12 Amazing Highlights from the 2017 Nat Geo Nature Photographer of the Year Contest

 

Contest closes November 17, 2017

National Geographic invites photographers from around the world to enter the 2017 Nature Photographer of the Year contest. The grand-prize winner will receive $10,000 (USD), publication in National Geographic Magazine and a feature on National Geographic’s Instagram account, @natgeo.

Eligible contestants can visit natgeo.com/photocontest to submit photographs in any or all of four categories: Wildlife, Landscapes, Underwater and Aerials. The entry fee is $15 (USD) per photo, and there is no limit to the number of submissions per entrant. The contest ends Friday, Nov. 17, at 12 p.m. EST.

Our friends at National Geographic were kind enough to let us share some of the standout entries from the contest so far, enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Bear from the water Kamchatka, Russia

 

 

 

 

Great White Shark at Guadalupe Island, Mexico

 

 

 

 

my daughter and her best friend on their backs in a clearing, just between planted fir forest and natural beech forest

 

 

 

 

Kalsoy island and Kallur lighthouse in sunset light, Faroe Islands

 

 

 

 

The young Whale Shark was swimming in the Gulf of Thailand at a popular dive site called Sail Rock near the island of Koh Pha Ngan. The brief encounter was was captured whilst diving the remote reef which the graceful giant was using as cleaning station, a sort of car wash for big fish.

 

 

 

 

We found them early one morning feasting on a new kill of a springbok. It was an intense sight to watch them feed – our close proximity to them gave us an opportunity to observe their relationship with one another. It was fascinating to watch the brothers intermittently embrace each other and lick the blood off each other’s faces while the mother kept guard. This photograph captures the harshness of the wild and yet softens us to witness the strong bond between the brothers.

 

 

 

 

The image was taken from Hallstat Village in Austria right after sunrise. I had to walk some distance to reach this village view point. It was worth every step that I took as the scene turned out to be magical with the fog movement. Luckily the fog did not cover up the mountains.

 

 

 

 

Dear future generation, I hope we will still be able to see the Arctic wildlife as we do now. It is threatened as the environment is changing. I was able to witness many scenes of wildlife and I can guarantee you this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Here the polar bear might be interpreted as holding back the sea ice melting. Incredible and unique shot 6 meters above a polar bear in Nunavut, Baffin area during wildlife reportage in Nunavut and Greenland during summer 2017.

 

 

 

 

Great Gray Owl Taking Off in winter

 

 

 

 

Spain has many impressive landscapes and fascinating destinations, but one of the most amazing natural resorts are the salty pink lakes in Torrevieja. In this beautiful coastal resort you can find two beautiful salt lakes: a blue-green one called La Mata lagoon and the other, of an impressive pink colour, known as Torrevieja lagoon; both connected to the sea by canals.

 

 

 

 

Went to the very north of Denmark, skagen, at sunrise and found this willing model.

 

 

 

 

Morning at Koruldi Lakes in Georgia (country).