Military Guide, North Korea

Photograph by David Guttenfelder

A military guide leads a tour to the mystical Mount Paektu. It was here, official lore says, that Kim Il Sung fought for independence from Japanese occupiers in the 1930s.

Woman and Child, Bhutan

Photograph by Lynsey Addario

In the tiny Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, environmental protection is one of the "four pillars of Gross National Happiness," along with sustainable development, cultural preservation, and good governance. A high entry fee for visitors keeps idyllic places like this eastern forest—through which Kunzang Choden sets off with her nine-month-old baby to visit family—free from crowds of backpackers.

Razorfish, Kimbe Bay

Photograph by David Doubllet

Sharp bellied and nearly flat, razorfish swim in perfect formation as they rush for cover among the branches of a red sea whip. Says Doubilet: “It’s gratifying to see that wonders still abound in Kimbe Bay.”

Farmers & Thunderstorm, Nebraska

Photograph by Jim Richardson

A thunderstorm halts haying as farmers watch the sky.

Lions, Serengeti

Photograph by Michael Nichols

For male Serengeti lions like Hildur and C-Boy, teamwork is essential. Here, Hildur shakes the rain from his mane. He and C-Boy work together to retain control over two prides: the Vumbi, consisting of five adult lionesses, and Simba East, a pride now also with five.

Swan Feather, Moscow

Photograph by Veronika K. Ko

On an autumn day in Moscow, Your Shot contributor Veronika K. Ko waited beside a lake for swans to swim close enough to photograph—but they never did. She had decided to leave when she spotted some feathers floating toward her. "It was obviously the swans' gift for my patience," she says. Noticing the water's movement and the autumn trees reflected on its surface, she prepared a 200mm lens and waited for the biggest feather to approach.

Ko emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of the unexpected, in this case to create a unique shot and share the beauty of simple things. "To me it's not just a feather; it's a beautiful part of our life, of our surroundings, something that could bring us smiles and happiness just by watching it."

Cricket Game, Bangladesh

Photograph by Mohammad Rakibul Hasan

Due to the effect of climate change, in 2007 Tropical Cyclone Aila hit Gabura Union, a coastal island of Bangladesh. Now people from this place are recovering from their wounds. Children are playing cricket in a salty, barren field.

Lions, Serengeti

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Photograph by Michael Nichols

Dusk is a busy time for the Vumbi pride. As the moon rises, the lionesses rouse themselves from their afternoon naps, tussle in the grass, and set out on the evening hunt. Nichols made this photo using natural light; soon after, he switched to infrared.

Red Pandas, Lincoln Children's Zoo

Photograph by Joel Sartore

Twin three-month-old red pandas (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) huddle together at the Lincoln Children's Zoo. Sartore photographed the pair as part of his Photo Ark project, through which he is documenting thousands of rare species.

"Half of all the species on Earth could be headed irreversibly toward extinction by 2100. Not if I can help it," Sartore says. "That's the idea behind the Photo Ark: getting the public to look these creatures in the eye, then care enough to save them while there's still time."

Alligator, Okefenokee Swam

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Photograph by Melissa Farlow

An alligator walks in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.

Greater One-Horned (Indian) Rhinoceroses, Fort Worth Zoo

Photograph by Joel Sartore

Four-month-old Asha (Hope in Hindi) will stick close to its mother for up to two years. In zoos and in the wild, this rhino species is growing in numbers.

Sartore photographed the rhinoceroses as part of his Photo Ark project, through which he is documenting thousands of rare species. "Half of all the species on Earth could be headed irreversibly toward extinction by 2100. Not if I can help it," Sartore says. "That's the idea behind the Photo Ark: getting the public to look these creatures in the eye, then care enough to save them while there's still time."

Diana Monkey, Omaha Zoo

Photograph by Joel Sartore

Sartore photographed this female Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana) at the Omaha Zoo as part of his Photo Ark project, through which he is documenting thousands of rare species.

"Half of all the species on Earth could be headed irreversibly toward extinction by 2100. Not if I can help it," Sartore says. "That's the idea behind the Photo Ark: getting the public to look these creatures in the eye, then care enough to save them while there's still time."

Pink Cockatoo, Parrots in Paradise

Photograph by Joel Sartore

This Major Mitchell's cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri), also known as Leadbeater's cockatoo or pink cockatoo, lives at Parrots in Paradise, a bird attraction in Glass House Mountains, Queensland, Australia.

Sartore photographed the cockatoo as part of his Photo Ark project, through which he is documenting thousands of rare species. "Half of all the species on Earth could be headed irreversibly toward extinction by 2100. Not if I can help it," Sartore says. "That's the idea behind the Photo Ark: getting the public to look these creatures in the eye, then care enough to save them while there's still time."

Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys, Ocean Park

Photograph by Joel Sartore

Golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) pose at Ocean Park Hong Kong.

Sartore photographed the monkeys as part of his Photo Ark project, through which he is documenting thousands of rare species. Animals with "Dr. Seuss looks," like these Chinese primates, bring visitors and research money to zoos, Sartore says.

African Elephant, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Photograph by Joel Sartore

A female African elephant (Loxodonta africana) curls her trunk at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado.

Sartore photographed the elephant as part of his Photo Ark project, through which he is documenting thousands of rare species. "Half of all the species on Earth could be headed irreversibly toward extinction by 2100. Not if I can help it," Sartore says. "That's the idea behind the Photo Ark: getting the public to look these creatures in the eye, then care enough to save them while there's still time."

Panther, Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo

Photograph by Joel Sartore

Rescued as a kitten after being abandoned in the wild by its mother in 2007, Calusa, nicknamed "Lucy," is one of no more than 165 surviving Florida panthers.

Sartore photographed Lucy as part of his Photo Ark project, through which he is documenting thousands of rare species. "Half of all the species on Earth could be headed irreversibly toward extinction by 2100. Not if I can help it," Sartore says. "That's the idea behind the Photo Ark: getting the public to look these creatures in the eye, then care enough to save them while there's still time."

Rath Yatra Festival, Bangladesh

Photograph by Md Rafayat Haque Khan

Enthusiastic devotees take part in a colorful Rath Yatra procession in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. Also known as the Festival of Chariots, the Hindu celebration honors a mid-summer chariot journey made by Lord Jagannath.

Photographing in his hometown, Your Shot contributor Md Rafayat Haque Khan wanted to capture the essence of the festival in a single frame. To get this shot, Khan went to the top of a three-story building as devotees pulling raths, or holy carts, arrived in time for an afternoon prayer. "I got a vantage point for capturing this awesome moment," Khan says. "It seemed to me I was seeing a wave of devoted souls coming row by row to get blessings from the Jagannath."