“Shadowgraphs”. A female leopard resting on a tree branch in Kwai. Photo location: Kwai, Okavango Delta, Botswana. (Photo and caption by Chris Schmid/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Kayaking”. Aerial view of a kayaker doing kayak in the Reuss river in Switzerland. Photo location: Reuss River, Switzerland. (Photo and caption by Chris Schmid/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Karo man with body paint”. Fierce Karo warrior with body paint. Photo location: Omo Valley, Ethiopia. (Photo and caption by Sean Caffrey/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Container City”. Singapore, evening at Keppel Harbour container handling facility. Singapore is one of the world's busiest container ports and the leading transshipment port, in which containers are shuffled from one ship to another within the port. Photo location: Singapore. (Photo and caption by John Seaton Callahan/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Moment of truth”. Fishermans at Mandalay. Photo location: Myanmar. (Photo and caption by Valery Latypov/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Jaipur Craftsman”. The streets of Jaipur's Old City are filled with colors and characters, crafts and cuisine. The pink walls rose up around us as we wandered from shop to shop seeing everything from metalwork to marble carving to ring casting, all done in efficient, open-air workspaces. It is here where one can spend hours marveling at the traditional beauty and talent amidst the chaos of the modern Indian city. Photo location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. (Photo and caption by Christopher Eckel/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Sea of Milk”. This Waterfall is a massive Waterfall. It is a tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River on the Goa-Karnataka border, India, 60 km from Panaji. This is India's 5th tallest waterfall, and 227th in the world with a height of 310 m (1017 Feet) and average Width of 30 meters (100 Feet). In Monsoon, the water plummets hundreds of feet in large volumes forming one of the most spectacular natural phenomenon. People can go here by Trekking or by Train. Photo location: Goa-Karnataka Border, Goa, India. (Photo and caption by Sandeep Bharat/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Chaos”. I was woken at 7am by the sound of 5000 mewing wildebeest readying themselves to cross Kenya's Mara River. I grabbed my camera and ran down to the riverside to watch the scene unfold. It was terrifying, breathtaking and totally disturbing. A moment I will never forget. Photo location: Masai Mara, Kenya. (Photo and caption by Kathrine Webb/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Swiss Crystal River”. Diver in crystal clear water of Verzasca river in Ticino – Switzerland. This dive site is dangerous if you don't respect the security rules. But it's a fabulous world with rounded rock. You can see across the surface from the bottom of the river. It's a kind of underwater cathedral. Photo location: Lavertezzo, Ticino, Switzerland. (Photo and caption by Marc Henauer/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Orphan Race”. We were running from the Common Threadz orphanage to the Futbol field in Obenjeni South Africa. Photo location: Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. (Photo and caption by Kenneth Harris/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Twin Peaks of Antigua”. The shadow of night is cast over Antigua as Volcán de Agua's silhouette dominates the horizon through Santa Catalina Arch, reflecting in the cobblestone rain puddles. Photo location: Santa Catalina Arch, Antigua, Guatemala. (Photo and caption by Beau Pilgrim/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Unsuspecting shadows”. While a surfer waits for waves on the outer reefs off Namotu Island, Western Fiji, an inquisitive “Black tip Reef Shark” circles below looking for its prey unbeknownst to the surfer. Photo location: Namotu Island, Mamanuca Islands, Nadi, Fiji. (Photo and caption by Beau Pilgrim/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Seraphic”. One has to travel to the distant corners of the world to get a dream picture... Photo location: Tuscany, Italy. (Photo and caption by Abrar Mohsin/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Kilauea Rules”. The most extreme place we put ours kayakers to paddle till now. Photo location: Big Island, Hawaii. (Photo and caption by Alexandre Socci/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“The First Train”. Taken at Mishima town in Fukushima prefecture, Japan. The first train goes across the railway bridge through in morning mist. The train moves forward little by little slowly. Photo location: Mishima, Fukushima Pref, Japan. (Photo and caption by Teruo Araya/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Ijen Sulfur Mines”. This worker is returning to the sulfur pits at the bottom of the volcanic crater on Mt Ijen, Java, Indonesia. The Ijen sulfur mines are notorious for their difficult working conditions. Photo location: Indonesia. (Photo and caption by Neil Wade/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Divine Makeover”. Taken during “The Mayana Soora Thiruvizha” festival takes place every March in the small village of Kaveripattinam, the day after Mahashivarathiri (The great night of Shiva). The festival is devoted to Angalamman, a fierce guardian deity worshipped widely in Southern India. Photo location: Kaveripattinam, Tamilnadu, India. (Photo and caption by Mahesh Balasubramanian/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Sunset in Longji”. Taken end of afternoon in the wonderful place call Longji rice field terrace in Guangxi Province. Photo location: China. (Photo and caption by Thierry Bornier/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Hidden Village”. Nepal, Everest region, Amazing view of Milky-Way in Dole. Dole is a small village in the Khumbu region of Nepal. It lies in the Dudh Kosi River valley just north of Khumjung and south of Machhermo at an altitude of 4038m. Photo location: Nepal, Everest region, Dole. (Photo and caption by Max Slastnikov/National Geographic Photo Contest)

“Varanasi Guru”. This picture was taken in Varanasi, India at sunrise on the banks of the Ganges River. Photo location: Varanasi, India. (Photo and caption by David Caldwell/National Geographic Photo Contest)