Moments (pic.)

Bira Beach, Indonesia

Tallinn, Estonia

Cafe Patron, Paris

Moscow, Russia

Night Sky, Patagonia

Eastern Screech Owl, Georgia

Полина Агуреева "Два сольди" (х/ф "Ликвидация") (vid.)

Summer wind (pic.)

Rooftop, Edinburgh
Sitting on the rooftop looking out over Edinburgh

Swifts, Iguazu Falls
This picture was taken at the majestic Iguazu Falls. The flight of this flock of swifts across the huge waterfalls portrays the sense of freedom and wildness that belongs to this fantastic world wonder

Beach, New Jersey

Similar clouds were visible the evening prior, so I had a hunch and woke up before dawn to set up for this shot at our beach club, Sands Beach Club, in Sea Bright, New Jersey. Using my tripod on the upper deck, I knew that the playground would make great foreground interest. This was taken on June 12, 2012. These structures, as well as the beach club, no longer exist. Hurricane Sandy destroyed them. Thankfully, the beach club is in the process of rebuilding. —Steve Scanlon

Tukad Unda Dam, Bali

This dam is on a river called Tukad Unda in Klungkung, Bali. I framed the photo to make the dam look like a natural waterfall. Locals regularly bathe and wash their clothes here. It's also a fun place for the children to play. I adjusted the shutter speed to capture the arcs of water flowing from their buckets. —Lisa Hendrawan

Patagonia, Chile

I took this photo in Villa O'Higgins, a remote town in southern Chile, during my bicycle trip through Patagonia. I arrived at this place after I had been riding my bicycle for two weeks. At the end of an exhausting day I went for a stroll and came across a lookout. As a storm was developing, I saw a beam of light breaking through the clouds. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was a peaceful and magical moment. —Feliciano Ripa

Shelf Cloud, Saskatchewan

The day began as any other storm-chasing day in the Canadian Prairies. My girlfriend and I followed this particular storm from its birth and observed as it formed this gorgeous shelf structure eight hours later, at the end of the day. The photo was taken just southeast of Fillmore, Saskatchewan, along Highway 33. I used my Pentax K200D camera with f/5.6, 1/200-second exposure and a basic 55mm lens to capture this unforgettable moment. —Gunjan Sinha
Great Egret, Florida
This great white egret is often found at this spot on Tampa's beautiful Hillsborough River. It was almost sunset, and we were just taking our kayaks out of the water at the Trout Creek Park boat dock. When I looked up and saw the bird directly across the river in front of this massive old bald cypress, I saw the "perfect" shot and grabbed my camera, a Nikon digital D80. The bluish cast to the water is partly due to the sun having gone almost down and pollen floating on the surface. —Carol Kay

Orda Cave, Russia

A diver swims through Orda Cave in Russia

Tokai Forest, South Africa

I woke up early to go take some photos of a haunted mansion in Tokai in Cape Town. I got lost down a dirt road of sorts and noticed how gorgeous the heavy mist looked as it hung low over Tokai forest. I went into the forest and was taking photographs when I saw a crow in the tree about to take off, so I aimed my camera to where I thought the crow would fly and captured it when it came into my frame. —Penny R. Robartes

Canal, Venice
The bridges and canals of Venice at first light. The alleyways and canals can be a photographer's dream. As morning light arrived before the hustle and bustle of the crowds, I captured the colors and reflections of this enchanting city near Campo Santa Maria Formosa. —Wilmot David

Madagascar Day Gecko, Maui

The combination of my passion for the natural world and my love of macro photography resulted in this shot of a baby Madagascar day gecko hiding in a succulent plant on my back deck in Spreckelsville, Maui. In the morning before work, I love to take my coffee with me to my deck gardens and watch the geckos start to appear and warm themselves in little warm spots of sun. One windless morning, movement and a flash of color caught my eye. This baby gecko apparently felt very safe in its hiding place, as it allowed me to get very close. I dropped to the deck, camera in hand, and slowly crawled forward until I was inches away. —Lauren Hogan
Cape Blossom, Russia
A barrier beach of marine rubble stretches toward desolate Cape Blossom, at the southwestern tip of Wrangel Island. The Siberian mainland lies 88 miles to the south.
Whitetail Deer, Arkansas
I happened upon this beautiful whitetail doe while hiking along the Centerpoint Trail near Ponca, Arkansas. She was standing along the rocky path, poised in the sunlight that was bursting through the trees above. I readied my camera and tripod as quickly and quietly as possible and was lucky enough to capture the magic moment before she continued down the trail, eventually crossing into the forest. It's interesting to note that in the 1920s the deer population in Arkansas had diminished to only around 200, but thanks to conservation efforts by the state the population is now estimated to be about a million, making a meeting like this more possible. —Jeff Rose

Citroen, Vietnam

French Citroen car in the beautiful mountain town of Dalat, Vietnam