The 12 most stunning entries from this year's National Geographic photo contest
A striking northern lights show in Karjaküla, Harjumaa, Estonia.
Lenticular clouds glowing pink in the sunrise hover over Mount Fuji in Onuma, Yamanashi, Japan.
"Red Fuji and pink lenticular cloud," Yuga Kurita.
Two women become lost in the fabric of a fishing net in Vinh Hy, Ninh Thuan, Vietnam. They are sewing the net for a new fishing season while their husbands are out fishing.
"Sewing the fishing net," Pham Ty.
Men take part in a bathing ritual in the Tirta Empul Temple in Bali. The temple's fresh spring water is believed to be holy water that purifies the body and soul.
"Purification," Donny Herry.
Two young anglers in Greater Accra, Ghana carry fishing nets to their boat.
"Reti a spasso," Salvatore Valente.
An inquisitive and playful female Humpback whale calf in Neiafu, Vava`u, Tonga measures photographer Matthew Draper with her pectoral fin. By measuring how close he is, the whale can determine if her tail is going to come into contact with Draper as she swims past.
"Measure me," by Matthew Draper.
A colony of Eastern bent-winged bats form a colony for hibernation in Ozu, Ehime, Japan.
"Eastern bent-winged bat," Kei Nomiyama.
A baby elephant disguised in sand pokes through a line of elephants that had just crossed the Chobe River in Botswana, Africa on a hot day. They relax and cool down by flicking cool sand onto their backs.
"A sandy disguise," Eric K.
Children in The Port Paotere play near a centuries-old shipwrecked wooden boat, Pinisi, which once explored the boundaries of Makassar in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
"Kids and the abandoned Pinisi," gregarious kurniawan.
Six bears feast on salmon during the fish's annual spawning return to their birthplace in King Salmon, Alaska.
"A little bit of bear’s paradise," Kathleen Yap.
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