2013 National Geographic Photo Contest, Part 1: “Nature”, Weeks 1-3

National Geographic invites photographers from around the world to enter the 2013 National Geographic Photography Contest. The grand-prize winner will receive $10,000 (USD) and a trip to National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual National Geographic Photography Seminar in January 2014.

“Fox Glance”. During a regular trip through the forest, of which my actual intent was landscapes, I encountered this stunning little Red Fox. The moment came as the light broke through the clouds and trees, he turned with a glance of curiosity and gave me the unusual composition I was after. A scene I’ll never be lucky enough to see again in my life, so was over the moon i’d managed to capture the moment. Photo location: Thetford Forest, England. (Photo and caption by Sam Morris/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“A Peaceful Place”. A harbor seal rests, if only for a moment, in her mighty kingdom. Photo location: La Jolla, Califonia. (Photo and caption by Ralph Pace/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Waiting for Spring”. Robins gather waiting on a cool March morning in the Black Hills of Dakota. Photo location: Black Hills of South Daktoa. (Photo and caption by Bonny Fleming/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Gannet Attack”. Cape Gannets diving down to feed on Anchovies that have been driven close to the surface by circling predators of the Wild Coast of the Transkei, South Africa. Photo location: Port St Johns, Wild Coast, Transkei, South Africa. (Photo and caption by Allen Walker/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Body painting”. Elephant spraying water across the body in the Etosha National Park. Photo location: Etosha, Namibia. (Photo and caption by Chris Schmid/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“The Flirt”. The cool thing about this shot was that it was captured by a 50mm lens, which almost gives a human eye view, as there is no zoom. This way, I had the opportunity to encounter a significant level of intimacy with this young Wallaby in Adelaide, Australia. Posing came quite naturally to him, he was quite the flirt! Photo location: Adelaide, Australia. (Photo and caption by Sara Malas/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Eyes on the Prize”. Breathe in. Breathe out. That was the message I was repeating in my head, both to myself and to the lioness in front of me. We had sat with this pride since about 30 minutes prior to sunrise as two totally oblivious adolescent elands strolled closer and closer. This was the deciding moment. This was the tension. I pre-focused on the lioness and waited for the antelope to stroll into my viewfinder. Click. This shot means more to me than the entire sequence I captured afterwards in which it ends pretty badly for the eland. I captured this moment in the Kalahari desert. Photo location: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa-Botswana. (Photo and caption by Morkel Erasmus/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Generations”. A little lion cub watching the zebra with his mother one lazy afternoon. Photo location: Masai Mara, Kenya. (Photo and caption by Mark Bridger/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Entering the Inferno”. Forced to find new river crossing points in the Serengeti-Mara region of Eastern Africa, the wildebeest descend into individual despair and collective chaos. Fast currents and steep banks all but deny escape onto the tree-covered banks. New arrivals try unsuccessfully to scramble over the lead group that cannot climb quickly enough onto the available dry ground. Such scenes may become more common as the Great Migration faces more variable climate and narrower corridors from changing land-use. Photo location: Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa. (Photo and caption by Karen Lunney/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Autumn Call”. A large red deer stag calling to the hinds in the bracken one misty autumn morning. Photo location: Richmond Park, London, UK. (Photo and caption by Mark Bridger/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Playing with himself”. Turtles come to the surface to breathe. It seems that he is playing with his own image. I was looking for a soft light at sunset, and a calm sea when the reflection was more visible. The exact moment when both sides are in contact was a magical vision for me. Photo location: Tenerife, Canary islands, Spain. (Photo and caption by Sergi Garcia/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Close call!” The Nile Crocodile made this a risky place for a Grey Heron to fish! Photo location: Masai Mara NP, Kenya. (Photo and caption by Leslie Anderson/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Manta-Art”. An alfredi manta ray came close to me with her mouth open on a cleannig station area. Photo location: Tikehau island, tuamotu archipelago, French Polynesia. (Photo and caption by Vincent Truchet/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Rocky Mountain High”. Snow-capped peaks of the Continental Divide stretch across the landscape west of Denver, Colorado. From 86,000 feet the Moon shines bright against the inky black of the stratosphere while in the foreground Interstate-70 carves its way up the valley toward high alpine passes and the famous ski resorts of Colorado. Photo location: Denver, Colorado. (Photo and caption by Patrick Cullis/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Amazing Midwinter Sunset (4:30pm)”. November 6th, 2013 – at approximately 4:15 pm we were all watching this amazing batman like beam coming over the dyke on the upstream side of the Yukon River which was just beginning to freeze. I grabbed a camera, made my way over towards the river and discovered this amazing scene. As we are heading towards the shortest day of the year, the sun usually disappears between 4:30-4:45 pm. Photo location: Yukon River, Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada. (Photo and caption by Andrea Magee/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Baby Girl”. Nyanga, an orphaned baby chimp from the bushmeat trade, is rehabilitated at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, Cameroon. Photo location: Belabo, Cameroon, Africa. (Photo and caption by Allison Leach/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“The Guardian”. This solitary dolphin could not not been more beautiful when it rose out of the still ocean water. Photo location: Channel Islands, California, USA. (Photo and caption by Robin Benson/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Three little bears”. The picture is captured using special hide placed to the primeval forest in Finland. High trees offer protection to the brown bear cubs being vitally important to survive from all dangers around them. Bear cubs are threatened especially by the other male bears, who might attack and take their lives without any doubt. Thus fast climbing on tree is one of the most important skills for bear cubs in order to survive and they are always ready for it. Photo location: Finland, next to Russian border. (Photo and caption by Erik Mandre/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Mara”. We just want to move to search to the Leopard at that morning but we found a group of giraffes come toward a small lake and start drinking it was a nice moment when the Giraffe finish from drinking and leave a letters “S” with motion in the air. Photo location: Kenya. (Photo and caption by Majed Al Zaabi/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Lone Penguin”. A long penguin standing in the surf on South Georgia Island. Photo location: South Georgia Island. (Photo and caption by Max Seigal/National Geographic Photo Contest)