Polar Bear and Cub, Svalbard

This polar bear mother gave her cub a ride as she swam across a fjord in Svalbard, Norway. This photo was taken as she shook herself dry after emerging from the water. It is also the grand prize winner of the 2010 National Geographic Expeditions Photo Contest.

Photographer: Philip Dien

Taj Mahal and Red Fort

The Taj Mahal looms in the doorway of the 16th Century Red For in Agra, India.

Photograph by Martin Bauer

The Statue of Christ of the Abyss, off the coast of Florida, stands 30 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors of the Coral Reef State Park can don masks and fins and visit the statue up close. This image appeared in the January 1971 issue of National Geographic.

Photograph by Bates Littlehales

Brown Bear Fishing Underwater

This brown bear waits underwater for salmon to feast upon in the Kuril Lake near Kamchatka, Russia. This image appeared in the August 2009 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

Photographed by Randy Olson

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Eagle Battle In Mid-Flight

This image of three Eagles fighting over a fish in Homer Alaska in March 2008 was one of the winners of the National Geographic 2008 International Photography Contest.

Photographed by Jose Hernandez

Lake Cave Of Mexico

This cave lake in Xkeken Cenote, Mexico is one of many which is believed by some to lead to the underworld. This image appeared in the April 2010 issue of National Geographic.

Photography by John Stanmeyer, National Geographic Magazine

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Simonos Petras Monastery

Sometimes called the Christian Tibet, the Simonos Petras Monastery sits more than 800 feet above the Aegean Sea. Located on the steep slopes of the Mount Athos, it is a popular pilgrimage site for the devout. This image appeared in the December 2009 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

Photograph by Travis Dove

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Native American Indian in Costume

This image was captured in October, 2008, during a Photo Camp in Taos, New Mexico. During the four day event, students of Taos High School and the Taos Pueblo dressed in Native American clothing to pose for National Geographic Magazine.

Photographed by Fransisco Velande

Japanese Girl Prays To Her Ancestors

It is believed in Japan that ancestral spirits come back to their families each year in August. The families provide rest for their ancestors and then send them back by putting them on lanterns letting them drift down river. A small girl in Shikoku, Japan prays to her ancestors before sending them back.

Photograph by Setsuko Sugino

Swan In River Image

This beautiful swan was captured while cleaning itself then stretching its wings.

The early morning sun rays give it a magical quality as it burns away the mist.

Photograph by Jason Wickens

Kauai's Na Pali Coast

The Na Pali Coast of Kauai is the focus of a photo essay and feature in the April issue of National Geographic. The valleys of Na Pali were populated by Native Hawaiians continuously for six centuries through the early 1900s.

You’ll find the story, photos and an interactive map of
Na Pali at National Geographic’s Web site HERE.

Photo by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel for National Geographic