Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Waterfall, Iceland

Waterfall, Iceland

Photograph by Hordur Finnbogason , My Shot

This is an image I have had on my mind to get for three years. To align the waterfall and northern lights that are strong enough to light up the whole surroundings. At last it happened and I was at the right place at the right time. Godafoss means Waterfall of the Gods and takes its name from the old Nordic sagas.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

Watch extreme auroras fueled by sun storm » Download aurora wallpapers » See the world in shades of blue »

Monday, April 29, 2013

Blenny, Red Sea

Blenny, Red Sea

Photograph by Dmitry Marchenko , My Shot

Small blenny fish hiding in a coral hole, Red Sea, Egypt

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

See pictures of colorful sea creatures » Get underwater photography tips » See the world in a kaleidoscope of color »

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Farmhouse, Delaware

Farmhouse, Delaware

Photograph by Michael Melford , National Geographic

Painter Andrew Wyeth kept a secret studio a few miles from this Woodlawn farmhouse, creating works of art inspired by the surrounding landscape until his death in 2009. Some of his paintings evoke similar wintry scenes.

See the world in white »

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Cape Blossom, Russia

Cape Blossom, Russia

Photograph by Sergey Gorshkov

A barrier beach of marine rubble stretches toward desolate Cape Blossom, at the southwestern tip of Wrangel Island. The Siberian mainland lies 88 miles to the south.

See pictures of patterns in nature » Explore 125 years of National Geographic history »

Friday, April 26, 2013

Diamondback, Big Bend National Park

Diamondback, Big Bend National Park

Photograph by Fred LaBounty , My Shot

I carry snake tongs when I travel to Big Bend National Park to move snakes from the warm roadways in the mornings so they won't be run over. I came across this diamondback near Panther Junction. He went on the defensive as soon as I exited my truck. I didn't want to pass up the photo op and photographed him with a Canon EOS 5D111 and a Canon 100-400 5.6L lens. I then moved him into the underbrush about 30 feet from the roadway.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

U.S. National Park Week is April 20-28. Download park guides in our National Parks by National Geographic app and get ready to explore.

See pictures of national parks shot by our photo community » Explore great national park hikes »

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands

Photograph by Chris Carvalho , My Shot

Mesa Arch in Utah's Canyonlands National Park is one of the finest places for a photographer to start the day. This 4x5 negative was exposed with an old lens, a 121mm Schneider Super Angulon. It was a favorite of Ansel Adams. While an excellent optic for its time, it only had single-layer coating and was subject to more flare than modern lenses. In this instance, it created a starburst pattern with rainbow streaks that add greatly to the character of the image.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

U.S. National Park Week is April 20-28. Download park guides in our National Parks by National Geographic app and get ready to explore.

Get tips on photographing national parks » See pictures of national park landmarks » Zoom in on an infinite photograph of national parks »

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Wolf, Denali National Park

Wolf, Denali National Park

Photograph by Brian Montalbo, Your Shot

I photographed this wolf hunting snowshoe hares in Denali National Park . He stopped only for a second and I captured two shots. This is one of them.

(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)

U.S. National Park Week is April 20-28. Download park guides in our National Parks by National Geographic app and get ready to explore.

Get tips on photographing national parks » See more pictures of Denali National Park »

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains

Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains

Photograph by Christopher Ewing , My Shot

This was taken in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains in Cades Cove on Sparks Lane in October 2012. I went to the cove in hopes of a lot of fog, a little disappointed there wasn't that much. But walking down the lane as the sun came up, the light all photographers dream about showed itself.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

U.S. National Park Week is April 20-28. Download park guides in our National Parks by National Geographic app and get ready to explore.

See pictures of national parks shot by our photo community » Explore great national park hikes » Get tips on photographing national parks »

Monday, April 22, 2013

Sunrise, Badlands National Park

Sunrise, Badlands National Park

Photograph by Dan Dady , My Shot

Sunrise near Yellow Mounds, Badlands National Park

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

U.S. National Park Week is April 20-28. Download park guides in our National Parks by National Geographic app and get ready to explore.

Browse galleries of national park pictures » Zoom in on an infinite photograph of national parks »

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Bluebells, Delaware

Bluebells, Delaware

Photograph by Michael Melford , National Geographic

Bluebells blooming along the Brandywine River mark springtime in Delaware .

U.S. National Park Week is April 20-28. Download park guides in our National Parks by National Geographic app and get ready to explore.

Download flower wallpapers » Get tips on photographing nature » See the world in shades of purple »

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Elephant Seal, California

Elephant Seal, California

Photograph by Mike Gin , My Shot

Female elephant seal scratching her head while another sleeps peacefully behind her on the beach in San Simeon, California

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

See pictures of seals and sea lions » See pictures of California shot by our photo community »

Friday, April 19, 2013

Chicken Farm, Pennsylvania

Chicken Farm, Pennsylvania

Photograph by Peter Essick , National Geographic

Chickens provide the fertilizer on this Pennsylvania farm. The mobile coops are relocated daily to distribute manure evenly so that it won t drain into the Chesapeake Bay.

Explore 125 years of National Geographic history »

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Funnel Cloud, Minnesota

Funnel Cloud, Minnesota

Photograph by Mitch Dobrowner

Northfield, Minnesota Born in a bruising supercell, a funnel cloud looms beyond a cornfield.

See pictures of extreme weather » Watch a video of a tornado in Minnesota » Learn how tornadoes form »

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Kykuit Gardens, New York

Kykuit Gardens, New York

Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel , National Geographic

The gardens of Kykuit, at the Rockefeller estate in Sleepy Hollow, New York, were planned for day or night display. A row of lindens leads to the perfection of the Temple of Aphrodite.

Watch a time-lapse sequence of a night-blooming water lily » Go behind the scenes in a Q&A with Diane Cook and Len Jenshel »

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Trees in Snow

Trees in Snow

Photograph by John Lucic , My Shot

The wind was blowing at 90 kilometers (56 miles) an hour. Snow was traveling horizontally and hitting the trees face on. It left a nice imprint on them.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

Get tips on photographing weather » See patterns in nature »

Monday, April 15, 2013

Manta Ray and Snorkeler, Australia

Manta Ray and Snorkeler, Australia

Photograph by Violeta Jahnel , My Shot

A snorkeler appreciates the beauty of a giant manta ray in Ningaloo Reef, off Australia s west coast.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

See pictures of ocean rays » Watch a video about stingrays » Get tips on photographing underwater »

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Swans, Prague

Swans, Prague

Photograph by Jaromir Chalabala , My Shot

Swans on the Vltava River in Prague

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

See pictures of Prague landmarks » Get tips on photographing cities »

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Winter, Sweden

Winter, Sweden

Photograph by Pierric Descamps , My Shot

Shot taken on a winter morning in the Swedish countryside

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

See pictures of patterns in nature » Get tips on photographing nature » See pictures of mysterious ice formations »

Friday, April 12, 2013

Sheep, Afghanistan

Sheep, Afghanistan

Photograph by Matthieu Paley, National Geographic

In this high, barren valley called Little Pamir, survival depends on livestock. Red-robed Kyrgyz girls corral sheep for milking, while dung dries atop the walls for use as fuel. The sheep, along with goats, yaks, and camels, provide milk, meat, and wool and even serve as currency: One lamb buys 110 pounds of flour.

Travel back in time to a 1950 article on the Wakhan corridor » See pictures of Afghanistan »

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Milky Way, New Zealand

Milky Way, New Zealand

Photograph by Stefan Mutch , My Shot

This was taken on the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin, New Zealand . I was hoping to capture some aurora activity. There was no aurora that night, but there was high humidity, so the light from the city was reflected over the entire sky, even though we were well away from the city. Instead of the usual gold or orange glow, the sky took on a red hue that was clearly visible to the naked eye.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

Get tips on photographing the night sky » Take a visual tour of New Zealand »

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Owl and Mouse, Minnesota

Owl and Mouse, Minnesota

Photograph by Tom Samuelson , My Shot

Great gray owls come south from Canada into Minnesota during the winter to find food. This owl was on the north shore of Lake Superior, just south of Two Harbors, Minnesota. We happened to find him as the sun was setting, and in the evening light, we were able to be in a position to see an owl that was hunting when a mouse came out, and the owl was quick to pounce and pick up an evening meal.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

Watch a video about owls » See pictures of birds of prey »

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Las Pozas, Mexico

Las Pozas, Mexico

Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel , National Geographic

When a freak freeze killed the orchid collection on his Mexican estate, English eccentric Edward James created Las Pozas, a garden with surreal follies like the concrete Bamboo Palace durable and immune to the vagaries of weather.

Watch a time-lapse sequence of a night-blooming water lily » Go behind the scenes in a Q&A with Diane Cook and Len Jenshel »

Monday, April 8, 2013

Butterfly and Rhododendron

Butterfly and Rhododendron

Photograph by Julia Baverstock , My Shot

This beautiful rare butterfly was on a rhododendron bush in my grandfather's garden, Dartmoor, Devon.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

Download butterfly wallpapers » Get macro photo tips »

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Elephants, Tanzania

Elephants, Tanzania

Photograph by Amanda Schmidt, Your Shot

After spending two weeks building a windmill in Tanzania , I get a chance to sit back and enjoy the scenery. This big guy seems just as interested in me as I am in him.

(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)

Learn about the illegal ivory trade » Browse animal photo galleries » See pictures of savannas and grasslands »

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Millennium Park, Chicago

Millennium Park, Chicago

Photograph by Ulises Rivero, Your Shot

Kids playing or "praying" under the water towers in the Millennium Park in Chicago

(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)

Get tips on photographing people » See pictures of Chicago's green features »

Friday, April 5, 2013

Lightning, New Mexico

Lightning, New Mexico

Photograph by Carsten Peter , National Geographic

A ground fire ignited by a lightning storm near Elephant Butte, New Mexico , paints the horizon with brown smoke. At right, another cloud-to-ground strike flashes through a shaft of rain.

See pictures of extreme weather » Get tips on photographing weather » Watch the birth of a lightning bolt »

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Zebras, Serengeti

Zebras, Serengeti

Photograph by Giulio Zanni , My Shot

Image taken in the Serengeti in Tanzania during the migration period. Zebras and wildebeest were gathering on the edge of the river, waiting for the right moment to cross.

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

Learn why zebras are born to run » See a 360° panorama of zebras » See pictures of savannas and grasslands »

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Trees in Fog, Germany

Trees in Fog, Germany

Photograph by Angelika Himburg, Your Shot

"David versus Goliath." This photo was taken on a foggy morning in January. The sun began to rise and hid behind the big trees. The little tree stands like a dwarf next to it. Salzatal, Germany .

(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)

See pictures of winter landscapes » See pictures of Germany shot by our photo community »

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Deer, Czech Republic

Deer, Czech Republic

Photograph by Veronika Kolev , My Shot

I was walking in the field, taking pictures of the winter landscape, when suddenly several deer, frightened by me, jumped out of the nearby bushes and fled. I managed quickly to change the program of my camera and took some panning pictures. umava National Park, Czech Republic .

(This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot.)

See pictures of winter wildlife » See pictures of European national parks »

Monday, April 1, 2013

Monte Perdido, Spain

Monte Perdido, Spain

Photograph by Maxime Daviron, Your Shot

The north face of Monte Perdido in the Spanish Pyrenees. The mountain was masked by the clouds for three days, revealing the glacier occasionally. It was really cold and there was a strong wind; the ambience was very impressive. It reminded me of the world of Tolkien. This place could have been the abode of some ancient gods or giant dragons.

(This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot.)