<p>"The night left a thin layer of snow over the highest mountains [in] fresh air that is difficult to have in our cities," describes photographer Alessandro Mari. Here, the runoff from <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destination/iceland" target="_blank">Iceland's</a> most photographed mountain forms a waterfall.</p>
"The night left a thin layer of snow over the highest mountains [in] fresh air that is difficult to have in our cities," describes photographer Alessandro Mari. Here, the runoff from Iceland's most photographed mountain forms a waterfall.
Photograph by Alessandro Mari, National Geographic Your Shot
Cool off with these stunning shots of one of nature's most dramatic forces.
ByRachel Brown
Published August 31, 2018
Hydrology's usually a bit of a dry subject. But when the study of water's movement across Earth helps us understand how waterfalls work, it becomes very dramatic indeed.
Hurtling over cliffs, forging canyons, and sometimes creating their own clouds, waterfalls' relentless course reshapes the landscape around them. From Iguazu Falls, which splits a border between Argentina and Brazil with nearly half a million cubic feet of water every second, to Angel Falls, which plummets into the Venezuelan forest from a height of nearly two-thirds of a mile, spectacular cascades attract tens of millions of tourists every year.
Some of those visitors have cameras—like the members of National Geographic's Your Shot photography community who captured the pictures in this gallery. They often trekked miles on end, stood deep in freezing water, or waited patiently for hours in order to snag the perfect shot.
The story behind 9 of the photos from our Pictures of the Year
Out of millions of images, just 49 were selected as the best photos of the year. Our photo editors give a glimpse behind the scenes of 9 images included in our 2022 Pictures of the Year annual special issue.
Whether you prefer a stomach-dropping free fall or a calf-burning rock ascent, New Zealand has no shortage of hair-raising adventures for those with a head for heights.
