Worth the Wait
Photograph by Takashi Nakagawa, National Geographic Your Shot

“A beautiful and active aurora appeared the day after a storm had passed over Iceland,” writes Takashi Nakagawa, a member of our Your Shot community. “Iceland is not an ideal place to watch the aurora because the weather in winter is mostly cloudy. I waited at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon for three days to photograph the aurora [at] this amazing place. This was a perfect night. I’ll never forget this moment.”

Group Flight
Photograph by Navtej Singh, National Geographic Your Shot

“Lying on important flyways, the wetlands of Gujarat, India, are thronged by millions of birds migrating south in winter,” writes Your Shot member Navtej Singh, who captured this scene while taking aerial shots of the port town of Jamnagar. “As I flew over the flamingoes, the birds took flight. It was an unbelievable sight, and I was right above them to capture the magnificent event.”

Fox on the Rocks
Photograph by Irina C., National Geographic Your Shot

Lingering at a lookout in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, Your Shot member Irina C. spotted this fox entering the scene. “It navigated very confidently among the rocks, moving small ones with its paws and picking up food scraps dropped by tourists during the day,” she writes. “I thought it was genius: Instead of wasting energy and time hunting for mice, this fox had it all figured out.”

Parade Rest
Photograph by Sara Lewkowicz, National Geographic

In Teotitlán del Valle, Mexico, a group of unmarried young women and girls gather in front of Preciosa Sangre de Cristo Church after marching in a calenda (parade) for La Fiesta de la Preciosa Sangre. During the parade, the young women wear traditional Zapotec clothing and walk while carrying canastas (baskets) with images of the saints on their heads.

Grooming the Young
Photograph by Masanobu Oka, National Geographic Your Shot

A snow monkey grooms a youngster while soaking in a hot spring at the Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. “When I visited, about 30 monkeys were in the hot spring,” writes Your Shot member Masanobu Oka. “I realized that the mother was taking care of her kid just like a human. I watched them for a while before capturing the baby as it opened its eyes.”

Rocket Land
Photograph by Kevin Kunstadt

Strobe rockets light up the night sky in Mason City, Iowa. Mason City is home to the Iowa Thunderstorm, the Pyrotechnics Guild International’s small fireworks convention.

The Pitcher and the Carpenter
Photograph by Christian Ziegler

The fanged pitcher plant and the carpenter ant (seen here in Borneo) have a mutualistic relationship: While the plant’s pitcher stem provides a home for small ant colonies of up to 30 individuals, the ants keep the chemistry of the pitcher’s liquid balanced by removing large insects that have found their way inside. If the insects were to rot in the liquid, it would spoil.

Hellenic Cadets
Photograph by Alex Majoli, National Geographic

Cadets from the Hellenic Military Academy tour the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Degraded by pollution, the ancient temple to the goddess Athena atop the Acropolis is being restored.

Light in Winter
Photograph by David Stoker, National Geographic Your Shot

Predawn sunlight strikes the South Rim of Arizona’s Grand Canyon in this picture submitted to the recent Your Shot assignment First Light. “A cold winter storm had passed through the region the day prior,” writes photographer David Stoker. “I had driven to the Grand Canyon in anticipation of the storm. I remember the morning being particularly cold as I hiked along the rim awaiting the arrival of the sun. The skies were still overcast, but a small break in the clouds allowed a single ray of sunlight to shine through, illuminating a small portion of the butte below.”

Catch of the Day
Photograph by Yoh Fong Chan, National Geographic Your Shot

“The polar bears were usually playing, sleeping, and sometimes nursing,” writes Your Shot member Yoh Fong Chan of observing the bears in Kaktovik, Alaska. “They were hanging out near the shore during this time of the year, waiting for the sea to freeze before they could go out hunting for seals. On this very rare occasion, this bear came proudly from the horizon with its catch of the day.” Chan, who had long dreamed of photographing polar bears in the wild, says patience and endurance were important. “It was bitterly cold out there. As with most wildlife photography, hours were spent observing and waiting to capture that one special moment.”

A Devilish Display
Photograph by Anibal Trejo, National Geographic Your Shot

Firecrackers douse raucous revelers in a steady stream of sparks during a celebration of Correfoc, or “fire runs,” in Sant Quintí de Mediona, Spain. A Catalan tradition, the festival features groups of participants known as "devils" running wild among the narrow streets, igniting fireworks along the way.

“The shooting conditions are really dangerous for the photographer,” writes Your Shot photographer Anibal Trejo. “I had to protect myself to avoid burnings, dressing up with long sleeves, protective glasses, a hat, handkerchief, and even gloves.”

Tree of Life
Photograph by Jeff Nelson, National Geographic Your Shot

Tourists flock to a lone tree along the path of Hadrian’s Wall in northern England. Built between 122 A.D. and 128 A.D., the wall spans a 73-mile neck of land between the Tyne and the Solway Firth—a solid northern boundary for the entire Roman Empire. It’s often considered the most important relic of Roman rule in Britain.

"I wanted to get the photo without people, but that wasn't possible," says photographer Jeff Nelson. "In the end, I feel they give the photo better perspective."

Spider Hole
Photograph by Fay Stout, National Geographic Your Shot

"The Dallas Arboretum in Dallas, Texas, is my 'happy place' to spend time photographing the flowers and garden critters," writes Your Shot member Fay Stout. "I was fascinated by the webs covered with water droplets on a low hedge in the Women's Garden but didn't immediately see the tiny spiders that were crawling out of the holes in the webs' centers. When I looked more closely, I saw them and tried to capture one with my macro lens."

Worth His Salt
Photograph by Viet Thanh Nguyen, National Geographic Your Shot

A salt worker labors at a salt field in the Dien Chau district of Vietnam's Nghe An Province. The district's salt workers sell their product year-round at roadside markets.

Winter Wilderness
Photograph by Michael Melford, National Geographic

Snow clings to aspens near Taos, New Mexico, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A proposal to protect 45,000 acres here in the Carson National Forest is one of some 30 wilderness bills before the U.S. Congress.

Since President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act in 1964, the number of wilderness areas has increased to more than 750.

Achilles Tang
Photograph by Brian Skerry, National Geographic

In other places around the world, coral has been decimated by bleaching and disease, but the southern Line Islands’ reefs retain their resilience. Scientists believe the key to coral health is intact ecosystems, where all the native species—including planktivores such as the vividly marked Achilles tang seen here—play their part.

The Sea Life
Photograph by Matthieu Paley, National Geographic

The Bajau of Malaysia fish and dive for almost everything they eat. Some live in houses on the beach or on stilts; others have no homes but their boats.

Her face dusted in bedak sejuk, a cooling powder made of rice and pandan leaves, Alpaida paddles out to visit friends in stilt houses. The teen and her family belong to the tribal group known as the Sea Bajau because they live year-round on their lepa-lepas, handmade houseboats.

Those Lion Eyes
Photograph by Hannes Lochner, National Geographic Your Shot

When photographer Hannes Lochner set up his camera at a water hole in South Africa's Kalahari, he tried hiding it from curious lions because "they might play with it or carry it off," he writes. "On this particular evening, I was in my vehicle just as the sun was setting, the dust in the air creating a special kind of Kalahari light, and a pride of lions arrived. By repeatedly clicking the shutter, I coaxed the ever curious cubs forward."

Sun Salutation
Photograph by Kevin H., National Geographic Your Shot

A blue heron catches the last rays of a setting sun at Great Falls National Park in Maryland.

"I go there often because the herons make great subjects for long exposures against the falls," writes Your Shot member Kevin H. "After shooting for about a minute or two, I finally noticed one standing on the rocks. I loved how the glowing mist was drifting behind it and that the rocks were illuminated by the sunset."

Birds' Egg
Photograph by Barbara Ernst, National Geographic Your Shot

"Seven-acre Eastern Egg Rock is an Audubon research island off Boothbay Harbor, Maine, that's home to the world's first restored seabird colony," writes Barbara Ernst, a member of our Your Shot community. Puffins and guillemots nest on nearby granite boulders, while the interior habitat hosts eiders, nesting terns, and laughing gulls.

"We were circling the island by boat looking for puffins when the student interns (the only people on the island) climbed on top of the house and started waving to the only people they probably saw all day. They sleep in the small tents, and the little house you see is their kitchen/work area. I was drawn to the drama of the scene and the emotion of the story it told."

Hats Off
Photograph by Huynh Jet, National Geographic Your Shot

"I was drawn to an older woman who was working very hard on crafting these hats," writes Your Shot member Huynh Jet, who captured this photo in a traditional dwelling in Duc Hoa, Long An Province, Vietnam. "I climbed on a ladder and stood there until I caught the moment when she put the threads into the hat. A big traditional family in Long An has made and sold hats for over a hundred years."

Falling River
Photograph by Rennis Kauffman, National Geographic Your Shot

A tight angle captures the McCloud River falling in tiers to an unseen swimming hole below. The Middle McCloud Falls are one of three on the clear, chilly river in northern California's Shasta-Trinity National Forest. From an overlook at the Middle Falls, visitors can take in Mount Shasta and Castle Crags among other natural features.

Croc Tail
Photograph by Mike Korostelev, National Geographic Your Shot

"I met this crocodile face-to-face underwater," writes Your Shot member Mike Korostelev. "There was only my underwater camera between it and me."

Having long dreamt of photographing a crocodile in its natural aquatic habitat, Korostelev traveled to Banco Chinchorro, Mexico, a biosphere reserve in the Caribbean Sea and a breeding ground for American crocodiles. "We lived in a fisherman's hut that stood right on the sea on stilts. During the day we searched for crocodiles, which swam out of mangroves to hunt fish. This one was quite friendly and showed its beauty all around."

Moody Hues
Photograph by Luca Venturi, National Geographic Your Shot

Atmospheric weather conditions in the Lofoten Islands village of Hamnøy gave Luca Venturi the opportunity to take advantage of a less than ideal forecast on a four-day photography trip. The Your Shot member had hoped to capture the aurora borealis on the Norwegian archipelago and found it necessary to adapt. "I came across a fishing village that I had dreamed of seeing in snowy conditions and decided to use the unusual lighting to portray its uncommon appearance," Venturi writes. "I tried to highlight the warm colors of the fishermen's houses and the surrounding vegetation against the more cold and tenuous ones of sky and sea."

The Weather at the Sea
Photograph by Cedric Delves, National Geographic Your Shot

It's bracing weather for a walk on a November afternoon in the town of Deal on England's North Sea coast. "Only a few people out, a number walking the dog," writes Your Shot member Cedric Delves. "Perhaps it was the weather, but having wrapped up, most appeared to have turned inward, to thoughts, worries, and all; only the dogs seemed wholly at ease, simply out and about for the fun of it.

"I thought I would try to capture something of this. These three came from different directions, at differing speeds … Fortunately all came together: the two people deep in their thoughts, going their separate ways, but the dog at ease, even giving me a direct, open, and sort of knowing look."

It's Tokay
Photograph by Iwan Pruvic, National Geographic Your Shot

A tokay gecko shows its true colors in the woods around Tangerang, Indonesia. Tokays are among the largest geckos and range from northeast India to the Malay Archipelago. Here, one of the tokay's ears can be seen as a small hole on the side of its head. It's possible, peering through the hole, to see through its head to the other side.

Morning Tea
Photograph by Vito Dozio, National Geographic Your Shot

Dawn comes to a tea plantation in Munnar, India, once a favorite summer retreat of British officials. Situated 5,200 feet and more above sea level, the Kerala hill station is awash in the green of its forests, grasslands, and plantations, and offers visitors the charm of discovery—from waterfalls and wildflowers to winding lanes.

Spiritual Roots
Photograph by Julian Bound, National Geographic Your Shot

On a tour of Wat Mahathat, a temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand, Your Shot member Julian Bound spotted a large stone Buddha head sitting encased in a tree. "Its roots are said to have grown around the sculpture during a time when the temple lay abandoned and overgrown," Bound writes. "Drawn to the uniqueness of the statue, I knelt down to take the shot as rich sunlight played across the Buddha's features, making sure to capture the ground before the tree to give depth and scale to the image."

Close Encounter
Photograph by Sandro Lonardi, National Geographic Your Shot

While diving in the Galápagos Islands, Sandro Lonardi took a break between dives to snorkel with sea lions. "At first they were all on the island, but slowly they entered the water and started to play with us," says the Your Shot member. "They were a bit shy, but as I started to imitate them, they become more familiar and started to get closer and closer. It was a great moment."

Pyrgos Skies
Photograph by Laetitia Guichard, National Geographic Your Shot

A long exposure captures cloud movement over the coastal Greek village of Pyrgos. "The sky was perfect for this sort of treatment," says Your Shot member Laetitia Guichard. "Pyrgos is an authentic reflection of Greece—perfect for an artist and photographer."

The Twins
Photograph by Fabrice Guerin, National Geographic Your Shot

Every year, a sardine run occurs in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, says Your Shot member Fabrice Guerin, who adds that this is when it’s possible to spot the fastest fish in the ocean—the sailfish—hunting fish shoals. “They drill the balls of terrified fish, offering us a stunning show,” he writes. “When I saw these two sailfish going toward the sardines against the sun, I shot as quickly as possible.”

Southwestern Sungraph
Photograph by Andrei Stoica, National Geographic Your Shot

Your Shot member Andrei Stoica used the sun and an Arizona landscape to create this self-portrait for a recent community assignment. “It wasn’t that different from using dyes to create pictographs,” writes Stoica, who calls his image a “sungraph.”

Evening Snowfall
Photograph by Haruka Iwasaki, National Geographic Your Shot

“When I arrived at the Blue Pond in Biei in Hokkaido, Japan, a lot of snow had fallen and the wind was blowing strongly,” writes Your Shot member Haruka Iwasaki. “The moment the light that illuminates the pond was reflected in the snow, I witnessed a fantastic spectacle.”

Crabbing a Ride
Photograph by Nancy Leigh, National Geographic Your Shot

"The setting was very eerie,” writes Your Shot member Nancy Leigh. “In the darkness [of] an overcast early morning, there was a large gathering of black juvenile iguanas on the rocks of Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island in the Galápagos.” While completely surrounded by iguanas, Leigh spotted a bright-red Sally Lightfoot crab climbing onto one of the lizards. “It was a delicate balance ... acting fast to capture the moment while respecting their space and not disturbing either animal," she says.

Pandarama
Photograph by Marco Mattiussi, National Geographic Your Shot

In China to photograph the life of the giant panda and its environment, Your Shot member Marco Mattiussi obtained special permission to visit areas with captive-raised pandas that had been released into the wild. “For this shot I was ... [in] the right place at the right time: It was rainy and foggy, very wet weather, and the panda decided to climb a beautiful tree in front of me.”

Deer Hide
Photograph by Jeremy Baker, National Geographic Your Shot

“This situation happened to come to fruition due to my five-year-old's love of the outdoors,” says Your Shot member Jeremy Baker, who captured this shot in Minot, North Dakota. Baker’s son had asked to go for a drive to look for wildlife to photograph. “[While] driving down a secluded dirt road ... I noticed a doe moving through the dried up sunflowers, trying to hide from me. I turned off my truck and used the window as a tripod and snapped away, as she was curious enough to show me her vulnerable side.”

Grueling Coursework
Photograph by Lynsey Addario, National Geographic

Policemen in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh are put through a grueling commando course at the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College, in Kanker. In India’s mineral-rich jungles, Maoist militants called Naxalites have found a foothold through violence and extortion. Chhattisgarh is among two states with the worst record of Naxalite violence.

Against the Wind
Photograph by Dominic Roy, National Geographic Your Shot

A snowy owl appears to fight against the elements during extreme weather conditions near Quebec City, Canada. “I knew that many snowy owls were in the area,” writes Your Shot member Dominic Roy, “but it’s not always easy to find them.”

Character Development
Photograph by Patrick Quinn, National Geographic Your Shot

Amateur opera singers transform themselves into their characters before a performance in China. “They all have day jobs and are extremely busy, but they have a passion for Hainan Opera,” writes Patrick Quinn, who submitted this picture to the recent Your Shot assignment Transitions: As the World Turns. “[This is] where they paint on masks and become someone else.”

Lines in the Sand
Photograph by Cezary Filew, National Geographic Your Shot

The Pan American Highway cuts a modern path past some of Peru’s ancient Nasca lines, here captured from a Cessna by Your Shot member Cezary Filew. For Filew, the mysterious lines and figures—called geoglyphs—have been a draw since childhood. “I am scared of flying, but this time ... I had to overcome it to see what I came for.”

Sacred Feathers
Photograph by Marco Vernaschi

In Argentina’s Jujuy Province, the Suris, also known as Samilantes, are a cultural group within the Quechua community. This woman is Belén Cruz. Her feathered costume represents the nandu, or rhea, sacred bird of the Suris. Photographer Marco Vernaschi’s Biophilia Foundation looks to help indigenous groups preserve their cultural heritage by developing their own local economy through native products.

Bushfire Season
Photograph by Pierre Destribats, National Geographic Your Shot

Lightning on a stormy evening near Port Hedland, Western Australia, ignites bushfires that send up an orange glow. A common threat to safety in the province during summer months, bushfires can start without warning and move quickly through vast areas.

Fearless Symmetry
Photograph by Souvik Kundu, National Geographic Your Shot

It’s a rare and privileged experience to witness the interaction of tiger cubs in the wild, says Souvik Kundu, a member of our Your Shot photo community. After learning that a tigress had given birth to cubs in India’s Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Kundu visited the sanctuary a number of times to photograph the family. On this day his group was treated to an “unforgettable display of tender bonding,” with “the cubs engaged in several bouts of play-fighting under the watchful eyes of the mother.”

Free Fall
Photograph by Chester Boyes, National Geographic Your Shot

In the Bosnia and Herzegovina town of Mostar, a local dive club instructor jumps from the Stari Most, or Old Bridge, to the Neretva River below. "Divers have been leaping from the bridge for hundreds of years," writes Chester Boyes, a member of our Your Shot community. "On this day, we were going to try it for ourselves. Here, our instructor shows us how it's done before we try our luck."

Noticing the size and energy of the crowd, Boyes quickly ran down to the river's edge, hoping to catch his instructor in flight. "I arrived just in time."

Lady in Red
Photograph by Davide U., National Geographic Your Shot

The Santiago Calatrava-designed AV Mediopadana train station in Reggio Emilia, Italy, is "an architectural masterpiece," writes Your Shot member Davide U. At night, he adds, the station's lighting makes it magical. "There are all sorts of people coming and going, and a lot of emotions can be seen in their expressions. It's one of my favorite places to shoot. [That night] I had been waiting a long time, and when I saw the lady in red, I knew I had just found what I was looking for."

Cloud Cover
Photograph by Brendon Wainwright, National Geographic Your Shot

Table Mountain wears her distinctive blanket while Cape Town flickers below in this picture by Brendon Wainwright, a member of our Your Shot community. Taking advantage of a beautiful day, Wainwright had hiked with friends to the top of Lion’s Head in the Table Mountain range. “Most people know [that] when the southeasterly wind is blowing it is unpleasant, strong, and irritating; however, not the case on Lion's Head, which is situated between Table Mountain and Signal Hill,” says Wainwright. “As a result of the southeaster, [we saw] a magical 'tablecloth' cloud phenomenon ... formed over Table Mountain.”

Come Dancing
Photograph by Visarut Teerawatvichaikul, National Geographic Your Shot

The light and shimmer of the Starlight Room at San Francisco’s Sir Frances Drake Hotel absorbs a couple moved to dance the tango. “I heard the tango music while I was setting up my camera on a tripod,” writes Your Shot member Visarut Teerawatvichaikul, who visited the lounge while at work on a school project. “Suddenly, I saw one couple run up to the dance floor. They danced like a shadow among the stars. I was watching them dance for a while, and I felt like time was paused in that moment between me and them, so I took a shot.”

The Searcher
Photograph by Carlo Mogavero, National Geographic Your Shot

A lone rider is dwarfed by the immensity of Utah’s Monument Valley. Your Shot member Carlo Mogavero had the benefit of a clear day and an iconic setting but, he writes, his shot was missing a subject. “Suddenly a cowboy started to climb the cliff, and I began to hope that the guy was going to reach the right position,” he writes. “I waited for a while, and luckily the cowboy went [onto] the rock.” For Mogavero, the scene evoked the classic Western films of Sergio Leone and John Ford, once viewed on a black-and-white television.

When Penguins Attack
Photograph by Gordon Tait, National Geographic Your Shot

“This is what happens when you leave a GoPro out on the sea ice,” writes Your Shot member Gordon Tait, who captured a series of time-lapses with the HD camera system while running an ocean acidification experiment near Casey Station, Antarctica. “We often get groups of Adélie penguins coming to see what we’re doing, and this one was trying to peck the camera.”

Pool of Light
Photograph by Kelsey Gerhard, National Geographic Your Shot

In the summer months in Virginia, writes Your Shot member Kelsey Gerhard, “my daughters practically live in the water.” And the beauty of the girls in their element has become one of Gerhard’s favorite things to photograph. “One night, I knew we would be swimming late at a nearby pool, and I brought along my Nikon D700 and Ikelite underwater housing to play. I knew the pool lights would create some interesting images, but I did not realize just how magical they would be.”