On Dale A. Browne’s first trip to Yellowstone, he “got the best shot” he’d ever taken after chasing this weasel for 30 minutes. The trip for the 58-year-old from Manassas, Va., was a gift from his wife and an opportunity to improve his photography skills with the help of guide and professional photographer Tom Murphy. (Murphy did not assist in the taking of this photo). (Photo by Dale A. Browne)

“Valentine Shmalentine”, 2011. (Photo by GillyFace)

“Photographer Seth Casteel has definitely taken animal photography to new heights – or depths – with his hilarious photos of dogs chasing balls underwater. Casteel, who, naturally, has two dogs of his own (a mini Labradoodle and a Norwich terrier), said that he's drawn to underwater dog photography because the photos show a side of dogs that people may have never seen before”.

Photo: Seth Casteel Underwater Dog Pictures (Photo by Seth Casteel)

«Underwater». Laurie Simmons discovered this silicone sеx doll in a shop while on holiday in Japan and was immediately interested in the type of generic beauty their looks could add to her work. She went on to create the Love Doll series, in which she places silicone sеx dolls in positions that explore a woman’s interior life. (Photo by Laurie Simmons/Salon 94/The Guardian)

“Just hanging out”. As full autumn hits the valley of Hallingdal in Norway, this bear chills out in a tree which seems to barely cover its weight. Photo location: Flå, Hallingdal, Norway. (Photo and caption by Jorgen Tharaldsen/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Kyaiktiyo, Burma, 1978. The Golden Rock at Shwe Pyi Daw (the Golden Country), the Buddhist holy place. Hiroji Kubota writes: “I was desperate to keep a distance from America for a while; luckily, I found Burma and its gentle and compassionate people. In the spring of 1978, on the top of the hill where I took this photo, I had two Leica bodies: the one with Tri-X and the other with Kodachrome 64. Soon after, I realised that the colour one looked very colourful and was more powerful. That was my decisive moment, to become a colour photographer”. (Photo by Hiroji Kubota/Magnum Photos)

“Aurora Hunters”. Photographers taking part in a photography tour on the Lofoten Islands in Norway, pull over on the side of the road to take a photo of their first ever Aurora Borealis after spotting it from their tour bus. Photo location: Rystad, Lofoten Islands, Norway. (Photo and caption by Mark Gee/National Geographic Photo Contest)