July 2, 2008

Been there photo competition June 2008

The Been there photo competition returned to a global perspective this month - here's our pick of June's best entries

Swings, Queenstown, New Zealand — Alistair Mackay: "Queenstown, New Zealand - this is a contender for one of the world's more picturesque swing sets. Great fun, too" Photograph: Alistair Mackay/guardian.co.uk

Gospel church, Cape Town, South Africa — C Johnston: "An African gospel church in the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa" Photograph: C Johnston/guardian.co.uk

Boy and bear, Oregon Zoo, Portland — Carl A Gillingham: "Photo taken at Oregon Zoo, Portland - a small boy and a very large polar bear, doing lengths of his pool (the bear, of course, not the boy)" Photograph: Carl A Gillingham/guardian.co.uk

Deflating balloon, Australia — Daniel Roberts: "We had soared over the vineyards of Australia's Hunter Valley and only looked up when the balloon was deflating and closing in on us" Photograph: Daniel Roberts/guardian.co.uk

Prismatic lake, Yellowstone National Park, United States — John Rubidge: "A prismatic lake in Yellowstone National Park - the colours are a result of different species of algae growing at different temperatures in the water of the hot spring. The brilliant colours of the algae contrast with the blackening of the forest in the background due to a recent forest fire" Photograph: John Rubidge/guardian.co.uk

Rock formation, Bolivia — Michael Cooper: "Wind-sculpted rock formation, known as a stone tree, at 4800m above sea level in the Bolivian altiplano" Photograph: Michael Cooper/guardian.co.uk

Man and camel, Morocco — Stephanie Merchant: "A man shelters in his camel's shadow in Morocco" Photograph: Stephanie Merchant/guardian.co.uk

Pools at Semuc Champey, Guatemala — S Rogers: "Beautiful turquoise waters at Semuc Champey, Guatemala" Photograph: S Rogers/guardian.co.uk

Man on a raft, Bohol, Philippines — John Rux-Burton: "A man adjust his tow of logs as he rafts along the River Loboc in Bohol, Philippines" Photograph: John Rux-Burton/guardian.co.uk

Street scene, Phnom Penh, Cambodia — Michelle Harrison-James: "Moto driver and street recycler, Phnom Penh, Cambodia" Photograph: Michelle Harrison-James/guardian.co.uk

Bus queue, Guatemala — Rosa Lykiardopoulos: "Queueing for a bus, Guatemala" Photograph: Rosa Lykiardopoulos/guardian.co.uk

Man rowing boat in Huaraz, Peru — Shane Dunny: "Man rowing a boat in Huaraz, Peru" Photograph: Shane Dunny/guardian.co.uk

'Flying Nun', Shetrunjaya Hill, Gujarat, India — Tonya Schwochert: "This is a photo of a 'Flying Nun,' a Jain nun who climbs 3950 steps to the 1250 Jain temples atop Shetrunjaya Hill every day before dawn. After praying there, these (sometimes elderly) nuns practically fly back down the hill to the Gujarat plains, leaping gazelle-like past all the sore-kneed pilgrims and tourists" Photograph: Tonya Schwochert/guardian.co.uk

Himalayan mountain range — Tristran Chantler: "Himalayan mountain range" Photograph: Tristran Chantler/guardian.co.uk

Sunrise by camel, Sahara desert — Tristran Chantler: "Sunrise by camel, Sahara desert" Photograph: Tristran Chantler/guardian.co.uk

Boy pouring whiskey, Djeem al Fnaar, Morocco — Hannah: "A boy showing me how to pour Moroccan whiskey one night in Djeem al Fnaar" Photograph: Hannah/guardian.co.uk

Dead Vlei near Sossusvlei in Namibia — The winning photo, by Dr Doug Short: "Dead Vlei near Sossusvlei in Namibia"

Guardian assistant picture editor Helen Healy says: "I chose Doug Short’s photo of Dead Vlei as the winner because it reminds me of a Dali painting, such an eerie landscape of skeletal trees with vibrant blocks of colour" Photograph: Dr Doug Short/guardian.co.uk

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