Pictures We Love: Best of July

A Bloomin' Good Time

Photograph from ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

Two playmates, pictured on July 17, aren't about to let a 7,700-square-mile (20,000-square-kilometer) Yellow Sea (map) algae bloom ruin their day at the beach in Qingdao, China.

Such massive blooms require warm ocean temperatures and waters rich in the elements phosphorus and nitrogen, which are found in fertilizers and can be carried to the coasts by water runoff. While the algae aren't toxic, big blooms can create oxygen-poor "dead zones" in the water and leave an unpleasant odor on beaches, Steve Morton, a marine biologist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), told National Geographic News in 2010.

(See more pictures: "Thick Green Algae Chokes Beach—Swimmers Dive In.")

Why We Love It

"This scene takes the idea of making lemonade from lemons to another level."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

"Kids can make anything look fun."—Monica C. Corcoran, senior photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

A Real Trooper

Photograph by Paul Kane, Getty Images

Despite his evil attire, "stormtrooper" Jacob French—shown meeting a young kindred spirit on a Perth, Australia, bridge on July 15—aims to be a force for good in the universe.

To raise money for the Starlight Foundation, which seeks to brighten the lives of sick children, French is walking 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from Perth to Sydney in full Star Wars armor.

Why We Love It

"This photo captures a genuine moment in what might otherwise be a contrived situation."—Alexa Keefe, photography producer

"As a huge Star Wars fan, this shot takes me back, and the composition of the shot, combined with the emotions of the 'stormtrooper' meeting the child, are fantastic."—Web Barr, associate photo producer

"The reaction on the face of the young Star Wars fan is so raw, you can't help but smile."—Andy Gottesman, photo intern

"The boy's Darth Vader shirt and the sneakers of the 'stormtrooper' are just a few details I love."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

In a Word, Haboob

Photograph by Mike Olbinski

Lacking only a giant mummy mouth, a huge dust storm swallows a large swath of Phoenix, Arizona, in cinematic style on July 5.

Fueled by drought, storm winds, and gravity, Phoenix is at a lower elevation than Tuscon, where the storm was born. The billowing debris reached a peak height of about a mile (1.6 kilometers), according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

In addition to obscuring the state capital for two hours, the dust storm unleashed an exotic bit of meteorological nomenclature: The NWS began referring to the powerful dust storm as a haboob—a term usually reserved for storms in Africa and India.

Why We Love It

"I guess reality doesn't always look much different from Hollywood."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

"I had never seen a city engulfed by a cloud of dust, and this shot captures the horror that the inhabitants must have felt."—Web Barr, associate photo producer

"I'm just blown away—no pun intended—by the size of the storm and curious as to why there are cars driving in the direction of it."—Andy Gottesman, photo intern

"The enormity of the storm cloud makes even an 18-wheeler look like a Tonka truck."—Monica C. Corcoran, senior photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

Striped Shirt

Photograph from China Daily/Reuters

Beekeeper Lv Kongjiang, 20, attracted 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of bees to his body within 60 minutes on July 16—but was stung by rival Wang Dalin, whose swarm weighed in at 57 pounds (26 kilograms) in a competition in Shaoyang, China.

Wearing only shorts and goggles, the pair used queen bees they'd raised to attract other bees.

Why We Love It

"Dedication can be expressed in many ways!"—Chris Combs, news photo editor

"This really makes me cringe, especially since he's not wearing nose plugs."—Andy Gottesman, photo intern

Published July 28, 2011

Veiled Anguish

Photograph by Sean Gallup, Getty Images

Two young Muslim women weep over a coffin, 1 of 613 containing victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre on July 10, 2011, in Potocari, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The newly identified remains were scheduled to be buried the next day.

At least 8,300 Bosnian Muslim men and boys had sought safe haven at a UN-protected enclave in Srebrenica, only to be killed by members of the Bosnian Serb army under the leadership of Gen. Ratko Mladic, who is currently facing war-crimes charges in The Hague, Netherlands.

Why We Love It

"Despite the rows of seemingly identical, anonymous coffins, the presence of the two mourners helps render the scene both deeply personal and universal. And compositionally speaking, there isn't anything to distract you—it's an immediate read."—Alexa Keefe, photography producer

"Such a careful and tasteful handling of a tragic situation by the photographer."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

Doubling Down

Photograph by Feng Li, Getty Images

Reflected in an out-of-focus glass building (left), diver Meaghan Benfeito of Canada competes in the women's ten-meter platform semifinal at the 14th FINA World Championships on July 20, 2011, in Shanghai, China.

Why We Love It

"Kudos to the photographer for paying close attention to his reflective surroundings. The picture artfully breaks a few oft-repeated photography rules—such as avoiding silhouettes and filling the entire frame—and comes out stronger as a result."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

"Is it a photo or a Rorschach test? It's a fun visual either way."—Monica C. Corcoran, senior photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

Manhattanhenge

Photograph by Robinson McClellan, Your Shot

Capturing a slice of Stonehenge on the Hudson, sun worshipers snap pictures on the so-called Manhattan solstice, when the sun's rays align with the island's east-west street grid. (See a picture of the solar alignment during a summer solstice at England's ancient Stonehenge monument.)

Why We Love It

"This photographer brings a fresh perspective to a well-photographed event by incorporating lens flare and spectators into the frame."—Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

Ruining of the Bulls

Photograph by Daniel Ochoa de Olza, AP

Spanish bullfighter David Mora holds his traditional trophy—the ear of the bull he just killed—during a bullfight at the San Fermín festival on Friday, July 8, 2011, in Pamplona, Spain. Held since 1591, the event attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year for nine days of revelry, morning bull runs, and afternoon bullfights.

(See pictures: Pamplona Bulls Take on Matadors, Revelers.)

Why We Love It

"I don't love looking at this picture—or the act it depicts—but the photo shows us a rarely seen aspect of bullfighting in an unflinching way."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

"Although this photo is graphic, the composition is very clean and beautiful. It reminds us what exactly bulls are subjected to during bullfighting. It also has a human component with the bloody fingernails."—Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

3, 2, 1 ...

Photograph by Ruthy Vortrefflich, My Shot

National Geographic My Shot user Ruthy Vortrefflich of Israel captures Iceland's Strokkur geyser in the final bubbling moments before an eruption on July 4. "The tension in the air," she wrote, "was magnetic."

Why We Love It

"Scary! I like the way that this photograph makes the natural world look so unnatural. The photographer did a great job of capturing anticipation."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published July 28, 2011

Next: Pictures We Love: June >>

Photograph by Wong Maye-E, AP

Published July 28, 2011