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This spectacular shot triumphed at National Geographic’s ‘Pictures of the Year’ awards

From exploding volcanoes to bustling colonies of penguins, these photos are some of the best from the last 12 months

Ed Cunningham
Written by
Ed Cunningham
News Editor, UK
National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: Karthik Subramaniam
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National Geographic is known for publishing some of the world’s most captivating photographs  – so it makes complete sense that the winners of its ‘Pictures of the Year’ contest are no different. The ten winning shots show the planet in all its vast beauty, from birds of prey mid-flight to exploding volcanoes.

Beating over 5,000 other entries across four categories (nature, people, places and animals), the above shot picked up the ‘grand prize’. Taken by San Francisco-based photographer Karthik Subramaniam, the shot is called ‘Dance of the Eagles’ and it shows bald eagles in Alaska waiting to pounce on salmon. If you ask us, it is, by any measure, an astounding snap.

If you’d like to find out more about NatGeo’s ‘Pictures of the Year’, you can do so on National Geographic’s official site. In the meantime, however, here are some of our favourites from the winners. 

Alex Berger

National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: Alex Berger

An Li

National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: An Li

Eric Esterie

National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: Eric Esterie

Rhez Solano

National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: Rhez Solano

Riten Dharia

National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: Riten Dharia

Tihomir Trichkov

National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: Tihomir Trichkov

W. Kent Williamson

National Geographic Pictures of the Year
Photograph: W. Kent Williamson

To see the full gallery of winners, visit natgeo.com/PhotoContestWinner.

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