NAT GEO'S Best of December 2011 (PhotographY)

Ocean Air Bubble

Photograph by Mark Tipple
An air bubble ascending from the ocean floor contorts and twists into a semicircle as a wave breaks in the background. Captured as part of the Underwater Project.

Octopus, Italy

Photograph by Pasquale Vassallo
Despite the strong human presence on the coast, an octopus is curious about snow-covered Vesuvius.

Cocooned Trees, Pakistan

Photograph by Russell Watkins

An unexpected side effect of the 2010 flooding in parts of Sindh, Pakistan, was that millions of spiders climbed up into the trees to escape the rising floodwaters; because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water took so long to recede, many trees became cocooned in spiderwebs. People in the area had never seen this phenomenon before, but they also reported that there were fewer mosquitoes than they would have expected, given the amount of standing water that was left. Not being bitten by mosquitoes was one small blessing for people that had lost everything in the floods.

Geisha, Kyoto

Photograph by Clancy Lethbridge
Within an ultramodern society Japan still maintains traditions passed down from generation to generation, making it one of the most beautiful and intriguing places in the world.

Zebra and Cloud, South Africa

Photograph by Dmitry Gorilovskiy
On safari, it’s not only the animals that can attract attention. Aquila Game Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.

Great White Shark and Divers

Photograph by David Litchfield
Cage divers are confronted by a great white shark.

Eagle Owl
Photograph by Mark Bridger
A large adult eagle owl in flight

Dragonfly in the Rain
Photograph by Shikhei Goh

This photo was taken when I was taking photos of other insects, as I normally did during macro photo hunting. I wasn’t actually aware of this dragonfly since I was occupied with other objects. When I was about to take a picture of it, it suddenly rained, but the lighting was just superb. I decided to take the shot regardless of the rain.

Hiker, Scottish Highlands
Photograph by Luis del Río
A solitary person walking across a forest in the Highlands, Scotland

Verreaux's Sifaka lemur, Madagascar
Photograph by Robyn Gianni

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Life in Color: Red by National Geographic(photography)

smoking sadhu

 Photograph by Michael Yamashita
A Hindu ascetic, or sadhu, wrapped in a bright-red cloth, smokes underneath a vad (banyan) tree outside a temple in Mumbai (Bombay), India. Sadhus devote themselves to the spiritual life, own few possessions, and typically depend on donations to survive.

Golden Damselfish

Photograph by Tim Laman

Red, the color of human blood, symbolizes passion, fire, love, and anger. In Eastern cultures, it also connotes luck and prosperity. Red occurs throughout nature, from dying stars to dying leaves, and humans have evoked its powers for everything from politics to sports.
Here, a brilliant red sea fan coral spreads behind a golden damselfish in waters off Fiji’s Namenalala Island.

Wedding Cave

Photograph by David Evans

Rich red draperies and glowing paper lanterns transform a rocky cave into a magical wedding hall in China's Hubei Province. Red is the traditional color of Chinese wedding celebrations.

Iron-Rich Creek Bed

Photograph by Michael Melford

Iron-rich rocks create a rust-red creek bed for fast-flowing waters in Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park. The Canadian park lies across the international border from Montana's Glacier National Park.

Sea Oats

Photograph by Medford Taylor

Darkness lends a reddish tint to sea oats bending with storm-whipped winds in Saxis, Virginia. The salt-loving tall grass thrives in beach ecosystems and helps to form and protect sand dunes by collecting windblown grains.

Fallen Maple Leaf

Photograph by Raul Touzo

A solitary red maple leaf lies on the trunk of a downed tree in Maine's Acadia National Park. The United States is home to some 90 different species of maple trees.

Moroccan Mosque

Photograph by Thomas J. Abercrombie

A glowing keyhole arch and dusty-red walls frame the minaret of Al Berdain Mosque in Meknès, Morocco. The arch's lighting also suggests a crescent moon, one of Islam's traditional symbols.

Dye Worker's Hand

Photograph by Thomas J. Abercrombie

A teenage worker uses dye-stained hands to hold a tangled nest of red yarn. The boy lives in Khulm (formerly Tashkurgan), Afghanistan, a town noted for trade in sheep and wool.

Geisha's Lips

Photograph by Jodi Cobb
A geisha in Kyoto, Japan, applies the blood-red lipstick that completes her traditional makeup. Modern geisha carry on an ancient profession; they privately entertain Japan's rich and powerful men and maintain total confidentiality.

Maple Leaves

Photograph by Al Petteway

A Maryland maple tree shows off the flaming foliage beloved by "leaf-peepers." Experts say most people judge the quality of each autumn's foliage by the prevalence of red leaves.

Sumac Leaves

Photograph by Jim Richardson

Sumac leaves glow red in the autumn light at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. The grassy prairie landscape is dotted with shrub thickets of sumac and dogwood, which are favored by birds and small animals.

Schoolchildren With Umbrella

Photograph by Jodi Cobb

Nothing can dampen the enthusiasm of Taipei schoolchildren gathered for a celebration of Double Ten, Taiwan's national day. Double Ten remembers the October 10, 1911, revolution that ended China’s last dynasty.

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Courtesy: National Geographic

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