IS HE STILL THERE?!: One morning while on
the Big Island of Hawaii, i exploring my surroundings to see if i could
find something to photograph. I almost went back inside when something
on this huge palm tree leaf caught my eye. I stayed around and it was
this little gecko, startled by my presence he was hidden between the
ridges of the leaf. He would pop his head up periodically to check his
surroundings, as soon as he saw i was still there he would hide again.
We played this game for a while until i got the shot. Holualoa big
Island, Hawaii. (Photo and caption by Lorenzo Menendez/Nature/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

LANDSCAPE IN THE RAIN: It was raining
heavily when I took the photo, but the sun illuminated the landscape
parochially. Bergueda, Catalonia, Spain. (Photo and caption by Mihaly
Attila Kazsuba/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

NONI NECTAR FOR GREEN GECKO: Madagascar Gold
Dust Day Gecko licking nectar from a young noni fruit in Kailua, Hawaii.
These geckos were living all around the hale' we were staying in,
enjoying the noni and basking on the railing and sunny steps to our
place. They were very shy mostly, except this one must have enjoyed the
nectar so much as to let me get a shot of their favorite activity. They
seemed to tend the noni very attentively throughout the day. August
2010, Chandra S Sherin. Kona Village Resort, Kailua - Kona, Hawaii.
(Photo and Caption by Chandra Sherin/Nature/National Geographic Photo
Contest)

MOSAIC: Patterns of sea stars as exquisite
mosaics, attractive, and each time is different. Cambodia (Photo and
caption by Andrey Narchuk/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

DUNBAR: Two elements. Water and rock. Motion
and tranquility. Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland. (Photo and caption by
Tatana Vacovska/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

FLIGHT OF AN EAGLE OWL: A large adult eagle
owl in flight. Lingfield, Surrey, UK. (Photo and caption by Mark
Bridger/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

CONFRONTING: Cage divers confront a great
white shark on the Isla de Guadalupe. (Photo and caption by David
Litchfield/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

THE CLOUD: At safari not only animals can
attract attention. South Africa, Western Cape, Aquila Safari park.
(Photo and caption by Dmitry Gorilovskiy/Nature/National Geographic
Photo Contest)

FLESH AND BONES: In a world where no one
understands the importance of nature, all that is left of our nature is
just these flesh & bones. Toronto, Canada. (Photo and caption by
Amirhassan Farokhpour/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

ATACAMA SUNSET: Setting sun lights up clouds
over Salar de Atacama in north Chile. I took this photo in July 2011 and
at that time clouds like this were worrying sign of more unusual snow
fall which already blocked roads to Bolivia and Argentina. Thankfully
this time it just served as spectacular canvas to a sunset and reminder
how beautiful is the world we live in. Salar de Atacama, Chile. (Photo
and caption by Magdalena Rakita/Nature/National Geographic Photo
Contest)

STINGRAY: This image was captured to
Sandbar, Grand Cayman during my last trip.This beautiful creature turn
around you very close and you can touch it.This is a really amazing
experience, you are surrounded by dozen of this friendly animal.
Sandbar-Grand Cayman-Caribean (Photo and caption by Gazzaroli
Claudio/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

LOVE OF PARENTS: The emperor penguins fight
for survival and to protect their only baby in the frozen Antarctic ice
desert. Antarctica: Atka Bay, Weddell Sea. (Photo and caption by Claus
Possberg/National Geographic Photo Contest)

WINTER LOLLIPOPS: Winter is extremely
beautiful in Lithuania. It was an early morning and minus 25 degrees
Celsius outside. This landscape feels out of this world, but in fact
it's in the outskirts of my home city, Kaunas—just a mile away from my
house. Oftentimes beauty lies just a step away from our door. Kaunas,
Lithuania (Photo and caption by Matas Juras/Nature/National Geographic
Photo Contest)

OXPECKER'S PUZZLE: I've always been
intrigued by the markings of giraffes--how they vary between individuals
and how they look like pieces of a puzzle, cracked mud or even tectonic
plates in my scientific mind. I've tried many times to capture them but
it was never right. Here, this oxpecker in a tight crop, lost on the
abstract surface and framed by the legs of the larger animal finally
seems to work. South Africa. (Photo and caption by Benjamin Bronselaer/Nature/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

NIGHT TIME HAMMERHEAD: Curious hammerhead at
dusk. Cat Key, Bahamas. (Photo and caption by Raul Boesel/Nature/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

RHEA'S PORTRAIT: A different angle from an
American Rhea (Rhea americana) seen in Pantanal, Brazil, on a cloudy
day. Pantanal, Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. (Photo and caption
by Simony Blanco/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

WILDEBEEST CROSSING: Beautiful mayhem. Masai
Mara, Kenya. (Photo and caption by Samantha Gargour/Nature/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

SAND SPHERES: The food filtered 2-3mm sand
ball creations of a tiny Sand Bubbler Crap. Done so that it knows which
sand has been filtered for food. Daintree Rainforest region, Cairns,
Austrailia. (Photo and caption by Baron Collocott/Nature/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

SUMMER AT GRANNY'S: This is a heart-shaped
stawberry in the hand of my grandmother. Love is the message. Gyula,
Hungary. (Photo and caption by Szabo Eszfer/Nature/National Geographic
Photo Contest)

GOOD MORNING: Jabulani the elephant greeting
his caretaker, Stavros Chakoma, before heading out on safari. Kapama
Game Reserve, Kruger region of South Africa. (Photo and caption by Paula
Durham/Nature/National Geographic Photo Contest)

DUSK IN THE BALE MOUNTAINS: A kitten and an
elderly woman stand outside their hut deep in the subalpine Bale
Mountains of southeastern Ethiopia. Bale Mountains, Ethiopia. (Photo and
caption by Benjamin Guez/People/National Geographic Photo Contest)

THE PENITENTS: The day of Friday, there is
the traditional procession of penitents through the village streets
beating their backs with the discipline of rings and metal plates. San
Lorenzo Maggiore, Benevento, Italy. (Photo and caption by Salvatore
Picciuto/People/National Geographic Photo Contest)

DAY OF YOUTH: Muslim girls at the day of the
youth on the 11th of February. The girls are walking in a procession to
the mayor of the village and are singing about the power of Cameroon.
Lagdo, Cameroon. (Photo and caption by Ronnie Dankelman/People/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

SUNBATHING UNDERWATER: The sun gives us
energy even underwater. This image was captured during freediving
(diving on a single breath without scuba gear) in the Red Sea. Eel
Garden, Dahab, Sinai, Egypt. (Photo and caption by Vaclav Krpelik/People/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

WEATHERED HANDS: The Kara women collect the
water, cook for family, harvest the fields, make the clothing, and are
the backbone of the tribe. This elderly woman was the only white-haired
person I came in contact with. I tried desperately to get a pleasing
portrait and caught her hands in my peripheries; the perfect symbol of
the woman's role in tribal society in the Omo River Valley. Her
bracelets are made from salvaged AK-47 shell casings, a symbol in itself
for the cyclic theme of war and revenge between the Kara and the
neighboring tribe, the Nyangatom. Omo River Valley, Ethiopia. (Photo and
caption by Nicholas Wiesnet/People/National Geographic Photo Contest)

CHILDHOOD: When does childhood become
adulthood? When does snack time become lunch at your desk? When did
safety shift from blankies to insurance? When did magic turn into
illusion? Childhood. When the whole world is magic. Portland, Oregon.
(Photo and caption by Mei Ratz/National Geographic Photo Contest)

THE UNTOLD STORY: A young Afghan refugee
girl living, with her family, in a village named Bhaun near district
Chakwal in Punjab, Pakistan. Village Bhaun, Punjab, Pakistan. (Photo and
caption by Mohsin Khawar/People/National Geographic Photo Contest)

WRESTLER'S HANDS: A wrestler at the US
Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs, CO, stops to rest and
catch his breath after a hard training session. Colorado Springs, CO.
(Photo and caption by Stephanie Zollshan/People/National Geographic
Photo Contest)

TERENCE STAMP: The actor at my home in Ojai,
California, during a casual photoshoot in my living room. Ojai, CA.
(Photo and caption by Betina La Plante/People/National Geographic Photo
Contest)

MY OWN LIGHT: Pinki Kundu, a 13 yrs old girl
is suffering from a chronic disease & is being treated in Mother Teresa
TB Hospital in Kolkata.She is under CAT 1 drug therapy & is doing
well.The day I photographed her she was very hopeful mood that she would
be returning back to her parent soon. Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
(Photo and caption by Saibal Gupta/People/National Geographic Photo
Contest)

PAPA: This a portrait that I took of my
Grandfather. He was a photographer and I wanted to show all his
wonderful old cameras and his life in an editorial styled portrait. He
just turned 95 years old and still remembers how all his old camera's
work. I really love this picture and hope you like it as well. Hillside,
IL. (Photo and caption by Christopher Bellezza/People/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

AUBURN PRIDE: Young men driving into a patch
of reflected light along Auburn Rd. Part of a larger personal project
documenting the western Sydney suburb of Auburn. The series provides a
glimpse into the life of the next generation of Australians living in
Auburn, peering behind the veil of this little-known side of society.
Auburn is a small suburb in Sydney’s west, a landing point for many
migrants and refugees when they first arrive in Australia. Sydney,
Australia. (Photo and caption by George Voulgaropoulos/People/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

PLATFORM 2: Early morning commuter walks the
tracks. New Delhi Railway Station, India. (Photo and caption by Danny
Griffin/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

PRAYING ON THE LAND OF BLACK JERUSALEM - I:
Black Jerusalem is the name given to Lalibela, the ancient capital of
Abyssinia and monastic city of northern Ethiopian mountains. Its 11
rocky churches hidden in the volcanic rock are still venerated as the
Mecca of the Ethiopian Coptic Christianity. Every believer is required
to make at least once in his or her life a pilgrimage. Inside the
rock-carved church Debra Sina, a female pilgrim draped in her robe is
reading the bible. In the background a corridor communicates with the
church Golgotha whose access is denied to women. Lalibela - Ethiopia.
(Photo and caption by Sophie Picavet/Places/National Geographic Photo
Contest)

FLAT OCEAN: Just before a huge monsoon
downpour, the ocean became flat as I have never seen before. It was
drizzling a bit, people were on their way to their house, when I walked
up this pier. The light rain made the pier mirror-like, and the ocean
was so calm. On the horizon are the islands just in front of Makassar,
part of that special islands of Sulawesi. Makassar, Indonesia. (Photo
and caption by Erik Kievit/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

LIGHT'S TRYST WITH DARKNESS IN SEMI-URBAN
INDIA: Image shot at 11:45pm, where a windstorm caused complete blackout
on a newly constructed bridge in Lucknow,India. The pic is taken in a
newly urbanized area, however cheaper modes of transport-autorickshaws
and 2 wheelers still rule the streets at any hour. The pic shows various
contrasting features - Some folks sitting, some walking, some driving
without lights (autorickshaw), some navigating with 'high beam lights'
to also give the missing illumination of installed street lights. The
contrasting movements/features are depicted by the contrast of lightness
and darkness, in the semi-urban city. Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
(Photo and caption by Taran Bedi/Places/National Geographic Photo
Contest)

THE TEMPLE OF TRANSITION: Morning light
breaking through the windows of the 'Temple of Transition' during the
Burning Man event 2011. Black Rock City, Nevada (Burning Man event).
(Photo and caption by Lars Tiemann/Places/National Geographic Photo
Contest)

THE PIGEON FEEDERS: Photographs taken at the
entrance to the New Mosque in Eminonu districkt of Istanbul. After
strolling through the streets of this ancient city, I have stopped there
to relax watching the hordes flying from one feeder to the other.
Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo and caption by Wojciech Ryzinski/Places/National
Geographic Photo Contest)

FALLING LEAVES: This photo was taken in
Bruges, Belgium in September in 2011. Bruges, Belgium (Brugge). (Photo
and caption by Mandy Michels/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

NATURAL LANDSCAPE PAINTING: The
Landmannalaugar is probably one of the most impressive place in Iceland,
a popular tourist destination. Located near the volcano Hekla in
southern section of Iceland's highlands. The area displays a number of
unusual geological elements, like the multicolored rhyolite mountains.
When I took this picture, it was raining and it became worse after. I
waited a bit for have people into my composition, in such a landscape to
have a notion of scale is important, hence you will find a group of
people at the bottom left. Iceland, Landmannalaugar. (Photo and caption
by Romain Chassagne/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

BY THE WIND OF CHANCE: I was doing my
touristic duties to photograph the Pyramids, and I hear my professor
shouting. Next thing you know my entire class and some police officers
were running to catch my professors hat. It actually wasn't until later
that night when scrolling through my photos that I realized I captured
this gem. Great Pyramid of Giza. (Photo and caption by John
Head/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

BLOW'N IN THE WIND: A warm blustery Labor
Day 2011, Chicago. Oak Street Beach, Chicago, IL. (Photo and caption by
Alison Wishart/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

THE GOLDEN GATE: A very different
perspective of the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco, CA, USA. (Photo
and caption by Reuben Cornel/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

FISHING ON THE CLOUD: Anglers fishing in the
mist rising from the reservoir by dawn look like fishing on cloud. Gosam
reservoir, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. (Photo and caption by Sungjin
Kim/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)

TIME: An image with beautiful natural
colours i was surveying for work when i found this moment and only got
the one single shot due to the meeting with my client, the car and the
climber was removed one week after the image was taken... UK. (Photo and
caption by Simon Belham/Places/National Geographic Photo Contest)