National Geographic Photo Contest

By Hasan Baglar, from Nicosia, Cyprus

Two praying Mantises party it up on a twig. Honestly, is this not an amazing photograph! It is a perfect example of the kind of photo that drove me crazy with love/hate when I was young because I absolutely love looking at what I know to be a photo of natural behaviour, caught by a photographer who happened to be at the right place at the right time—or so you think. In fact, it is a photo taken by someone expecting the behaviour having done a lot of research and trudged a long way to get it.

This is the kind of photo people wanted me to exhibit when I ran a public art gallery dedicated to photography. But I would never do it. These kinds of photos are the reason National Geographic exist. You can see it and a ton more here, on the National Geographic Photography Contest site. Use the toggle switch to choose the week and subject.

Here's another example. I could have stayed on the site all day. I love retirement.

Attributed to Swan Bird; Toronto, Canada.