--- description: A selection of the best nature photographs from North American Nature Photography Association members submitted in 2016. title: These Are the Most Inspiring Nature Photographs of 2016 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd8d21216f4b89261/698897c80b72e33e516e9cdd/nanpa-cindy-goeddel-fox-jumping.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # These Are the Most Inspiring Nature Photographs of 2016 by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 15, 2016 11:00 AM CUT  Peter Pan and His Shadow, Fox mousing jump, Yellowstone National Park, 2015. Peter Pan and His Shadow, Fox mousing jump, Yellowstone National Park, 2015.Cindy Goeddel by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 15, 2016 11:00 AM CUT Today is the eleventh anniversary of [Nature Photography Day](http://www.naturephotographyday.org "undefined"). The [North American Nature Photography Association](http://www.nanpa.org/events/nature-photography-day/ "undefined") (NANPA) designated the day as a time to “promote the enjoyment of nature photography, and to explain how images have been used to advance the cause of conservation and protect plants, wildlife, and landscapes locally and worldwide.” Here, we present a selection of the best nature photographs from NANPA members submitted in 2016. Every year, NANPA members submit images to be considered for the NANPA Showcase. Out of the approximately 2,600 images submitted for 2016, judges selected 250 to be published in the Showcase gallery in five categories: Mammals, Birds, Scapes, Altered Reality, and Macro, Micro and All Other Wildlife. If you’re feeling inspired, NANPA encourages you to explore the natural world with your camera today, read about the work of naturalists and pioneers in nature photography, and ask yourself how your images can bring positive change to the world. Enter their [photo contest](http://www.viewbug.com/contests/celebrating-nature-photography-day-photo-contest-2016 "undefined") and you could even win a prize yourself!  Peter Pan and His Shadow, Fox mousing jump, Yellowstone National Park, 2015. Cindy Goeddel  Hover fly on chicory flower, Finger Lakes, New York, 2015. Bob Oswald  Grooves, New York, 2015. Marco Crupi  Bald eagle chasing great blue heron, Hood Canal, Washington, 2015. Ken Archer  Green lynx spider, Santa Clara Ranch, Texas, 2015. Hector D. Astorga  Alligator eyeshine, Myakka River State Park, Sarasota, Fla, 2014. Larry Lynch  Great horned owl, Lecanto, Fla, 2015. Robert Strickland  Arctic fox, Nanuvat Territory, Canada, 2015. Mark Hayward  Walrus huddle in Svalbard, Norway, 2015. 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