The Best Photos From Your Shot: Gazing Up and Hanging Out

Every day here at National Geographic, our photo editors look through somewhere between 4,000 and 8,000 images that are uploaded to our photo community, Your Shot. Of those images, 12 are selected to shine in what we call the Daily Dozen. And from those photos, only one is chosen. And by chosen, I mean voted on by you, the community. That photo receives the Top Shot honor.

In this biweekly dispatch of Top Shots, we see a hammock strung up over the Alps, a reverse rainbow circling the Himalaya, and a blanket of stars above a glowing volcano. (Your Shot members love volcanoes!) These photos reveal events and experiences that feel very far away from many of our daily lives. I always wonder: When voting on “the greatest photo” among really great photos, what makes an image stick out to the community? Maybe the pictures that garner the most votes have a universal appeal because they transport us to places we’d like to one day see with our own eyes—like little glimpses of our daydreams. What do you think makes the winning shot? (Remember that you can vote on the Daily Dozen every weekday here.)

See more featured content from Your Shot on our Editors’ Spotlight, and be a part of our photo community—where you can upload images, participate in assignments, and even attend meetups—by joining Your Shot. And don’t forget to help your favorite image from the Daily Dozen become Top Shot by voting every weekday.