Photo of the Day: October 2021
A hot air balloon decorated as a jack-o-lantern drifts over the mist-covered landscape of northeastern Tennessee. A story in the May 1986 issue documented an era of economic growth in the state.
Petals from almond trees drop on the ground around beehives, which are moved from orchard to orchard across the country to pollinate crops. The almond industry is so large that experts estimate 70% of commercially kept honeybees are used to pollinate almond trees.
| A group of giraffes runs across the Gara Plain in Zakouma National Park, Chad. The park was founded in the 1960s to protect the critically endangered Kordofan giraffe. Today it is estimated that only 2,000 Kordofan giraffes remain in the wild, with the majority living in Zakouma. |
Decked out in a cardboard crown and a curtain for a robe, an 8-year-old Nenets girl proclaims herself a "tundra princess." The Nenets are an indigenous group of people in the Russian Arctic who herd reindeer on an 800-mile round trip migration every year.
A subway platform in 1960s New York City sees a rush of commuters. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic changed commuting habits, the system provided a total of 1,697,787,002 rides.
As Salt Lake City prepared to host the 2002 Olympics, National Geographic published a profile of the area, which was seeing a population and development boom. Here, a girl plays on top of pumpkins at her family's farm in Draper, Utah, 20 miles south of Salt Lake City.
| In Sardinia, Italy, women prepare culurgiones, pasta dough stuffed with potato, pecorino cheese, and mint. This picture appeared in a January 2020 story about how certain foods in specific regions may contribute to long life. |
In New York City, a pastry chef decorates a cake to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the United Nations in 1960. The September issue of National Geographic the following year documented the UN's internal goings-on as well as its work in the world.
| Picture of a man with an easel painting a scene of a harbor on the Spanish island of Majorca |
A story in the July 2015 issue followed the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi throughout India. Here, two students pose in front of his portrait at the school he founded for Dalits, once known as Untouchables, in Ahmadabad, Gujarat.
A tuatara clings to a rock near New Zealand's shore. Tuataras are nicknamed "living fossils," as their appearances haven't changed much since the Jurassic era.
Morning fog rolls over an autumnal forest in Maine's Acadia National Park. The park is one of the nation's smallest, but can see upwards of 3 million visitors per year.
The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is Islam's most sacred site. Five times a day, practicing Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca, no matter where they are in the world.
A story in the January 1969 issue documented the island of Taiwan and its tension with communist China. In this photo, Taiwanese soldiers on the island of Quemoy release balloons filled with propaganda leaflets that will make their ways to mainland China.
| In Guanzhang, China, a man makes gua mian, a traditional noodle that is a staple of dishes in Henan Province. This photo originally appeared in a June 2009 story that documented food shortages around the world. |
A reproduction of the Mayflower sails into New York Harbour in July of 1957, escorted by boats and a blimp. The ship was constructed in England and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, now residing permanently in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
A girl walks an idyllic path in the town of Tylerton on Maryland's Smith Island. A story in the May 1957 issue examined the history and legacy of Captain John Smith, for whom the island is named. Today, fewer than 300 people live in Tylerton, and because of climate change the island is expected to erode completely by the year 2100.
In this image from the July 1915 issue, a car drives beneath towering redwoods in California. The oldest and largest trees in the world can reach heights of 250-300 feet, and ages of up to 2,000 years.
In the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, divers attempt to cut a fishing net off the fluke of a sperm whale. Whaling in the 1960s nearly drove the sperm whale extinct, but now international protects are allowing the species to recover, albeit slowly.
A farmer in California rides an ATV through his vineyard to examine the grape vines. Between the vines grow oats and vetch, which keep out weeds, make home for beneficial bugs, and enrich the soil. This picture appeared in a December 1995 story about the sustainable agriculture movement.
| On a farm in Kentucky, girls play during a break from a daylong mother-daughter retreat to help girls understand and appreciate their changing bodies. This picture appeared in the January 2017 issue, which was dedicated entirely to gender. |
A grizzly dozes after fishing in Katmai National Park, Alaska. The park, which is larger than the state of Connecticut, is home to one of the largest protected population of bears in the world.
In Kelly Hill Caves on Australia's Kangaroo Island, park guides search for bones of ancient megafauna that once populated the country. The sudden extinction of such giant animals, believed to have happened soon after the arrival of humans about 13,000 years ago, has baffled scientists for decades.
In Forbesganj, India, girls take a break between classes at the Kasturba Gandhi Girls School. The girls are considered to be at-risk, and the school is run by a charity whose mission is to end sex trafficking.
Students march in commemoration of Ohi Day-- also known as "Day of the No"-- in the village of Chora, Greece. In 1940, Italy demanded that Greece surrender rather than maintain neutrality in World War II. Then Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas refused, thus aligning Greece with the Allies and bringing the nation into the war.
Explorers stand in Cueva del Panal, a fluvial cave in Valle de Viñales, Cuba. Inside caves like these lie bones of extinct sloths and other vanished mammals. This picture appeared in the November 2003 issue, as a part of photographer Steve Winter's five-month journey to document the natural wonders of Cuba.
For a story in the August 1955 issue, National Geographic staff writer Ralph Gray packed up his family and their station wagon to follow the trail of 18th century fur trader Alexander Mackenzie, which started in Montreal and ended in Bella Coola, British Columbia. Here, two of the kids wash the car while stopped by Clear Lake, Manitoba.
The cover story of the December 1999 issue was all about cheetahs and the threats they face to their habitats. In this close-up of a cub in Botswana's Okavango Delta, you can see blood on his muzzle, left over from his last meal.
A woman rakes autumn leaves in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. This photo originally appeared in a June 1976 story about economic and population growth the state experienced at the time.
In Karaj, Iran, a young boy lights a candle in observance of Mehregan, a Zoroastrian festival also known as the Persian Festival of Autumn. The festival honors the religion's divine being responsible for friendship and love.
An assortment of fruits and vegetables from upscale markets in Manhattan mimics a still life painting. Originally appearing in the July 2014 issue, the photograph illustrates the variety of produce available in the US, even if it has to travel thousands of miles.
