunset. They are heading through the dunes in search of food and water.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Sunday, November 18, 2012

Freshwater Mollusks

Freshwater Mollusks

Photograph by Yuanqi Wu

These are tentacles from freshwater mollusks know as bryozoa, similar to soft coral in the sea. They are aquatic colonial animals that grow on the rocks, branches, and leaves under the water.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

Cyclists, India

Cyclists, India

Photograph by Baiju Patil

I was traveling in Mumbai. I noticed that there are lots and lots of photo subjects. There is a place called Pali Hills, where people who migrated from Goa live. Their lifestyle is similar to the Goan people, and the architecture of this area is very unique. Some children were learning to ride a cycle on a busy street turn by turn.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Mantis and Flower

Mantis and Flower

Photograph by Fabien Bravin

A tiny mantis larva in an American poppy flower

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Lake Winnipeg, Canada

Lake Winnipeg, Canada

Photograph by Gerald Vincent

Two swimmers enjoy a preternatural calm on a summer's day on Lake Winnipeg.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Umbrellas, Florence

Umbrellas, Florence

Photograph by Steve Webb

During a heavy downpour in Florence, Italy , water enhances the aged character of a road, highlighting an array of monochromatic textures. The transient, colorful umbrellas pass through the scene, all uniting and forming a striking image. Two of them unite, suggesting a closer connection, in colorful, romantic Florence.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Grand Palais, Paris

Grand Palais, Paris

Photograph by Lance McMillan

Daniel Buren s work, "Excentrique(s)," fills the Grand Palais in Paris , an absolutely beautiful work of art in its own right.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Monday, November 12, 2012

Great Horned Owl, Florida

Great Horned Owl, Florida

Photograph by Ken Blye

Great horned owl in black and white. Well camouflaged, almost missed him.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Sunday, November 11, 2012

Abruzzo, Italy

Abruzzo, Italy

Photograph by Steffen Springstein

Wildflowers in the morning sun in the mountains of Abruzzo, Italy

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Butterfly at Sunset

Butterfly at Sunset

Photograph by Toni Guetta

Macro shot of a butterfly with the sunset in the background

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Friday, November 9, 2012

Hamar Portrait, Ethiopia

Hamar Portrait, Ethiopia

Photograph by Pascal Mannaerts

The Hamars are a people of East Africa living in southwestern Ethiopia in a fertile area of the Omo Valley. The gracious Hamar women, freeing pride and dignity even in the midst of the bustling weekly market, are easily spotted with their characteristic outfits. They take pride in their dress and accessories and win the prize as the most decorated of the Omo people. The traditional dress code for unmarried Hamar girls includes elegant cowrie-shell collars, seeded or glass-beaded necklaces, and decorated goatskin clothing.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Winter Morning, Yosemite

Winter Morning, Yosemite

Photograph by Tony Williams

All that is required to surprise and delight is to go out early on a winter morning in Yosemite and keep your eyes open wide.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Zebras, Kenya

Zebras, Kenya

Photograph by Justin Bowen

I was lucky enough to see these two fighting zebras while crossing the Masai Mara in Kenya . We stopped our vehicle and watched as the two zebras bit, kicked, and otherwise pestered each other. The two crossed our path and then started kicking violently. I followed the pair and was able to capture this moment just before they split up and went their separate ways.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Penguins, Antarctica

Penguins, Antarctica

Photograph by Joshua Holko

Penguins adrift on an iceberg during a heavy snowstorm in Antarctica

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Monday, November 5, 2012

Kocatepe Mosque, Turkey

Kocatepe Mosque, Turkey

Photograph by Andrew Abrahamson

Kocatepe Mosque, one of the largest in the world (holding up to 24,000 worshippers), is a modern building completed in 1987. I had been given permission to wander around and take photos during the service, although I only got up to the top balcony after it had finished and most people had gone.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Saturday, November 3, 2012

African Elephant and Queleas

African Elephant and Queleas

Photograph by Antero Topp

A flock of red-billed queleas coming to drink at the same time as an African elephant

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Friday, November 2, 2012

Water Patterns

Water Patterns

Photograph by Jorgen Tharaldsen

In a world of a million water pictures, it's easy to dismiss this as "just another reflection shot." Still, this unedited image proves how unreal water can behave under certain circumstances.

Here I stand at the narrowest point of a small lake, and as usual I have thrown objects into the water to see how it behaves visually. Because the lake was so narrow, only a few meters, the circles started to recoil from land. The effect is called, to my knowledge, interference, but I have yet to see anything similar, even after all these years of throwing rocks into the water.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Night Workers, Japan

Night Workers, Japan

Photograph by Teruo Araya

Night workers prepare to board a ferry in the Japanese port of Aomori. It feels sort of ominous, as if the workers are waiting for something to emerge from the depths of the boat.

(This photo and caption were submitted to the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest .)

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