Prepare to get a severe case of wanderlust. National Geographic Magazine has opened its annual Nature Photographer of the Year competition for 2017.
Just like last year's competition, the entries are already looking pretty incredible. National Geographic has released a handful of early picks from the competition to get the creative juices flowing and, hopefully, inspire photographers to enter their best shots.
You can enter photographs in one of four categories: wildlife, landscapes, aerials, and underwater. The winners will be decided by a panel of judges but there will also be a Peoples’ Choice winner, as decided by an online vote during the first 11 days of December.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive $10,000, a post on the @NatGeo Instagram, and publication in National Geographic Magazine. First-place winners from each of the four categories will receive $2,500.
The deadline to enter is 12pm EST on November, so blow the dust off your camera, find that missing charger, and get snapping. In the meantime, enjoy some of the early entries below.






