Best Environmental Pictures Of 2010

National Geographic has presented it's top enviro pics for this year. I just love these nature shots and these would make a fine addition to any collection. 4500 entries from around 97 countries were reviewed, and I'd like to see the rest of them too. My favorite here is the cresting wave or "backwash," taken on Queensland coast.

Organized by the London-based Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, the Environmental Photographer of the Year contest honors amateur and professional photographers who "raise awareness of environmental and social issues." This year's edition drew more than 4,500 entries from photographers in 97 countries.

—John Roach

German photographer Florian Schulz said the scope of the ray congregations was unknown until he and a pilot happened upon the gathering while searching for migrating whales.

Perhaps just as rare is the composition Schulz captured. "I was able to show how these rays are jumping out of the water," he said, "and at the same time I'm able to show—almost like an underwater photograph—how there're layers and layers and layers of rays."

A gray seal pokes its head through "clouds" of plant life in a winning picture by Estonian photographer Kaido Haagen.

Based in the capital city, Tallinn (map), Haagen didn't have to travel too far for the otherworldly image, which was captured about six feet (two meters) under the Baltic Sea near the Estonian island of Vilsandi (map).

Laid by April each year, European common frog tadpoles cluster in clumps of eggs on the bottom of a spring-fed Hungarian mountain lake in a picture by underwater photographer Bela Nasfay.

Like a soothsayer with a crystal ball, a fly rubs a bead of water in the backyard of Bulgarian photographer Radoslav Radoslavov Valkov, winner of the "Under 21" category of the 2010 Young Environmental Photographer of the Year award.

"At first I was astonished to know that I was even shortlisted, and later absolutely delighted to realize that I have received my first serious international artistic recognition," Valkov said in a press statement.

No, it's not another subdivision-gone-bust outside Las Vegas. This winning picture by Rowan E. Bestmann captures channels and causeways in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, constructed to purify local gray water—wastewater from household activities such as bathing and laundering—for reuse.

A green pit viper eyes a hummingbird in Hungarian photographer Bence Mate's winning picture

Like an erupting Mount Fuji, a wave takes on a perfect, peaked form in a winning picture by Australian photographer Julienne Bowser, who snapped the image at Snapper Rocks on the Queensland coast.

Supermarket workers purge thawed food from powerless freezers in the wake of the biggest floods in decades to wash through the rural town of Charleville, Australia—as captured by Rowan E. Bestmann, who also won the "Innovation in the Environment" category.

The March 2010 floods were triggered when a monsoonal low dumped heavy rains in southwestern Queensland state, ending several years of drought.

A man makes eye contact with Nodi, a 15-year-old sex worker at a brothel in Fardipur, Bangladesh, in G.M.B. Akash's winning picture. Nodi was sold to the brothel by her stepmother.

news.nationalgeographic.com...

Kind of surprised to see this one in "environmental," but I guess it qualifies.

Hope you enjoy...
spec

edit on 29-9-2010 by speculativeoptimist because: (no reason given)

Absolutely stunning Star and Flag!!

My personal favourite is the frogspawn most definitely!

What beautiful photos! We have such a limited perspective of the many facets of life and I'm so happy that these photographer can capture moments that are simply mind expanding. Thanks for the post!

I like the viper and humming bird.

Great pictures, S+F.

reply to post by Big Raging Loner

I like that one too BRL, that is a lot of eggs man! where is the water? Are those things just stacked up there? Surreal for sure! Thanks for the reply....

spec

reply to post by walkingeyeball

"Mind expanding," nice and I certainly agree! Glad ya dug em' wakingeyeball!

Thanks for the comment,
spec

Awesome photos! S&F for ya.

I always enjoy National Geographic photos, they have some of the best photographers in the world i think.

The snake and humingbird was my favorite, i'm a big snake fan though.

Thanks for the post..

Awesome photos!

Loved the one with the rays and the tadpole eggs were my favorite.

Thank you, I loved the photographs!

I am not sure if this one is a new photograph, but it moves me none-the-less; the nails or spikes are what makes the picture all the more intriguing.

reply to post by Greensage



Thanks Greensage! Man that pic is avatar worthy and speaks volumes!
Have a good one friend,
spec

Absolutely stunning pics.

Thank you !

My personal favorite is the fly... Most definitely.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


These are spectacular, SO! I have never seen such a mess of tadpoles in my life! Such beauty and such tragedy, right?

Great pics OP! thanks for sharing

Thanks for the comments guys, they are appreciated

jennybee, love that new avatar!

spec