Here are some of the best photos of 2011 from National Geographic:
Camel Thorn Trees, Namibia
Photograph by Frans Lanting, National Geographic
Tinted orange by the morning sun, a soaring dune is the backdrop for the hulks of camel thorn trees in Namib-Naukluft Park.
Oceanic Whitetip Shark, Bahamas
Photograph by Brian Skerry, National Geographic Oceanic whitetip shark and diver in the Bahamas
Skyscrapers, Dubai
Photograph by Catalin Marin, Your Shot Every year around the month of October, Dubai experiences heavy fog due to the still-high humidity and the falling temperatures. With all the new high-rise buildings (including the tallest in the world, Burj Khalifa) this provides a great photographic opportunity.
Swimmers, Lake Superior, Minnesota
Photograph by Nick Otto, My Shot I love all the empty space around the swimming platform. It shows how the lake is both huge and peaceful. The figures of the people become very small, and what makes the shot is the person jumping from the platform and appearing especially tiny surrounded by all that water.—Catherine Karnow
Blacktip Reef Shark, Maldives
Photograph by Paul Wilkinson, Your Shot Smaller fish keep their distance when a blacktip reef shark swims amongst them in shallow water in the Maldives.
Autumn Woods, Germany
Photograph by Jonathan Manshack This photo was taken during autumn in Hameln, Germany, which is the birthplace of the infamous Rattenfänger—or Pied Piper as we Americans know it. This shot is actually on top of the last few hills that soon sink into the state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). This area is essentially lowland plains—hence the name Lower Saxony!
And -drumroll- taken right here in Alberta! 
Alberta, Canada
Photograph by Dwayne Holmwood, My Shot Beautiful frost at sunset in Alberta
Image and caption courtesy to National Geographic and all photographers.
