Pictures We Love: Best of December

Before the Crash
Photograph by Rahul Talukder, My Shot
A man attempts to save his boat from crashing into another in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in a picture submitted to National Geographic's Your Shot in December.
About 15 million people live in the crowded city of Dhaka. (Read about Bangladesh's population boom in National Geographic magazine.)
Why We Love It
"The eye-catching angle of this picture lays bare the struggles of these boatmen."—Chris Combs, news photo editor
"The green, graphic watermelons initially distract the viewer from the serious situation at hand. It's incredible to see this man attempt to physically overcome the two crushing boats surrounding his ship. Without the aerial viewpoint, the man stretched above his fruit, this image would not be as striking."—Sarah Polger, senior photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Frigid Plunge
Photograph by Ilya Naymushin, Reuters
In -4-degree-Fahrenheit (-20-degree-Celsius) weather, a member of a winter-swimming club wades in the Yenisei River, in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on December 18.
Why We Love It
"If it wasn't for the frosted, snowy structure in the foreground of this photo, it may not have been apparent that the man wading into water, is braving sub-freezing temperatures just to take a winter dip. The crystallized life buoy both offers a perfect frame to an image of the man and bridge, and almost serves as a warning to anyone approaching the scene."—Katel Ledu, director of photography
Published December 29, 2011
Sky Show
Photograph by Tommy Eliassen Eliassen, My Shot
The Milky Way and the northern lights seem to merge over Finnmark, Norway, on September 25.
Auroras are created when charged solar particles collide with molecules in Earth's atmosphere, infusing the molecules with extra energy that then gets emitted as light.
(Related pictures: "Multicolored Auroras Sparked by Double Sun Blast" [August 2011].)
Why We Love It
"We see a remarkable number of aurora pictures every month, yet still find ourselves awestruck when we find an image like this one. Capturing the night sky scene vertically seems to perfectly frame this wild phenomena. It almost looks as though a portal to another dimension is opening through the green bands of aurora, right next to the long strand of Milky Way."—Katel Ledu, director of photography
"This frame stands out from the pack of aurora photos we see each week. The sharp blue Milky Way is juxtaposed near the brilliant green to create an otherworldly and stunning view of space. Two natural phenomena living side by side."—Sarah Polger, senior photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Muddy Victory
Photograph by Julian Herbert, Action Images/Zuma Press
Mud-faced jockey Brendon Powell smiles after winning a race at the G.E. White & Sons Agricultural Buildings Handicap Hurdle in Plumpton, England, on December 19. Powell won three races on three separate horses amid dank weather.
"A great day, very good. The winners make you feel like it's a sunny day," Powell told the Yorkshire Post after his victory.
Why We Love It
"This portrait has all the right elements—an interesting subject, a clear facial expression, and sound technical execution. The light is evenly diffused and softly catches in the subject's eyes. The jockey's smirk and the mud covering his face complete the image. The photographer used a shallow depth of field to its best advantage by focusing on the jockey's eyes."—Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor
"This image shows the grittiness of horse racing for the jockey, but I think his stoic smile while covered in mud captures his passion and 'just another day on the job' attitude perfectly."—Web Barr, associate photo producer
"The pensive jockey, wearing proof of recent competition, leaves the viewer to study his quiet expression hidden behind muddy streaks. The shallow depth of field and soft light recall a painted portrait from long ago, but now the medium is photography and jockeys."—Sarah Polger, senior photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Refugee Children
Photograph by Muhammed Muheisen, AP
Afghan refugee children play in an alley of a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 20.
Why We Love It
"Many photographers return from trips abroad with pictures of children, but few offer something beyond a cute smile or starving eyes. This image tells you more about the children's daily life than most—the overturned carts serve as a playground for these children and perhaps shelter from the cold while waiting for their parents. Either way, this image has a refreshingly mysterious tone."—Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Baring It All
Photograph by Kyohei Mitazaki, My Shot
A person bares it all while carrying a pink purse during the 2010 Kumbha Mela festival in Haridwar, India. The picture was submitted to National Geographic's My Shot in December.
The city, which sits on the sacred Ganges River, is one of the seven holiest places for Hinduism. It's also one of the four centers that hosts Kumbha Mela, which occurs every four years and is the religious equivalent of the Olympics, according to the National Geographic Channel's blog.
Why We Love It
"Every time this picture came up in our edit, we had to pause and discuss. To me, it actually doesn't seem like much of an extraordinary scene, except for the shiny, pink purse hanging on the arm of someone wearing no clothes. It's sort of a simple frame in composition, but there is so much within it to make you want to explore a bit more. The textured, long hair, the lines and crinkles in the orange fabric, and, well, the shiny pink purse. I kind of also want to say, Just because you're naked, doesn't mean you can't accessorize."—Katel Ledu, director of photography
"This image is about the purse. The bright, pink, purse. In a crowd of muted tones, the pink purse screams at the viewer and creates curious questions. Why is this person carrying a purse, when no one else seems to be? Why carry a purse if you're not wearing clothes? What is in the purse? This is such an unexpected situation, that the photo creates conversation each time it's viewed."—Sarah Polger, senior photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Desert "Trees"
Photograph by Adrianafranco Franco, My Shot
Rivers form tree-like shapes in the desert in Baja California, Mexico, in a picture submitted to National Geographic's My Shot in December.
Why We Love It
"This image has a wonderful texture that is almost surreal. At first glance, it's hard to even distinguish what the subject of this photo is—is it snow? Some kind of microscopic leaf or moss? It's just downright stunning as a desert aerial."—Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor
"While reviewing photos from our online-photo community, this image required a more detailed look. With an almost two-dimensional quality, the photo at first appears to be snowy landscape, but instead the caption reveals a California desert. Editors love fun surprises, and this image delivered."—Sarah Polger, senior photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Onlookers
Photograph by Matthias Schrader, AP
Referees watch ski jumpers during the Nordic Combined World Cup competition in Seefeld, Austria, on December 17.
Why We Love It
"The composition of this shot is reminiscent of an OK-GO music video. But it's also fascinating to see the judging aspect of this competition, as you always wonder, Where are the judges? I really just think it's a fun photo!"—Web Barr, associate photo producer
"The texture of the snow drew me in, and the visual pattern of the judges clinched the deal. Here's a photographer who wasn't following the pack!"—Chris Combs, news photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Beyond Repair?
Photograph by Amr Nabil, AP
Burned ancient books salvaged from the fire-ravaged Egyptian Scientific Complex are seen at a book-restoration center in Cairo on December 19.
The documents are among thousands of precious historic works in that were damaged or destroyed by the fire, which was sparked during clashes between protesters and army soldiers near Tahrir Square.
(Related pictures: "Fire Destroys 'Temple of Knowledge' in Egypt.")
Why We Love It
"This picture is visual narrative in its purest form. You start at the right, with a colorful image of people that lived thousands of years ago; you realize it's a reproduction, and that the copy is itself old; then, as your eye moves around the rest of the frame, you see that the page is one of many that were burned, perhaps recently? At the corners, you can see that it's all heaped on sheets of plastic on a sidewalk, rather than some conservation facility, and just like that, the picture itself has told you about one of many recent tragedies in Egypt."—Chris Combs, news photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Ancient Plant
Image courtesy Christine Sievers, Science/AAAS
A piece of 73,000-year-old grass, seen in a microscopic image, was used as part of an ancient mattress, scientists said in December.
The layers of bedding were excavated from sediments 9.8 feet (3 meters) deep at an archaeological site in South Africa.
(Read more: "Oldest Known Mattress Found; Slept Whole Family.")
Why We Love It
"Though the nature of this photograph is scientific, it's also quite beautiful. The gradient of shadows and highlights is reminiscent of some artistic black-and-white pictures of the past, and simply does the subject matter justice."—Katel Ledu, director of photography
"It's not every day that I see a scanning electron microscope image that I'd like to have framed."—Chris Combs, news photo editor
Published December 29, 2011
Next: Pictures We Love - November >>
Photograph by Mathieu Belanger, Reuters
Published December 29, 2011