National Geographic Magazine's annual photo contest, is nearing the deadline for entries this year—the final day will be October 31, 2014. The Grand Prize Winner will receive $10,000 and a trip to National Geographic headquarters to participate in its annual photography seminar. National Geographic was once again kind enough to let me choose among more of its entries so far for display here on In Focus. Captions written by the individual photographers.
Onno, a teenage girl from the Arbore tribe in Omo Valley in Ethiopia. Onno, like other women of the Arbore tribe, enjoys decorating herself with hundreds of beads, which she believes makes her more attractive. Her hair is cut short, which is a symbol of virginity. Soon Onno will marry and as part of the wedding process she will have to be circumcised. This process will be done by her mother and like all Arbore women she will have to follow the tradition. (© Matjaz Krivic/National Geographic Photo Contest)
One evening, driving our car on the E17, we came out of a tunnel near Antwerp, Belgium, and were suddenly confronted with this... sky? As I was the passenger, I managed to take a few pictures trough the front window. We felt like driving under an upside see of waves. It had a beautiful dampened light and the world suddenly looked very different. A sense of unknown danger was also present. We had no rain or storm and made it safely home. Other parts of the country that evening were not that lucky. (© Luc Bonduelle/National Geographic Photo Contest)
This humpback whale breached several times perhaps in hopes of communicating the oncoming threat of transient Killer Whales who have been known to kill humpback calfs and were later spotted traveling towards this particular humpback and her calf (not in view). Tolmie Chanel, Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada. (© Cael Cook/National Geographic Photo Contest)
A smoke column billows above the forest fire in Banff National Park, one of Canada's most beautiful places. Many people were devastated when it went up in flames. Although it's quite sad, this fire was actually very beneficial to the land, as there hadn't been a blaze in this area for over 300 years. What people fail to realize is that some wildfires are part of the natural process of forests. In a year or so, proof of that in the form of fire weed and new plant growth will blanket the forest floor where the fire once raged. Knowing that, it made this fire even more beautiful to me. (© Amanda Nand/National Geographic Photo Contest)
Madagascans with their boats, trying to trade some goods with the people on a cruise ship. Jeans, sweets, t-shirts are wanted, in exchange for crabs, fresh fruits and fish. They stayed the whole day, shouting and waving up to the people on the ship. (© Rupert Preifller/National Geographic Photo Contest)
While on a trip to unhook live sharks from fishermen's longlines, we were lucky enough to run into a massive school of mobula rays. The rays were moving quite fast and it was hard enough keeping up with them from the surface, let alone dive down to take a closer look. This photo was taken freediving to a depth of about 60 ft. in Bahia Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Mexico. (© Eduardo Lopez Negrete/National Geographic Photo Contest)
After the 30 years of banning large imported motorcycles, in 2007, the Taiwanese government reopened the import licensing of motorcycles greater than 550cc. These large bikes, which were never seen before, were thought to be strange and treated unequally. However, adversity will not stop enthusiastic bike riders from chasing the road of freedom. (© Shao hua Luo/National Geographic Photo Contest)
This disorienting photo was taken from a cliff overlooking Lake Louise in Banff national park. The two people are enjoying a canoe ride on Lake Louise's turquoise waters. Even boulders the size of large cars seem like pebbles from a high vantage point. (© Ben Leshchinsky/National Geographic Photo Contest)
Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to shoot the Holuhraun volcanic eruption in Iceland. After several days waiting for good flying weather, I got my OK and went on the helicopter. I was incredibly lucky to have both a spectacular pink sunset and a new, red-hot lava formation in the foreground. I must have driven the helicopter pilot crazy going over this segment again and again, but in the end, I got what I wanted! (© Erez Marom/National Geographic Photo Contest)
The chef of Ramnami people in Chhattisgarh, India. Ramnami tattoo the name of the lord "Rama" on their body. Their entire focus is on the name of Ram, the name of God that is most dear to them. The Ramnami Samaj is a sect of harijan (Untouchable) Ram. Formed in the 1890s, the sect has become a dominant force in the religious life of the area. (© Mattia Passarini/National Geographic Photo Contest)
During summertime, when the ice already melted, Wakhi people migrate to highland pasturage in the Big Pamir in the Wakhan Valley of Afghanistan. Above 4,000 meters above sea level, they stay in the seasonal sheds. This picture depicts a man during meal preparation. When the shed became filled with smoke the only relief he could find was the small hole in the shed roof. (© Guillaume Petermann/National Geographic Photo Contest)
