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49 Of The Best Entries From The 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer Of The Year
2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest has come to an end, but before the judges pick the winners, let's take a look at the best entries ourselves.
This year, photographers from around the world were competing in four categories: Landscape, Environmental Issues, Action, and Animal Portraits. "The four categories of this year’s contest will give photographers a chance to capture the complexity and beauty found in the world around us," remarked Sarah Polger, senior producer for National Geographic Travel and manager of National Geographic photo contests. "We anticipate compelling and revealing images."
The photographers are competing for a grand prize consisting of a 10-day trip for two to the Galápagos with National Geographic Expeditions, and an incredible chance for two 15-minute portfolio reviews with National Geographic photo editors.
Who'd you give the grand prize to? Shout out in the comments below!
More info: National Geographic (h/t: mymodernmet)
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Hummingbird
"A baby humming bird found his way into my home. He was a bit stunned so I let him recoup on our front porch. While waiting for his nectar to cool I captured a few images of him as he came back to his own."
Misaki Chan 9 years ago
Before reading the title, I thought it was a picture of a scaled pencil with a long and sharp lead. Exquisite!
Ihab Badran 9 years ago
I never seen a close up of a humming bird ever before, the shot is absolutely stunning
David Thong 9 years ago
A great capture... An abstract perspective that seldom see. Emily shot it... NG approved it.
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#2
Dancing In The Rain
"Fox caught in action under the rain"
Monkey D. Luffy 9 years ago
That's what I thought when I first saw it. Looks like a new constellation.
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#3
Bathing In The Snow Flake
"The fox was bathing in the snow flake."
Di Sinnock 9 years ago
This also a very possible contender as looks so peaceful soaking up the snowflakes!
Kat McDonald 9 years ago
as a lover of foxes, i just adore this... what an incredible picture! it really captures the moment- the chill of the snow and the fox, bracing itself against the chill of winter. such a beautiful capture! wow!
Ihab Badran 9 years ago
The shot captures the playful mood of the fox, rolling in the snow... lovely
#4
Pacific Storm
A colossal Cumulonimbus flashes over the Pacific Ocean as we circle around it at 37000 feet en route to South America
Maggie Bathory 9 years ago
This has to be my favorite because of it's sheer power, beauty, and challenge to achieve. There are so many stunning photos, I would like to vote for every one, but this one has to be my all time favorite. Well done.
Monkey D. Luffy 9 years ago
I couldn't have said that better myself. Beautiful photo.
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#5
Moving At A Snail's Pace...
"While enjoying the sights of Chicago's Garfield Conservatory found this unlikely traveler taking a closer look at this Bromeliad. Sometimes you have to slow down to appreciate the tiny wonders right in front of you!"
#6
Icescape
Charmaine Keet 9 years ago
If birds could talk, imagine the stories they would tell of places they have been and things they have seen .....
Full Name 9 years ago
Makes me glad to be human. Everything out there is food for something else, and this bird has seen spectacular sunsets, as well as mass carnage.
Load More Replies... Ihab Badran 9 years ago
The atmosphere captured in the photo is just awesome, so shiny... love it
#7
Puffin Studio
"This image was taken last summer on Skomer Island, Wales. It is well known for its wildlife, the puffin colony is one of the largest in U.K.The photo shows a detail or study of an Atlantic puffin resting peacefully under the rain. As Skomer is inhabited, puffins do not feel afraid of humans, and so people can be close to puffins and the photographer can think about the right composition and take this kind of intimate portraits. Also that morning the conditions came together: rain and light."
Naser Khalaileh 9 years ago
Stare.. keep staring.. nop, can't figure out what I'm looking at. - read the caption. - Google "puffin" - oh! It's that thing.. Okay, back to the photo. - nop! Still can't make out what I'm looking at. - back to google: puffin head, close up. - back to the photo, alright, the orange bit must be the beak. But but... These are wings(???).. oh.. light bulb moment.. the m**********r is covering his face, and the shot is taken from above. I think. I give up. Cool pic though :o
Emily Riley 9 years ago
So my image is up there but I'm in awe of this image. So clean. So sharp and crisp. Just pure awe over here ❤️❤️
Ugur Halici 9 years ago
i liked the composition, contrast, minimalist color, focusing and details in water drops
Kat McDonald 9 years ago
i adore this picture. so much detail captured. a wonderful composition! love puffins, they're so quirky - this kinda captures its persona too! lovely work!
#8
Under The Waves
"Waves of fog roll over a neighborhood in Mill Valley, California, as seen from the top of Mount Tamalpais."
Cynthia Miller 9 years ago
Compared to these other Fantastic photos? Disgrace .
Load More Replies... Kat McDonald 9 years ago
wow! just look at those patterns and textures... beautiful composition, almost dreamlike... and almost monochromatic too! epitomises winter. beautiful photograph - one of my favourites!
#9
Mystic Woods
TheMsLollidella 9 years ago
Looks so pretty but if i knew it was spiders.....id probably not go back. Ever. Lol
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Andrew George 9 years ago
Thanks all! It are spider webs indeed. See more at: https://www.instagram.com/agfoto/
Susanne Cary 9 years ago
So mystical but immediately I thought of all the spiders that must be there. I wonder why so many spiders were attracted to this area? Very beautiful picture
Veda Maxwell 9 years ago
...these are spider webs, won't catch me walking through that grass...
Deb Wildrick 9 years ago
This is well done! I have seen the spider webs in the grass like this.. But these are perfect!
#10
Ocean Guest
"Every autumn walruses swim to this rookery place in the North of Russia (Chukotka, Vankarem cape). One day, walking along the beach away from the rookery, I came across a lone walrus, who was sleeping on the shore, its tusks sticked in the sand. I carefully crept up to it and photographed it with a wide-angle lens. At some point it woke up and noticed me."
Ihab Badran 9 years ago
"I am the walrus Goo goo g' joob" - The Beatles... Love the close up.. amazing
Paula Tiller 9 years ago
This is technically brilliant as well as dynamic and in my opinion should be number 1!
#11
Dragging You Deep Into The Woods !
"A morning stroll into the blissful forest ! Ceaseless drizzles dampening the woods for 12 hours a day; The serene gloom which kept me guessing if it was a night or a day. Heavy fog, chilling breeze and the perennial silence could calm roaring sprits; And there I spotted this 20cm beauty the Green vine snake ! I wondered if i needed more reasons to capture this with the habitat; For I was blessed to see this at the place I was at. I immediately switched from the macro to the wide angle lens."
Shauna Woolley 9 years ago
Snakes are beautiful and this photograph is a perfect moment in time.
#12
Crocodile Waterline
"An American Crocodile on the surface in Gardens of the Queen, Cuba."
Kat McDonald 9 years ago
"never smile at a crocodile" - just look at those razor teeth! oh my! what a wonderful capture from such a fearful perspective! this really is a terrifyingly beautiful capture! wow!
#13
Alien Lights
Joshua Brooks 9 years ago
I do so love the color(s) purple. Some pink ("rosy fingered dawn?) peeking through.
Kat McDonald 9 years ago
surreal and beautiful! love the colour and those constellations captured! beautiful landscape! i'm blown away!
#14
Great Horned Owl Returning
"This Great horned Owl is returning to her nest in an urban area near the busy Citrus county sheriffs office where the county deputies come and go pretty much on a regular basis. As well as it be near the highway leading to the high school campus."
Lou Amundson 9 years ago
WOW!! To see every plume reminds me of many pix of bald eagles in west central WI. Wonderful photo!!
#15
Engagement Present
"Kingfisher ( Alcedo athis) male with an engagement present for the female."
Ihab Badran 9 years ago
Male (left) female (on the right) .. give and take.. lovely shot.. explains the motion well
Marion Jensen 9 years ago
All astonishing pictures. I like the Kingfisher very much, in my country called Isbird. The last two summer, there has ben one living nearby my home, at the canal.
#16
Aerial Autumn
"Aerial view of Fall colors, New Hampshire (09/10/2016)"
Kate Lansberry 9 years ago
while flying with my 4 year old son in a small plane he looked down on a hill very similar a told me it looked like a bowl of fruit loops!
#17
A Portrait Of "Trapper"
"Trapper...she is a Great Horned Owl that has recently been fighting cancer of her eye lids (squamous cell carcinoma), but that doesn't stop her in any way.Trapper gets her name being used as a decoy to attract Swallow Tail Kites, where the research team will catch the kite and fit with telemetry and gain lots of helpful information about kites and their migration. But that's not her only trait. Trapper also serves as a foster mother for orphaned Great Horned Owlets at Avian Recondition Center."
alumania 9 years ago
that looks like a typical Monday morning selfie without coffee before work :)
Alusair Alustriel 9 years ago
Remove the ears and you'll get the typical look given on Thursday while thinking: Just one more day....
Load More Replies... Evgeniya Khon 9 years ago
Hahaha I dont know why , but there is something human (may be the face expression) about this owl that just makes laugh
#18
Wild Horses
"Taking place every year across Galicia, Rapa das Bestas, or "Shearing of the Beasts," involves cutting the manes of semi-feral horses that live in the mountains. Horses are rounded up into enclosures called curros, foals are branded and the adults groomed before being freed. The best known is the Rapa das Bestas of Sabucedo, which occurs on the first weekend in July."
Rosemary Savage 9 years ago
Look again Kat McDonald. Beautiful wild creatures disfigured by man. The clipped ears, the veins standing out on the dark horse's neck as it bites the other horse's neck, distress in it's eyes as the herd are crushed together not understanding what is being done to them. A portrait both beautiful but horrific.
Kat 9 years ago
Oh my god, I didn't notice those ears! Why on earth do they clip them?!
Load More Replies... Kat McDonald 9 years ago
oh my stars & garters! there are no words to describe how this image makes me feel.... this is beautiful! epitomising the power, grace and beauty of these wild animals... love the composition... what an incredible image. i love that it's black n white. nothing to distract, just focus on the wild beauty! stunning shot. deserves more points!
Joshua Brooks 9 years ago
"Wild horses couldn't drag me away", The Rolling Stones, et.al. Damn! I sure overlooked, didn't see that. Now you've got quite the eye, Ms. Savage!
Mary Haynes 9 years ago
They groom them before releasing. I suppose matted manes could cause them problems. They are also deloused, so I assume they wish to maintain the health of herds, and monitor their numbers. That could be the reason for the ear clipping but then, why brand them? Being clipped must be stressful enough. Is branding really necessary?
Taylor Randall 9 years ago
I am not sure what the climate is, but my bet is that the ears are that way due to frostbite, not because people clipped their ears. Also the other couple of horses who's expressions you can see don't look too terribly upset to me. My guess is these two were working out a dominance dispute between each other. Horses in herds regalarly nip and kick at each other.
Ray Westlake 9 years ago
Both beautiful and sad. We need to campaign to save these magnificent horses!
Shauna Woolley 9 years ago
Thanks you for this image. It hurts most of us normal people. Like bull fights Some spaniards haven't lost their bloody talent in hurting wild animals to make their macho ness feel enlarged! Maybe this image can bring some sway to protect these beautiful horses?
Taylor Randall 9 years ago
"Horses are rounded up into enclosures called curros, foals are branded and the adults groomed before being freed." They are groomed (brushed, cleaned) and then freed again. Hardly seems like a display of vicious "macho-ness"
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Sandstorm
"As I was photographing this young grey seal, we both got caught up in a sandstorm."
Rayna MacGuyer 9 years ago
Maybe a beach sandstorm? Is there such a thing? I was thinking the same thing tho...
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#20
Hair Lines Of Zebra
"Hair lines of zebra"
#21
Phantom Spring
#22
Confrontation
"A White-tailed eagle swoops in on a Hokkaido red fox to set it straight for stealing a fish. This confrontation happened out on frozen Lake Fuhren in Hokkaido, Japan. The fox escaped with the fish."
Sharon Hunter 9 years ago
Yes just about....frightening moment for poor foxy!
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#23
Aladdin's Cave
#24
Great Egret Against The Setting Sun
#25
Stare Into My Eyes
Bianka Nagy 9 years ago
Sorry, I can't look into your eyes. Your feathers are too distracting :)
Verónica Brazeiro 9 years ago
The tittle refers to the eyes of the feathers :)
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Sofia Bellavista 9 years ago
To be honest this shot is really ordinary. Whenever there's a peacock and a camera there's a frontal photo
Brenda Boylan 9 years ago
The lighting and composition are superb, it's not just about the subject
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Fire Dancer
#27
The Frozen Pond With Snow
#28
Crocodile Tears
#29
Under The Milky Way
#30
Ufo Formation
Phil Aspinall 9 years ago
Saw one very similar to this above a mountain, moored inside New Zealand's Milford Sound. Amazing.
Juri Castellani 9 years ago
Since the author is called "Takashi", I suppose it could be the Fuji
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From The Shadows
Hans 9 years ago
Or probably survival...despite the beauty of the shot, I immediately think about palm oil plantations...
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#32
Larger Than Life
#33
Proud Momma
Sofia Bellavista 9 years ago
Why not teaching your son mercy and respect, instead?
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Covered With Mist
#35
Diving
#36
Tequilla Sunset
#37
Long Shadows
#38
Huge Scale Of Bats Hibernation
Monkey D. Luffy 9 years ago
That's amazing. I curious to hear about what happened right after they took this photo.
#41
Never Bother Dad When He's Sleeping
"During our trip to Botswana, we came across two lionesses and their six cubs, resting under a bush during mid-day. This male lion came along to visit the den. The females were very wary at first. We were told that a male lion will kill cubs that aren't his offspring. Fortunately, he laid down with the cubs and closed his eyes to sleep. The cubs were VERY excited to see their Dad! This little guy was trying so hard to get him to play! Dad was definitely NOT happy to be woken up."
#42
Life And Death
"These polar bear remains have been discovered at one of the islands of Northern Svalbard. Unfortunately we do not know definetely wether the bear died from starving or aging, but more likely if we see the good teeth status - from starving . They say nowdays such remains to be founded very often - global warming and ice situation influence the polar bear population a lot. Svalbard, Norway, august 2014"
Sofia Bellavista 9 years ago
Well done humans. A special commendation to those millions Americans who don't even acknowledge climate change.
Hayley Lightcap 9 years ago
Well, for a bit of positivity, they say the Arctic is refreezing. So hopefully later on there will be less corpses because they're living on
#44
Time At The Water Hole
Zlatka Naydenova 9 years ago
No, it is simply lots of zebras standing together which causes an optical illusion. These stripes are very confusing. They also use it to confuse predators so that predators can't choose one prey from the group.
Load More Replies... #45
Wet! Wet! Wet!
#49
Our Beloved Possessions
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Arko Building Prodcuts Pvt. Ltd. 9 years ago
Superb, Just Amazing click. Regards, www.arkobuildingproducts.com
Kate Hookham 9 years ago
11 or 18! I love a bit of fun in a photo - I think 11 wins hope that was a zoom lens
Arko Building Prodcuts Pvt. Ltd. 9 years ago
Superb, Just Amazing click. Regards, www.arkobuildingproducts.com
Kate Hookham 9 years ago
11 or 18! I love a bit of fun in a photo - I think 11 wins hope that was a zoom lens
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