Winner: People
In the winning picture in the 2010 National Geographic Photo Contest's "People" category, an Indonesian farmer and his buffalo charge through the mud—"an epic scene" in the words of contest judge Joel Sartore.
Farmers literally put a lot of stock into winning these annual races, which they believe will bring them luck during the upcoming growing season, according to photographer Chan Kwok Hung of Hong Kong.
Sartore, a contributing photographer for National Geographic magazine, said that "peak action, interesting subject matter, and a soft background all combined to make this image a winner."
Photographers from around the world submitted more than 16,000 pictures to the contest, which was open for entries from September 16 until November 30, 2010. (The National Geographic Society owns National Geographic News.)
Best Pictures: Nat Geo Photo Contest Winners, 2010
From a charging buffalo to an erupting volcano—see the winning pictures of the 2010 National Geographic Photo Contest.
