Cherry Blossoms, Japan

Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel , National Geographic

In Japan the nighttime viewing of cherry blossoms in spring, like these at Kyoto s Hirano Shrine, is a special event. "The cherries' only fault: the crowds that gather when they bloom," wrote Saigyo, a 12th-century poet.

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 » Download cherry blossom wallpapers »