1 of 9

Ships AglowThe northern lights glow behind old, abandoned ships in the village of Teriberka, Russia. Once a hub for shipping and fishing, Teriberka experienced an economic downfall that started when the town's administration was taken over by nearby Severomorsk, the home of the Russian Northern Fleet.

Photograph by Anastacia Malyh, National Geographic Your Shot

See some of May's most popular photos

Every day, we feature an image chosen from thousands submitted to our photo community, Your Shot. Here are some of the month's highlights.

ByFrancis Rivera

June 8, 2018

What lengths would you go to for the perfect shot? Would you brave the Arctic elements to document the northern lights? Dive deep underwater to capture a freediver coming up for air?

The top pictures from last month made me admire the effort that goes on behind the scenes to get a great photo: from researching the story behind your subject to waiting for that perfect moment before clicking the shutter.

Francis Rivera produces Photo of the Day, a curated look at photography from National Geographic’s photo community, Your Shot . Melody Rowell writes and researches the captions. Submit your photos and you could be published online or in our magazines. See the highlights from previous months here.