National Geographic Worthy Photos, Taken by Kids

Makayla Hayes, 14, won the international grand prize in the 2011 National Geographic Kids photo contest for this cool under-water shot.
Makayla Hayes, 14, won the international grand prize in the 2011 National Geographic Kids photo contest for this cool under-water shot.

Kids have an interesting perspective on just about everything, and when you hand a kid a camera you can get a glimpse into their world. This year's winners in the Fifth Annual National Geographic Kids International Photo Contest captured humorous quips, quirky sights, and poignant moments that may be impossible to see without a view finder.

Judges sifted through more than 12,000 images submitted by kids in the United States and Canada, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Lithuania, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Winners were chosen from each region, but the international grand prize went to 14-year-old Makayla Hayes of Marion, Illinois, for her eerie underwater self-portrait.

We've pulled together a slideshow (above) of the top shots from this year's contest; you can check out the 2010 winners and 2009 winners at National Geographic Kids.




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