One of the most prestigious Photography Contest is by far the National
Geographic Photo Contest. This year it again delivers amazing shots
in all kinds of categories and varieties. Take a look at the 2013
winners chosen from 7,000 images submitted by photographers from over
150 countries:
Grand Prize and Nature Winner: The Ice Bear
A polar bear peers up from beneath the melting sea ice on Hudson Bay as
the setting midnight sun glows red from the smoke of distant fires
during a record-breaking spell of hot weather. The Manitoba population
of polar bears, the southernmost in the world, is particularly
threatened by a warming climate and reduced sea ice. | Photo and caption by Paul Souders/National Geographic Photo Contest
People Winner: Together, Alone
This portrait of two identical twins (Nils and Emil, 15 years old) in
Fyn, Denmark, is part of a series of pictures, portraying people who
have a strong connection to another person and who often think of
themselves as a ‘we’ instead of ‘me’. | Photo and caption by Cecile Baudier/National Geographic Photo Contest
Places Winner: Long Road to Daybreak
Photo and caption by Adam Tan/National Geographic Photo Contest
Realizing this old town (Laocheng, means old town in Chinese) would soon
be transformed into a new town through the speedy economic growth in
China and perhaps lose its raw beauty in no time, I was pleased to
capture this working mother carrying her child in her basket walking
through the thick mist in a very early foggy morning, 2012.
Nature: Crows Nest
The crows that live in Tokyo use clothes hangers to make nests. In such a
large city, there are few trees, so the natural materials that crows
need to make their nests are scarce. As a result, the crows occasionally
take hangers from the people who live in apartments nearby, and
carefully assemble them into nests. The completed nests almost look like
works of art based on the theme of recycling.
Photo and caption by Yosuke Kashiwakura/National Geographic Photo Contest
Nature: Indian Rhino, Canadian Winter
An Indian rhinoceros, far from home and stuck inside with late-winter blues at the Toronto zoo.
Photo and caption by Stephen De Lisle/National Geographic Photo Contest
Nature: Flying Egrets
On a good day in the field, a birder might see flock of birds. Great Egrets; Tidal area of the Danube in Hungary. Photo and caption by Réka Zsirmon/National Geographic Photo Contest
Places: Cows And Kites
I was driving along the beach highway when I noticed the bulls
sunbathing on the empty beach. I initially thought I was seeing things,
but no it really was sunbathing cows! I had to park my car a fair
distance away and that meant a long walk along the beach in 35-degree
heat. It did not matter because I had to get the shot! When I got closer
to them I was careful not to spook them so I crawled on my stomach on
the hot sand to get a good picture of them. Mission Accomplished! It was
worth the effort!
Photo and caption by Andrew Lever/National Geographic Photo Contest
Places: Graveyard
I cannot describe the eerie feeling I had when I walked in on this
scene. I followed a massive storm front several 100 kilometers hoping to
capture something special but this blew my mind. The surreal milky
green water is a natural phenomenon caused by electromagnetic activity
from the lightning hitting the waters surface. There was no rain where I
was and not much wind either but in the distance the sky was charged
and angry subjecting its wrath over the graveyard of dead trees in this
normally very dry lakebed. I was able to capture a series of unique
images this being one of the best.
Photo and caption by Julie Fletcher/National Geographic Photo Contest
People: Arabic in Gambia
Arabic born in one of the biggest city in the World, New York. Right in
the middle of the Bronx she grow and go to School. As she’s 13 years
old, her Father decides to send her to her Family in a small town named
Bajakunda. Now she lives here without electricity and a two hours bus
drive away from the next city. Working every day from early morning til
late night. No chance to leave this Country. Arabic is the only person
in this small town whit an official American Passport, everybody dream
about that one but she can’t use it anymore because of family tradition.
Photo and caption by Bisig Maurin/National Geographic Photo Contest
People: Francesca
My girlfriend in her car at the stop street. Photo and caption by Michele De Punzio/National Geographic Photo Contest
People: Life Along The Polluted River
A boy plays with balloons by Buriganga River as smoke emits from a dump yard during sunset in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photo and caption by Andrew Biraj/National Geographic Photo Contest
People: Laurentiu
This picture is a part of the series of my work ëFrumoasaí. “Frumoasa”
is Romanian for ‘beauty’. It’s a work about Laurentiu and his family.
They live in shacks next to the railway near the Ghent Dampoort. I met
him and his family in December 2012. They have to deal with all kind of
obstacles on a daily basis. The lack of a legal address gave them
administrative problems and made it hardly impossible for them to find a
decent job. They form a happy, warm and close family, despite the
constant uncertainty in which they live. Photo and caption by Aurélie Geurts /National Geographic Photo Contest
