Photo of the Day: Best of August 2009

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Tiger Cub Close-Up

Photograph by John Bernard

I was taking close-ups of one of the cubs lying in the water when I noticed mom approaching from the side. I waited until the cub showed between mom's legs and was able to get a pretty neat and different photo.

This photo and caption were submitted to the 2008 International Photography Contest. See photo galleries, play jigsaw puzzles, and download wallpapers of images from more than 105,000 submissions.

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Horse Scratching, Canada

Photograph by Michael Christopher Brown

Relief is a rolling back scratch in the brush for a hobbled horse freed of its saddle. Several outfitters guide clients into the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area in the Canadian Rockies, and some take hunters, who pay thousands of dollars for a shot at big game.

See more photographs from the November 2008 National Geographic magazine feature story "Northern Giant."

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Diving Tiger, California

Photograph by Briana Taylor

I took this photo of Odin, a famous rare white Bengal tiger, at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California, in 2004. The trainers were throwing meat into a small pool to demonstrate Odin’s diving ability, and he looked right into my camera. The scowl on his face is not meant to be fierce; it’s because of how he scrunches up his nose to keep water out.

This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot. Have a great shot? Send it to us for possible publication in National Geographic magazine.

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Squirrel Portrait, Banff

Photograph by Melissa Brandts

My husband and I were exploring Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park-Canada when we stopped for a timed picture of the two of us. We had our camera set up on some rocks and were getting ready to take the picture when this curious little ground squirrel appeared, became intriqued with the sound of the focusing camera and popped right into our shot! A once in a lifetime moment! We were laughing about this little guy for days!!

This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot. Have a great shot? Send it to us for possible publication in National Geographic magazine.

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Yawning Dog

Photograph by Shannon West

Sometimes you just snap a photo at exactly the right time.

This photo and caption were submitted to My Shot. Create and share albums, puzzles, and games with your photos in our My Shot community.

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Lion Brothers, Australia

Photograph by Mick Tsikas

Twelve-year-old male lion brothers Tonyi, left, and Tombo lie with each other at Werribee Open Range Zoo, 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Melbourne, Australia, in September 2008. Werribee Open Range Zoo occupies 225 hectares (556 acres) of land, which allows visitors in safari buses to get closer to animals. The photographs were taken by a camera in a hide and triggered remotely.

This photo and caption were submitted to the 2008 International Photography Contest. See photo galleries, play jigsaw puzzles, and download wallpapers of images from more than 105,000 submissions.

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Zebra Migration, Tanzania

Photograph by Martijn van Wageningen

Zebra migration in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot. Have a great shot? Send it to us for possible publication in National Geographic magazine.

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Bee-Eater in Flight

Photograph by József L. Szentpéteri

A brilliant blur as it plucks a butterfly from the air, the European bee-eater leads a colorful life on three continents.

See more photographs from the October 2008 feature story "Painting the Sky."

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Fox, Norway

Photograph by Bjorn Anders Nymoen

A fox stands out against the mountains of Svalbard, Norway.

This photo were submitted to Your Shot. Have a great shot? Send it to us for possible publication in National Geographic magazine.