Glow Before the Grind

by Binoy Shaw
(Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

The Glow before the grind

The horses resting and enjoying the soft morning sun before the hard and grinding day starts.

These horses pull joyrides on the roads to earn a living for their masters and themselves.

New Moon in Old Moon's Arms

by Adrian Brown
(Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK)

This shows the new moon lit by the sun but also shows the portion of the moon that is usually in shadow but in this occasion the earth, moon and sun are ligned up just right that the "dark side" is also lit by light reflected off the earth from the sun - known as "Earthshine" - "New moon in the old moon's arms".

Beginning Of the Road

by Annie
(USA)

This is just the beginning of the long journey ahead of this teenager in his life and the different things he'll have to face as he walks down 'that road'.

Beginning of the Journey

by Matthew Clarke
(Great Bentley, Colchester, Essex, United Kingdom)

My image manipulation encapsulates the journey that we go through in life, it highlights how sometimes it can feel as if life is eternal.

The crows symbolise how the problems and niggles which always follow us throughout our journey but they also portray how death is always near to us.

My photograph aims to provide the significance of the journey into adult life.

Life in Net

by Mahfuzul Hasan Bhuiyan
(Dhaka-1230, Bangladesh)

A Baby shrimp collector is setting his net in the sea to start the morning catch.

Eternally Beautiful !!!

by Chanchal Agarwal
(Gonda, U.P., India)

I had no idea about the beauty@my backyard until I clicked this pic !!! There are many amazing things which we ignore but they do exist...

First Day

by Tanya Cardamone
(Oakleigh South, Vic, Australia)

Freddies First Day

This photo was taken the first day we bought our puppy Freddie home.

She loved my step-daughter's cubby house the moment she stepped foot into it. So happy in there she was that we set up a small bed for her. Freddie lay down and put her little paw under her head and fell asleep.

This was the beginning of her time at her new home with us. The signs were good...

Narrow Passages

by Autumn
(Callihan)

Alley way with many things cluttering it on the sides.

Lonely Oil Rig

by Eva
(Ventura, CA, USA)

I shot this while watching the sunset in Ventura, CA.


The sky was beautiful.

Beginning With The End

by Tahir Chakera
(Marcola, Oregon, United States)

It was a weekend and I was bored. I spotted some wild turkeys on our neighbor's property and decided to pick up my camera and kill boredom.

That evening I realized how much I love taking photos and it just added a little joy to my day.

Courtship begins during the months of March and April, this is when the turkeys are ready for breeding. The male wild turkeys use their iridescent red, green, copper, bronze and gold feathers to attract females during the breeding session.

The gobbler in this picture is fanning its tail to impress and attract a mate for breeding.

These adult turkeys who are coming close to their end are the beginning of their future generations.

This breeding session represents the beginning of a new generation of wild turkeys. Even though, this beginning is often the end for many of them eggs and nestlings as they fall prey to rodents, snakes, raccoon and foxes.

But that's how life-circle works. The nestlings who survive this bitter challenge grow into adult turkeys who are ready to mate and repopulate their kind again.

Take a Break from the SUN

by Arun Arumugam
(Pondicherry, Chennai)

Hot & Cold

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

Start of Life

by Lyndsy Donnell
(Levelland, TX, USA)

Photography is my life. I love looking at objects and people, and always wanting to capture the moment.

I got the opportunity to have a photo shoot with my old 4th grade English teacher and her family for their CHRISTmas card.

This is her son and daughter in-law. As you can tell, she is carrying their little bundle of joy named Cooper (who at this time right now has been born).

The reason I chose this photo, is because to me it represents the start of a life. The love this family already has for this little child, who has not yet come into this world, is breathtakingly beautiful.

I hope that you feel the same I do when you look at this photo. Sometimes the most simplest pictures, can mean the most to us later.

I am proud to know that when Cooper gets older, he will see this picture and know he was and is loved. I am proud of myself for giving him that.

Cozy Warm and Safe

by Rose Soma
(Traverse City, MI, USA)

This photograph captures the coziness of winter... this is an old fashioned chocolate melting device.

The patience, the warmth, and the joy that it brings reminds me of a new beginning...winter.

Nature's Beginnings

by Andrea Parmalee
(Elizabeth, CO, USA)

The rose bud represents the beginning of what will become a beautiful rose.

With Wonder

by Stephanie Kitchens
(Cincinnati)

A mother with her son at Findlay Market, who is beginning to explore the world around him.

The Beginnings of an Adventure

by Photogregory London
(London, UK)

The Beginnings of an Adventure

The beginnings of winter and the beginnings of an adventure for this boy captured on Hampstead Heath in London during a snowy February day in 2012.

Taken by Ryan Gregory

www.photogregorylondon.com

The Start

by Eleanor
(Manchester, UK)

Taken by Eleanor Leonne Bennett of snow melting in North West England.

The Beginning of Love

by Leanne
(Derby, UK)

Say yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want the rest of my life to begin right now.

Transport to a New World

by Crystal Ng
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Light rays penetrate the shadows of life.

A transport of ecstasy where the soul finds rest.

This signifies a new beginning.

Country Sunset

by Krystle Barrie
(Tamworth, NSW, Austraila)

A tree in a paddock with the sunset behind the mountains.

This photo was taken on a lovely evening along a highway in the countryside.

Just the Beginning

by Raymond
(Elizabeth, CO, USA)

Daisy May

The beginning of a new life. Daisy May taking her first steps.

Young and Aged

by Melanie Marshall
(Riverview, NB, Canada)

A great grandmother shares a quiet moment with her great grandson.

First Time Grass People Escape

by Woo Yuen Foo
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

I shot it in many snap then using Photoshop to touch-up the final picture!

Actually I have one message to share my thinking!

I just want to tell people that our world will be destroyed soon if we do not start caring and looking after the natural resources surrounding Eco! Please join the going green project to save our only one earth!

Beginning of Spring

by Alice Gardner
(Kent, UK)

When the flowers begin to bloom, you know it's spring!

Path Through the Marsh

by Ben Forbes
(Hilton Head Island )

A marsh on Hilton Head Island on a partly cloudy day with a creek running through it resembling a "path."

Fritillaria Affinis Chocolate Lily

This is a rare Chocolate Lily from the coast of Vancouver Island, BC.

Natural Beauty

by KIARA
(Newcastle, NSW, Australia)

Sunset over the ocean, Taperoo, SA

Beginning's End

by Jen Ritt
(Minneapolis, MN, USA)

Brittany's Daughter

One of my longest friends was past the usual 7th month deadline to do maternity photos when she asked me to shoot her.

I was uncertain because she was, like, really pregnant.

So I came up with the idea to silhouette her instead of lighting her directly. I found the result to be stunning, especially as it was my first maternity photograph ever.

Capturing the Path to Love

by Amara Donovan
(Amherst, MA, USA)

Photographed in Spain, 2010.

Here Comes The Sun

by Finley David Daniel
(Dortmund, Germany)

I woke up early on one morning, opened my window and saw this scene.

The sun's light gently penetrated the cold fog as if trying to say, good morning.

Taken with my pocket camera Sony DSC-W300 with 0.006 sec (1/160) exposure, f/9 aperture, and 100 ISO.

Hope in a Sunrise

by Nikaya Westphal
(Wampum, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.)

"Hope in a Sunrise" is right; this photograph has captured forever some of the most breathtaking hues of a Pennsylvania sunrise, and to most, a sunrise means new beginnings.

In everything new you can gain a sense of hope, things past now forgiven and forgotten, yet another day you have lived to see, and many more things to many others.

This stunning sunrise is depicted in many varieties of orange, pink, purple, yellow, and all of the colors in between. The awe-inspiring sunrise has mysteriously cast into shadow what could be seen in daylight as a cropped corn field, distant trees, and gently sloping hills.

Windmill at Sundown

by Paula
(Beloit)

Windmill at Sundown

It was about sundown, when I came across this old windmill.

I just had to stop and take a picture of it. I hope you like it. :)

Green Light

by Dannielle Ndebele
(Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa)

A tiny vine with a long way to go creeping up the side of a tree on the beginning of a beautiful morning.

Love is d Cure

by Avnish Dhoundiyal
(Delhi, India)

I take dis picture in picture where dis man is holding his mother in his back n then I realise we should respect our parents n luv is only d cure.

A New Day

by Brittany R
(New York, USA)

I captured this moment from my bedroom window right after waking up one morning.

This beautiful sunrise was the perfect start to an excellent day.

A Great Joy is Coming!

by Ashley Jade Ritter
(Vincennes, Indiana, USA)

A mother's love is something so powerful, that's why I decided to capture the bond between the mother and her unborn child.

The beginning of something new, something wonderful, something that will change the lives of many people.

Keyhole to the Crypt

by Tessa Glasgow
(Bloomington, IN, USA)

When I saw the title to this contest, I thought of the beginning to many things and images such as flowers blooming, babies being born and butterflies emerging from a cacoon filled my head.

I thought how typical and decided to go for something different, darker if you will.

This is the keyhole to a mausoleum built in 1892.

To me it represents the beginning of death, because death isn't the end, the soul lives on.

It represents the beginning to the journey of the soul.

Springtime

by Harriet Cunningham
(Yorkshire, UK)

A beautiful flower bud before it opens in springtime, 2011.

Beginning of Journey

by Toh, Eng Chye
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

The Place Where Journey Begins

This is the place where the journey begins, the railway station in Bandarawela, Sri Lanka.

Aperture : f/8
Shuttle : 1/80sec
ISO : 400
Focal Length: 18mm

The Beginning of a New Life

by Song Jianli
(Singapore)

A new life, a whole new beginning for the child's family.

Wings To Soar

by Rita Vetsch
(Monticello, MN, USA)

This is 8 year old Kasper, an American Eskimo Dog.

When I think of Spring, I think of caterpillars getting ready to grow into beautiful butterflies.

Kasper is ready to spread his wings and embrace his new beginning.

Art of Becoming

by Tina Ecklar
(Maui, HI, USA)

The Beginnings of life start within your mother.

UP UP AND AWAY!!

by Jessie
(Heber Springs, AR, USA)

My stepgrandchild JAEDEN laying in background drawn by chalk.

Awakening

by Laura
(Australia)

When I look at the photo I see a young girl waking up in a new world.

She is looking around taking her new life in as if she has awoken in a certain kind of paradise.

She looks like she has just been born from a flower. Like she has been given a chance to start over.

The Beginning of Everyday

by Kiera Lepage
(Walton, Nova Scotia, Canada)

Symbolically, the sun represents beginnings.

Without it, life as we know it would cease to exist, never having begun in the first place.

Looking at this sunrise, beautifully covering an empty world in its life giving warmth, I thought, was this what it once looked like, was I seeing the world for what it once was?

The sun was what enabled life to begin, and it continues to be our beginning, faithfully rising each morning, beginning our day, just as it began our lives.

This is just the symbolism behind the picture. The actual picture was taken with a regular digital camera. No editing was done, because I felt that if I had edited it, I really wouldn't do it justice.

Nature doesn't need an editor, it's beautiful just the way it is.

The Egg Came First

This photograph was taken in our front yard.

A bird, which I never was able to catch sight of, built its nest among some climbers.

The photograph is of the first egg that the bird laid—the first step towards the beginning of life.

The Beginnings of Unconventional Life

by Rebecca Moss
(Raglan, New Zealand)

Life in all its forms always has a beginning and an end.

However in this ever changing world, the beginnings of life forms is also changing. Foetus' can now develop within the confines of a test tube, not a womb and seedlings can germinate inside a simple glass jar.

Wake Up and Start Again

by Andrew Dracup
(Leeds, England)

Taken in Barcelona I saw this homeless man asleep on the bench.

It made me think how sadly wrong his life must have become for him to be alone and sleeping on a park bench.

Given the title of this competition is Beginnings. To me it seems that this poor man has lost his way and needs to start again right at the beginning and somehow climb the ladder back to where he deserves to be.

New Beginnings

by Amy Lee Van Wyk
(Sturgeon County, Alberta, Canada)

New beginnings mean change. Another person, another life...a new beginning. To erase your past and start a present.

In this photo I see a track leading to a new life, what is beyond what we can see is what we don't know.

This is what excites us as we start the journey to our new beginning yet the start of the journey is just that.

The Sands of Time

by David Dufourq
(Burpengary, Queensland, Australia)

The Sands of Time

I wanted to create a scene that captured the new beginning we experience each day of our lives; a new day.

I made the shot by taking a photo of a model somewhat as a silhouette in front of the lens. But not so much as to darken the clock in front.

The clock was placed in the sand, not to show the time literally, but to give a sense that time renews itself each day and through this we have a new beginning to choose how it will turn out.

Title: The Sands of Time
Details: 1/1250, f2, ISO 200

Emerald Pool

by Marc
(Glennallen, Alaska)

Emerald Pool

Liberty Falls Alaska, in early winter, lighting, place and content all combined.

Beginning of TIME

by Jay Smith
(Springfield, Illinois, USA)

The Beginning

This image signifies the beginning of time.

The heart was made using the pages in a law enforcement book involving court briefings. The heart signifies love, it could be love in general or the love many of us share for those who protect us from evil.

The apple goes back to the beginning of time - temptations are a part of life.

I wanted to be able to capture a story with this image. The darkness of the image with the redness of the apple and the heart in the book really bring this image together.

This was first inspired by an image I had seen on a website where they used a book to form a heart - I decided when doing this that I wanted to add an apple, at first it was as a weight to keep the book and pages from folding.

Grow

by Linnea Anderson
(Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, USA)

This is a photograph of a couple of flowers as they push their way out of the ground and into the sun.

As you can see they are just beginning their life above the mulch and one day they dream of opening their petals and embracing the sun beams.

First Bloom

by Arash Asgharyan Salkouyeh
(Langroud, Gilan, Iran)

The first blossoms of spring that I saw on the tree.

Vibrant

by Kennedy Scott
(Gilmer, Tx, USA )

I love bright colors and that was the inspiration for this and to keep it girly!

Can I Go In The Water Mom?

by Nancy Buck
(Seward, AK, USA)

I took this picture when I stopped at a place called Potters Marsh right outside Anchorage, Alaska.

I was really lucky to catch a mother seagull that decided to have her chicks on a small mound close to the pull off where I could get this shot of a very young baby seagull.

Poppy

by Mick Ruddy
(London)

Essaouira, Morocco

Two young boys standing on a cannon looking out to sea in Essaouira, Morocco.

f4.5 1/1000 ISO 100 with fill-in flash on a Lumix DMC-LX3

The First Step

by Nabilani Thavarajalingam
(Ajax, Ontario, USA)

It's a photo of child's foot which represents a beginner: new, and fragile.

A child's foot hasn't touched the ground just like beginners are to photography but once they have and begin to discover and experiment, they will begin great adventures.

Nature's New Start

by Melissa Muise
(Canada)

I think this represents a new beginning because if you look at it, nature is saying take a walk up these steps and you will find something new and exciting.

Love Is Condition For Every Strong Beginning

by Klara Magic
(Novo Mesto, Slovenia)

For me this photograph is representing the muse of love. And love is foundation for the great start, big start.

Everybody has love in their hearts, we just need to find it and it must be universal.

We should share and spread love...with love we could stop hunger, violence and evil actions of individuals.

Photograph was taken at the Carnival in Venice this year.

Evolution

by James Tarantino

In the beginning, before technology polluted our waters and mankind littered our beautiful landscaped beaches, before tourists infested every view of sea with their chairs and umbrellas, all God's creatures walked the shores in peace.

On this beach in Ao Nang, Thailand, a monkey walking the shore of the Andaman Sea captured in black and white portrays a timeless, primitive view of what we might have seen in the beginning of our time, the beginning of evolution...

Fantastical lights

by Melanie A Hayno
(Covington, LA, USA)

Colors all aglow through my lens of fantastical lights.

Sorrow of Separation!

by Shafak Thaika
(Chennai, India)

Sorrow of Separation!

This drop is just beginning its journey earthwards and it at the point of separation from the water body attached to the faucet.

Mannum

by Kelly Hepworth
(Adelaide, South Australia)

Taken from our campsite when we went to Mannum, South Australia.

The Beginning of Something Beautiful

by Samantha Britton
(Dade City, Florida, United States)

This photo was taken two weeks after he was born, and he is the first child.

To the parents it signified a beginning to a new way of life in which they now have to live their lives centered around this precious child by taking care of him and loving him in ways that they never believed were possible.

Every new born child is the beginning of something beautiful just like this child is to his parents.

Cannon EOS Digital Rebel XS
Focal Length: 18 mm
F-Stop: f/3.5

Boracay ♥

by Paoline Aviles
(Laguna, Philippines)

Island hopping is more fun in the Philippines :">

The Beginning of Life

by Brian Howell
(Crosby, Texas, US)

This is a tree that is just starting to sprout.

It will be here much longer than you or I.

Young One

by Aaron Grubb
(Walla Walla, Wa, US)

Sphynx Moth

This caterpillar is a larva of the sphynx moth.

Beginning of the End

by Michael T. Pyle
(Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, USA)

Thank you for viewing my image.

And Then There Were Two

by Kymberlie Pastic
(Ottawa, ON, USA)

Having a child is not only the beginning of a life (the child entering the world), but it's the beginning of a new life for parents.

When photographing pregnant women you capture the wonder, the awe, the excitement surrounding the anticipation of a baby.

It really is true, once you have a child nothing is the same. It's the beginning of something new, something life changing, something that is unimaginable until you experience it.

Shot with a Canon 60D and two Elinchrom D-Lite 4's.

ISO 100 44mm f/ 9.0 1/160sec

The Wise Old Deer

by Brie Manns
(Scotch Plains, New Jersey, USA)

This is just a photograph of the deer that sometimes wander into my backyard.

They're so mysterious sometimes.

Radiance

by Megan Jo
(Pennsylvania, USA)

Just a week ago I accidently opened a package from UPS that I was not supposed to see until July.

Thinking it was a blanket my mother ordered me, I ripped the package open and found a brand new camera. The Kodak EasyShare Max Z990 (the most expensive & professional camera I've ever gotten).

So when I finally had free time a couple days later I was so excited to try it out. And this...is what I got :).

I'm submitting this photograph because when I think of beginnings I think of endings.

The end of the day begins the beginning of the new day. This sunset is a perfect example of what I'm trying to say.

You may not want something so beautiful to end, but just remember, its the beginning of something new.

Victory!

by Chanchal Agarwal
(Gonda, U.P., India)

This photograph was taken by me through a cheap digital camera...but the message which it gives is very costly!!

First Rose

by Karla Corona Mendoza
(Hilton Head Island, SC, US)

The first rose to bloom.

This was the first rose to bloom in my garden, it symbolizes the beginnings of my garden and a new spring once again ready to arrive.

Strawberry!

by Rachel Lim
(Singapore)

Strawbie!

Was playing around with the filters of my camera a few days back and managed to capture this.

Love the vivid colours in this photograph! x

The Church

by Maxime Hodges
(United Kingdom)

The Church

The church where everything begins, most of the time when a baby is born it is baptized by the priest in the church and it symbolizes the forgiveness of sin.

The baptized person/child must be willing to put away old ways and learn new ways (the parents and god-parents decide that for the child if they are too young).

It is all about learning new things and being faithful from the beginning.

Spring Duck

by Clare Waddingham
(Manchester)

Taken in a city park at the very beginning of spring.

A new life begins to learn about the world around him.

New Worlds

by Marie-Ellen Dufourq
(Burpengary, Queensland, Australia)

In this image, I strove to depict the notion of setting off on a new journey of personal growth.

I wanted there to be a physical representation of this rather 'internal' process. The landscape and scenery of a local beach town suited this theme perfectly.

Heading down to the beach, I noticed the boat-houses, bobbing on the shallow tides. There was a dog out on the sands, near the boats.

He looked like he was waiting for his master to accompany him on some grand adventure! I pondered what it would be like to embark on one of those boats and set of to a new destiny, a new start in life.

The environment worked well to embody the overall theme. I set up my model with some heavy backpacks, with his hand shading his eyes from the brightness of the descending afternoon sun.

I directed his gaze off into the horizon, symbolizing striking out towards new, unexplored territories.

I Will Do This On My Own

by Yalda Pashai
(Ireland)

I didn't hear you leave...so I will do this on my own.

I was intrigued by the natural light coming in from the window, and let's not forget how amazing and unique the interior of this room is.

When I came across this moment in the picture, no matter how happy I was feeling earlier, I was drawn to one of my most bitter memories and instantly was overwhelmed by mixed emotions.

Keeping those feelings in balance, this image was created. The title plays an important role in this photograph.

I used my Nikon D700 and used a bit of sharpening on Photoshop.

Baby Blue Tit (Cyanistes Caeruleus) Begging for Food

by Phil Bird
(East Grinstead, UK)

Baby Blue Tit (cyanistes caeruleus) begging for food.

Cascades d'Ouzoud

by Hayley
(Farnham, London)

Ouzoud Waterfalls (Cascades d'Ouzoud), 110 m high in the Grand Atlas village of Tanaghmeilt, 150 km north-east of Marrakech, in Morocco.

The name Ouzoud is derived from the Berber word for olives, which grow prolifically in the area.

Beach Craft

by Jaikiran
(Trivandrum, Kerala, India)

After several days of effort, I found some time to feed my newly purchased Canon IX US series camera with some quality photos.

As I wandered along the city of Trivandrum, India on a hot sunny day, the beach near the Airport caught my attention as it was full of colours and life. A casual click through the car window gave birth to this photo, titled 'Beach Craft'.

Just the Beginning

by Courtny Myers
(Fair Grove, Missouri, United States)

This picture is of my little sister at her very first "friend" birthday party.

This proved to be the beginning of her friendships.

The Winding Road

by Erin Golden
(Franklin, Ohio, USA)

At the beginning of a path or journey the end is rarely seen. Just because you begin with one image doesn't mean you will end in the same manner.

The beginning is just that and nothing more. The beginning.

The Early Days of Yemen's Unfinished "Youth Revolution"

by Luke Somers
(Sana'a, Yemen)

Peaceful anti-government protesters in Sana'a in early 2011.

Following apparent successes in Tunisia and Egypt, Yemeni initiated their own peaceful revolution in a country where people own an estimated sixty million guns.

To this day, citizens across Yemen continue to camp out and stage marches as part of efforts to see genuine reform take place in their government and military forces.

This picture was taken in Sana'a in March of 2011, when political realities and limited interest on the part of the international community had not yet tempered the hopes of Yemen's youth, when it was possible to imagine that removing since-ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh from power would solve many of the nation's problems. Now, in 2012, the hope remains, but it is a hope wiser and less pure than that which could be readily perceived in early 2011.

New Seed

by Cherese Walters
(Trinidad)

Right after the rain feel one afternoon in Trinidad I went outside with my camera and took pictures of EVERYTHING wet.

I was amazed by the beauty of this young pommecythere seed with water dripping from it and its flowers.

Cygnets Beginnings

by JP Barry
(NYC, New York)

This picture was taken on July 7,2010 at the Oxford Botanical Gardens when I was 15 years old and studying photography at Oxford University for the month.

I was happy when the mother swan passed by me with her cygnets in perfect formation.

Cygnets, like children, represent the beginnings of life's journey.

I Cannot Wait for the Conkers

by Dale Reynolds
(Suffolk, England)

A macro photo of a horse chestnut bud, which is a sign of spring and the beginning of nature's cycle to make a conker for autumn.

The Beginnings of a Rose

by Vijayakumar
(India)

The beginnings of a rose.

A New Beginning

by Samantha Walton
(Australia)

This is a photo of a bird's nest around my home, I'm not quite sure what type of bird, but this reminds me of "beginnings" because well it is a beginning of a new life.

It's so sweet and I love it!

Sunrise

by Diksha
(Mumbai, India)

This is a very simple Pic of an early morning Sun from a Hotel I stayed in...During the Foggy Winter morning...The Sun was trying to wake us all up to begin our day with fresh energy....it looked beautiful with the Orange and Blue hues covering the sky.

Rebirth: Cicada Emergence

by Guy Standen
(United Kingdom)

Cicada having just moulted, viewed during a night walk through the rainforest in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica.

The Beginning of the Race

by Steve Deer
(Wirral, UK)

Wilson Trophy Regatta 2011... Sailors jostle for position at the start of a race.

Long Way To Go

by Susan V Coffey
(USA)

This photograph is taken in Brattonsville, SC.

This is the driveway to pastures we were going to go through as part of the tour that day and that was just the beginning, oh well still long way to go.

We did enjoy it a lot.

Beginning a Family

by April Arnott
(London Ontario Canada)

This photo best captures the theme "New Beginnings" because everything begins with life.

This happy couple is giving birth to their first born child, which starts a new beginning in their relationship, and their life.

Stands Alone

by Aliesha Peterson
(Alberta, Canada)

Every day I go for a walk with my puppy around all different places of town.

This is one of my favorite places this tree stands out so beautifully the sky and everything was perfect.

My dog actually ran away from some big dogs shortly after this picture was taken and I was forced to run to go catch her. XD

Beginnings of a Last Snow

by Maria Blumberg
(Brookneal, VA, USA)

I shot this photo of my neighbor's house the last winter snow.

She was a nice lady in her old 84 — I used to go and visit her and had nice talks — my loved friend Mrs Marion Foster.

I loved so much her — she got throat cancer and she died months ago. I thought it would be an honor to shoot a photo in her memory in the mountains, where birds and squirrels, as a paradise here.

Nowadays the house is for sale and a part of a farm — beyond all it's just a love story photograph left behind

Maria

Almscliffe Crag Sunrise

by Tom Jeffries
(Leeds, United Kingdom)

This photo was taken in Summer of 2011.

I believe it shows the theme "beginnings" well because it was taken at sunrise, and it shows the morning mist starting to settle and the sleeping cows starting to wake.

It also shows no overt signs of human interaction, as though it is the start of the Earth, as well as the day.

Embracing Nature

by Shahnewaz Karim
(Dhaka, Bangladesh)

Escaping from the chaos and pollution or urbanization - the jungle of bricks and concrete, a city dweller embraces the seeping morning light at the gateway of Lawachara reserve forest.

Morning has Broken

by Ellie
(Winchester, Hampshire, England)

The sun rising.

Winter Warning

by David E. Nelson
(Windsor, Vermont, USA)

Early Snow

A late October snowstorm in Meriden, New Hampshire serves to give fair warning of what is surely to follow.

This photo was taken in late October of 2011.

A Hole into Heaven

by Charles Grooms
(Council Bluffs, IA, USA)

We had a bad hail storm and a fatal traffic accident.

At the time of the accident, this cloud opened up and we found out later a woman died in the accident, at the exact time this opened up.

Her portal to heaven.

Waiting for the Sun...Wait for the Beginning...

by Arjun M Ambady
(Kaduthuruthy, Kottayam, Kerala, India)

It's a flower in rain which is yet to bloom.

The flower awaits for the next day so that it could show his beauty to the world so its a new beginning for the flower.

Starting Out...

by Maria
(Lancashire, UK)

Freedom...

Freedom in the park.

Caminando en el Bosque

by Carolina Arellanos
(Lubbock, TX, USA)

Creepy guy with mask walking in the forest with candle.

It's a New Dawn, It's a New Day

by Deborah Twigg
(Hamilton, ON, Canada)

Every new day is a chance to start over. Here the sun creeps over the horizon in Algonquin Park in Ontario Canada. The haunting call of loons in the distance, the smell of early morning campfires....perfection

Death is Only the Beginning

by Taylor Hueston
(Cartersburg, Indiana, United States)

A trip to an old cemetery provided some of the most simple and also the most ornate photos of headstones I've done. This was one of the simplest I've found, and it wasn't actually in the ground. This child's headstone was found leaning against the tree away from the rest of the family.

It was a cloudy day so the white balance was set as such, ISO of 3200, shutter speed 1/250, aperture f/8.

Facebook

by Borna
(Zagreb, Croatia)

This is an image I took on the Turkish coast.

It reminded me of a beginning, because the social communication of people today usually starts with a click.

Life Had Just Begun

by Gülru Batur
(Istanbul, Turkey)

This photograph is taken with Olympus E300 digital camera. No contrast/brightness etc corrections used.

On 22nd June 2011 my dog has given birth to 9 puppies, we see how a puppy begins to breathe for the first time.

Day Break

by Chris Hayes
(Ireland)

Taken with a FinePix S1600.

Peaceful Lake

by Ali Ahmad
(Pakistan)

Peaceful lake view.

The Beginning of Spring

by Kay Collier
(Fort Worth, TX, USA)

Tired of dead winter, well nature is telling us that spring is coming. Color is on its way. Flowers will be blooming soon.

Spring Rays

by Pamela Montez
(Hillsdale, MI, USA)

This is Mr. Montana, A Maine Coon Cat.

He is just a "teen-ager" at the age of 18 months, as Maine Coons are not full grown until the age of 3-5 years.

I took this photo one sunny afternoon as the rays of sun were shining through the blinds. And Mr. Montana loves to sit, stretch out, and lay in the sunshine.

They Killed the Innocence

by Wafa
(Bahrain)

A young girl carrying a 16 years old martyr killed by the Bahraini regime while defending women.

Beginnings

by Kyle St. Thomas

Whether you are just beginning your journey or starting to make your way home, it all begins with one single step...so what are you waiting for?

Evening Rider

by Gopal Bhattacharjee
(Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

A young girl horse rider riding for the first time while two other observing her performance at the dusk in Kolkata, India.

Kolkata have a very old history of horse riding and race. In the middle of the city of Kolkata we have the race course ground and every year in winter many competitions are organized for both the army and civilians.

Many young women have joined in such events.

Toto, I Don't Think We're In The 30's Anymore

by Brandon
(Weber)

The couple had gotten engaged at the restaurant next to the gallery I was in and as they said goodbye to their friends they paused for this candid, intimate moment.

The polaroid covering the woman's face was a stroke of luck that I believe can have deep implications; Whether it be playfully breaking down the gender stereotypes that men are the only ones with the sexually deviant pasts, or the more serious topic of women's roles in society, to the pushed under the rug topics like gays and lesbians engaging in heterosexual relationships because of societal pressure.

I'm am as much of a spectator to this relationship as anyone, but it's the polaroid which brings out the questions 1) Who are these people? 2) What are they beginning? 3) What will happen?

Technical Info: No re-touching has been done. Only alteration has been compression.

Beano Posing in His Favourite Chair

by Miss Horatio Richards
(Swansea, West Glamorgan, United Kingdom)

Beano Posing in His Favourite Chair

This is a photo of my dog (Beano).

He loves having his photo taken. So when he jumped on this yellow chair, I thought I had to take a photo of him.

The yellow of the chair and the white of his fur go together.

I didn't use any effects on the photo, I just took it naturally.

By Fire

by Timothy Hatcher
(Verona, NJ, USA)

The world began in flame, and thus shall end in flame, a full circle that must be accepted.

Life Through the Cave

by Jamie Beckham
(Marshall, MI, USA)

This pictsure was taken in Ohio at the Hocking Hills caves.

I chose this picture for the beginnings theme because there isn't much life in the cave. It was cold and damp and lacking of color.

Then there is a break in the cave revealing a lush foliage below the cave. This signified a new beginning — emerging life from the cave.

Beginning of the Day

by Sourangshu Gupta
(Calcutta, India)

This photo is taken in the beautiful sea beach of Puri, India.

The time is dawn, the sky is getting coloured. That is the preparation of sunrise.

The beach is still lightened with electricity. This is the way day begins almost everywhere.

A New Day and A New Journey

by Allison Shelby
(McLean, Va, USA)

I took this picture at sunrise, it gives the meaning of how at sunrise is a new day to do something different.

The road also gives a meaning by how every new day, you can start a new journey.

I also chose this picture because there will always be a new day to do something different and to have the chance to do something new, that you have never done before. And because there will always be a new journey for you to travel and to overcome challenges that you will eventually have to face.

The picture gives us a peace of mind and hope.

A Little Thing Called Love

by Jake-Asa Jones
(Tywyn Beach, Wales, UK)

In this photograph, I took a picture of myself and my girlfriend on an amazing beach in Wales.

I just think it grasps the true meaning of the beginning of love in one single photo.

Bobby

by Sean Parmenter
(Lincoln, UK)

Bobby is a dog who loves food, he would just eat and he would still be hungry, he always pulls the same face everytime you open a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps.

I have always told my girlfriend that I have to show everyone this photo, so this is Bob in his prime.

Beginning of a New Day

by Kara Metzler
(Bellevue, WA, USA)

While in Brazil for Carnival, I deciced to take a tour of the favelas there. I knew what to expect, but from what I saw it was a bit different.

Their day begins and ends with wandering the tiny little walkways that go every which way.

They smile as you walk by, they laugh and they play. To them it is a beginning of a new day.

Life is simply beautiful.

The Emerging Sun

by Eilera
(Ireland)

I feel that this photo represents the theme of this competition as everything on earth begins with the sun, i.e. the earth and everything in it needs the sun to grow and prosper.

This photo shows the time in the morning when the sun is about to come out and begin a new day.

Marking the Beginning of Spring!

by Nitijita Mishra
(Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India)

It's beautiful..isnt it?

These soft and new leaves are just perfect to welcome Spring...It marks the beginning of the colourful season..

The Beginning

by Helena Prata
(Lisboa, Portugal)

What came first the chicken or the egg? What is the beginning?

Untitled

by Erin Walsh
(North Wales, PA, United States)

untitled

The old broken down building of the Tile Works Museum in Dublin, Pennsylvania surrounded by the beauty of nature.

New Day

by Tomasz Goli
(London, Carshalton)

Photo taken from the airplane at the sun rise around 5.30am, during flight to Rome.

Camera used - Canon EOS 7d with 18-200mm lens attached set on 18mm f/5.6, 1/3200s, ISO 100.
Copyrights Tomasz Goli 2012
www.tgolidesign.com

Sign of Spring

by Emily Fryksater
(McKinney, Texas, United States)

Cherry Blossoms only bloom during one particular week in Spring, it is a sign of life — of new beginnings.

Sunset at Ponta Delgada, Azores

by Vitor Lourenco
(Oporto, Portugal)

Sunset maybe a romantic view of nature, but it may be, also, the view of strength of nature.

Unborn

by Erin
(Eugene, Oregon, USA)

Unborn

This was taken in Malawi, South Africa. My mother took me there a bit back, opening my eyes (and my immune system) for the first time. Kind of a "Well damn, there's a whole world out there! There goes my future!" adventure.

Little Malawi, "the warm heart of Africa," is naught but red dirt, poverty, and smiles. I've never met a country fuller of optimism than I did there. So as I was slinking around, I couldn't resist this shot. It reminded me of how little they had, but the determination they exhibited in getting more. Rather like a couple of tough seeds on parched red dirt, no?

From the Beginning of the World

by Ana Ramos Aguayo
(Madrid, Spain)

Ab exordio mundi means "From the beginning of the world".

"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and it was pleasing to the eye, and a tree desirable to reach wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate, and gave it also to her husband, and he ate like her". (Genesis)

We were born, and so it all begins.

The photograph was taken with a CANON EOS 450D.

A Perfect Beginning

by Ansley Teasley
(Bowman, GA, USA)

"Beginnings"

I feel that this photo represents the theme because the moment the photo was taken was the beginning of my perfect Saturday.

The photo is also the beginning of a bright sunny spring day!

Wishing Well

by Paul Nunn
(Swansea, UK)

Hello,

Every new beginning comes from another beginning's end.

The global financial crisis has been magnified in recent times. Magnified much like the small change (money) shown in the droplets wake.

The real magnification however is of the inherent greed encompassing the planet. We now live in the era of greed where the coins at the bottom of the wishing well are unsafe and can be pilfered by untrustworthy hands that have little guilt.

Much like the drop in my picture, I feel like the tear drop in an ocean that is fighting for continual greed. Change (money) which is not the sort subdued below water level in my picture but instead the greatest thing the human race has accomplished.

For with out change then there would be no modern world, no improvement, no understanding and no empathy in changing all that has come before. With my picture's droplet I propose a toast to change and a new beginning in coming from another beginnings end. That end is greed.

The picture involved three days of various camera and lighting positioning to get the final shot.

It was shot at F9 at 1/80 seconds and required the sort of patience to see out our age of greed in to ma new era.

Kind Regards Paul Nunn

Beauty in the Weeds

by Austin J
(Aylmer, Quebec, Canada)

[captured.photo]

Marking the beginning of spring are dandelion "puffs" - and for many it could be the beginning of a yellow lawn...

I like to find beauty in ugly places. In this case, the weed which we all despise results in a dynamic photo featuring texture, shapes and patterns.

I chose to put it in B&W to accentuate those features.

"A Journey of a Thousand Miles Must Begin with a Single Step." Lao Tzu

by Theresa McManus
(Gilbert, Arizona, USA)

A woman with a red umbrella starts her journey on a path with purple rocks.

A New Beginning

by Riady Santoso
(Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)

A big huge tree is always initialized with weak fragile leaf.

When a small green leaf grows, that's the beginning of a tree's life. It doesn't matter what trees would be, it will always start with small leaf to make the growing process occurs.

That's why the image of this small leaf I call "A New Beginning".

Veggie Garden Beginnings

by Roderick Wiese
(St. Louis, MO, USA)

Freshly tilled soil for the beginning of a vegetable garden.

Through the Clouds

by Nuwan Ganganath
(Calgary, Canada)

When I woke up early in the morning, I saw the colorful sky through my windows.

It was pretty cold outside, as always in Calgary.

However, nothing could prevent me going outside and capture this wonderful scenery in my camera.

Tayla

by Tarra Anderson
(Woodburn, OR, USA)

My step daughter Tayla playing at the park. She is one of my best subjects.

This was on her birthday, I took so many pictures of her.

Rebirth

by Scott Emigh
(Sand Springs, OK, USA)

I chose this picture for its religious context.

The quotation "Gone to a city where the roses never fade" is a reference to Heaven, which the deceased clearly believes in.

Heaven is such a glorious concept to man for it gives us the hope of a Rebirth. The chance to become something more, the chance to live in total happiness without the pain and suffering of this world.

If Heaven is real (I personally believe it is) then we all have the possibility of a New Beginning in Christ Jesus; and even when we are gone from this world, it is not a cause for tears, but rather a chance to rejoice that we are finally at Home.

Mason, It's All In The Eyes

by Veronica Mcdonald
(Washington, DC, USA)

My nephew mason.

Morning Dew

by Naomi Groundwater
(Toogoom, QLD, Australia)

The tiny water drops on this leaf are a reflection of the world around them, and to signify Spring Rain.

A Different Perspective of Life: From a New Beginning

by Tayah Cluett
(San Deigo, California)

This image captures a moment in time.

The beauty inside this chrysalis is soon to be known, but it holds a flittery creature with new wings and a entirely new perspective of life.

This picture shows a new beginning for this caterpillar/butterfly.

Happy Times

by Larissa Carrus
(Wongawallan, QLD, Australia)

Happy Joey

As an amateur photographer I was delighted to capture this image of the baby joey.

I crawled on my tummy to a small gap in the grass and snuck up on mum with baby on board as she was feeding on the fresh grass shoots.

Fully aware that I was just 2 metres away the small joey climbed out of the pouch just moments before I took this shot.

Constant

by Piotr Belcyr
(Przyjaciol Zolnierza, Poland)

Constant

;)

Cherry Blossoms

by Meg Hosemann
(Riverside, RI, USA)

Cherry Blossom tree taken at a wildlife refuge in Rhode Island.

Through Green Gate

by Aleksandra Durdyn
(Poland)

Picture was taken in a small village in India.

Heralding the Reincarnation

by Farhana Haque
(Dhaka, Bangladesh)

Every year during the worship of goddess Kali, the destroyer of evil, reincarnates into the idols created by her devotees.

It is with grand festivities her reincarnation is celebrated. The drummer in the photograph is heralding her return and the beginning of the cycle once again.

Journey Begins

by Sanjib Bhttacharyya
(Drexel Hill, PA)

Unusually warm weather this year brings these ducklings early in spring and they begin their journey of life.

This picture was taken in late afternoon light using Canon 7D and 300mm f/4 lens. This is my favorite light condition for wildlife photography.

Aperture and shutter speed used are f/5.6 and 1/1600.

The Ladybirds are Waking

by Holly Stent
(Cambridgeshire, UK)

Hibernation's over, life begins

This photo was taken in my garden on 26/2/2012.

This shows that the insects are waking up to begin their start to summer :)

It Was Then He Realized He Found Spring

by Megan Simmons
(England)

I feel that this image shows 'beginnings' because by showing a single daisy prompts the idea that spring has just started, even after the coldest winter and even such a small thing as a daisy can only mean the beginning of a beautiful summer.

The robot explorer (Danbo) just makes it much more interesting.

Into The Light

by Angelica
(Jūrmala, Latvia)

Light birds on the dark background symbolize the beginning of a new life from the emptiness and darkness.

New Beginning, New Life, Next Generation

by Samantha D. Carde
(Ontario, Canada)

In my opinion babies symbolize a new beginning, a new life brought into this world, a new generation...a chance for change and improvement.

Children are so pure, a new born has never seen no wrong, a baby will love you no matter what, a baby doesn't understand hate, or color... he just understands love and how one feels towards him or others.

Babies are the next generation, they could be the new beginning to ending all rasicm, or the ones to cure hunger.. you never know what a child will grow up to be, when you have a child you're giving this world another chance, a chance at a new beginning to shape and mold this child to fit into society and impact it greatly.

So in my opinion I feel that a baby would be the perfect symbolization of a new beginning.

Thank you.
Samantha Carde.

Blowing the Beginnings

by Jiaqi Chen
(Mouth of Wilson)

The picture that I took was my friend blowing a dandelion on a shining day.

We lived on the mountain, so the nature is so pretty.

Beginnings of lives are everywhere and they are beginning every moment. The seeds of the dandelion represent many lives.

As my friend was blowing the dandelion, the seeds were beginning to start their new adventure of life.

New Life, New Beginnings...

by Charlie Cullum
(Norwich, Norfolk, UK)

This is a photo of newborn lamb Grace, and her mother Sweep, at just minutes old.

It is a new beginning because it is just the start of her new life, and the start of motherhood for her doting mum.

Sunlight on the Water

by Kathleen Vessels
(Sacramento, CA, USA)

Floating in England

A photo of the sunlight hitting the water gently and showing off the calmness of boats...taken in England.

A Small Child on a Beach

by Damien van Carrapiett
(Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom)

This boy is just starting out in his life. He's already wearing a hoodie - the uniform of a much maligned generation. Is this a sign of things to come for him as he grows into a young man?

Is he lost in thought? Is he smiling? Is he laughing? Or is he crying?

We can't see his face, so we will never know.

Beginnings of Life

by Oliver Dixon
(Surrey, UK)

This photograph shows a cute baby monkey photographed in the monkey forest in Bali.

The weather was awful, having to duck in and out of showers as just as I was about to head home this cute baby monkey popped up next to me!

I quickly grabbed the camera with the macro lens and got one frame away before it ran off.

Thankfully it came out well!

Shot details - ISO 1250 F2.5 @ 1/80 sec

Raining Anytime

by Manash Mitra
(Kolkata, India)

Raining anytime

Raining anytime.

Beginning of the Night

by Emma Miller
(Maesteg, Mid Glam, S.Wales)

The image was taken at sunset while the night crept in.

I used a topaz adjustment filter in Photoshop to add more texture to the image. The warm and dark tones coincide and make a dramatic mood.

All Because Two Fell In Love

by Bobbi Devauld
(Vernon, B.C, USA)

A new start, new love, new family, new chapters captured in one simple and sharp shot.

New Life

by Dave Turner
(Cornwall, UK)

Mother duck with her brood of ducklings, the beginnings of a new flock.

Chasing Dreams

by Hannah McLarty
(Glasgow, UK)

I feel this photo encaptures the theme "beginnings" as, in order to follow or live my dreams, I must catch them first. That's the beginning step.

The Beginning of Something Beautiful

by Laura Pearce
(San Francisco, USA)

My baby girl and her daddy bonding.

The Sunrise

by Rachel
(Maryland)

This photo is a picture of the sky right after the sunrise.

Besides the obvious way a sunrise symbolizes beginning, which would be the start of the day, it symbolizes life.

The ancient Aztecs and many cultures like so believed that the sun was eaten by a god each night and recreated in the morning.

It also represents the life cycle. The sun influences many aspects involving beginnings.

When the sun goes down at night many animals settle down, like humans and sleep. They close their eyes, they end their day and when the sun rises each morning they start their day.

Each day is like a new beginning for humans and animals alike, a chance to experience new things.

A Journey to Something New

by Jamie Wilson

A train chasing the dying light of the first golden hour of spring.

After School

by Xin Ruan
(Munich)

One day, I pass by a kindergarten, there's a barrier in front of the door, at first, I just want to take a shot at the barrier, coz I never see a barrier in the middle of the pavement.

And when I finished focus, a girl rush out and hanged up, suddenly made the picture interesting.

Love and Support

by Robert Gaines
(La Junta, Colorado, USA)

First Day

One day old baby Fia supported in her father's hand and covered with the loving hand of her mother.

What better beginning is that?

Angel 35000

by Marc Baisden
(Copper Center, Alaska)

35000 feet aove Alaska and the sun is creating beautiful colors on the Ocean of Clouds.

The Sun Signals a New Beginning

by Patrick Foley
(Eastbourne, UK)

I took this photo on a FujiFilm HS20 when I was 15 years old last summer in Kansas, USA.

I always see sunsets are fresh and the end of something old and the beginning of something new.

From Within

by Tania C. Calderón
(Atlanta, GA. USA.)

Emerging from the darkness, nourished by Mother Nature’s embrace. We drink and flourish in bloom.

In studio photography with window light and photo manipulation.

Canon 30D 50mm 1.8

No Matter How Long the Winter is, Spring is Sure to Follow!

by Nithya Muthu
(Appleton, WI, USA)

I clicked this picture on the very next Sunday of Day light saving. Spring certainly makes its own statement so Loud and Clear in this picture.

I take Spring as the beginning of the road to betterment every year.

At Peace Onced Loved

by Tyler Love
(Ontario Canada)

The Dove bird has been nicknamed the bird of peace.

This photograph has been taken in southern Ontario, where the dove can be seen in cities and towns.

The Beginning Of A New Life

by Daniel Pisani
(Melbourne, Australia)

On a recent trip to the little island of Malta, It brought tears to my eyes listening to the locals tell me the history of Malta and what they went through to survive World War 2 and how they came out fighting for their country.

This photo is to resemble the end of World War 2 and the ‘Beginning’ of a new life

An Unexpected New Start

by Hope Ann Weber
(Cameron, NC, USA)

On May 22, 2011, an F5 tornado unexpectedly hit Joplin, Missouri. Half of the town was destroyed, and many people lost not only their homes, but loved ones as well. Many were forced to live in shelters, native Joplinites came back to see their home gone, and many (like me) had to leave and start their life over.

This picture of St. John's Hospital, which was in the heart of the tornado, was taken one week after the tragedy. I remember walking around the city with my dad (who was born and raised in Joplin), getting lost because of the lack of landmarks and road signs, looking at everything with amazement. It's amazing how 30 seconds can change your entire life.

To me, this picture of St. John's Hospital shows both beginning and end. There were so many new beginnings here, both in life and death. And there were so many beginnings started on that day. Everyone in Joplin was changed forever, and their lives will never be the same. All they can do is look forward to the new beginning they have and start fresh, and that's exactly what they plan to do.

Day Off

by Nalini Kusumalatha
(Sri Lanka)

This is sunset on the lake. Some place in Sri Lanka.

Pinch

by Javier V. Camarillo
(San Diego CA, United States)

I moved to San Diego in 2011 in pursuit of my architecture education.

Every morning is a new day for you, run after what goals you have.

Others believe every new year's day is a new beginning. For me, every morning is a new beginning and I pinch out every drop of love and knowledge I can.

Nikon D3100 50mm

Thousand Wishes

by Syed Attaullah
(Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan)

Helium

Sometimes we complain to God and ask him why he give us worthless life...but we don't realize He did'nt un=justice with us.

The Beauty of a Rose

by Amanda Ruth
(Manchester, Pa, USA)

Who knew something so simple could be so beautiful. One photograph can mean so much.

This rose symbolized my grandmother as she gracefully passed; a rose losing its color, but still beautiful.

Days Awaking

by Marc Baisden
(Glennallen, Alaska)

Days Awaking

Sunrise over the Wrangle Mountains in Rural Alaska.

Untitled

by Branimir Jaredic
(Kildimo, Ireland)

Photo manipulation, Photoshop CS5

The Beginnings of an Entrepreneur

by Paul Anderson
(UK)

Candy Floss Boy

This young boy is cycling along the sea front on his way to sell candy floss to anyone who has the money.

Blue Dragonfly

by Toni Spreadbury
(St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, UK)

I am quite short and was sitting on my friend's shoulders who is very tall for an entire day looking in the bushes trying to catch this dragonfly!

Baby Bradley

by Tina Josephides
(Hertfordshire, UK)

There were complications during the last moments of the pregnancy and the mum-to-be had to have a c-section in the end.

And thankfully out came this beautiful healthy baby with bright blond hair and it was the most cutest, fragile and tiniest thing I had ever seen. The beginning was evidently the start of a new life!

Renovation

by Daniel Simon
(Veszprém, Hungary 8200)

The Photomontage represents the slump and renovation of Human and nature.

Start of a Journey

by Ivan Stelmak
(Long Beach, USA)

Here is the start of a big journey.

Beginning

by Puranjit Gangodaphyay
(Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

Beginning

This is the start of new foliage. From our balcony a Banion tree is seen every day.

Once a shiny morning, I was astonished to see the beautiful growing leaves in the branches. The glowing sun rays also added to the beauty...

The Return of the Wasps!

by Danny Martin
(Teign Village, Devon, United Kingdom)

As this is a spring photograph competition with the title of beginnings I decided to approach the competition with this photo of a beautiful close up wasp that's landed on a purple flower.

You can see how delicate and beautiful a wasp really is by seeing its wings and bulging eyes.

The wasp represents the start of spring because it's the time wasps start to appear in our environment again.

I also feel that a wasp is one of the iconic animals (insects) of spring because many people dread the fact that wasps are back but I simply see their beauty after seeing pics like this.

Ponte Vecchio by Night

by Caleb Tenenbaum
(Flanders, New Jersey, USA)

The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge") in Florence, Italy was thought to be built by the Romans before 996.

It was destroyed by floods two times, once in 1117, and once in 1333, but rebuilt both times.

It represents "Beginnings" because the present day economical idea of bankruptcy ORIGINATED here.

The bridge was filled by merchants, and when the merchants could not pay their debts, an act called "bancorotto" would be performed where a soldier would break the merchant's table, used to show his goods, and the merchant would then be unable to sell goods, and virtually "bankrupt".

In World War II, all bridges except for the Ponte Vecchio were destroyed in Florence. Today, jewelers occupy the same shops spanning the Ponte Vecchio, and I visited this spot this Spring Break to photograph it in an old-style way.

Mum and Her Ducklings

by Megan Lowing
(Shropshire, UK)

A lucky find

A lucky find on a Sunday afternoon walk with the dog.

Mother duck and her ducklings in a garden, close to home.

Posing In All Her Glory

by Christine Geddes
(Denbighshire, UK)

Taken on the 24th March, was out walking testing out camera settings for photographing birds, quite unexpectedly this beautiful Peacock butterfly in all her glory, just flew right in front of me and posed for the photo.

First one of spring that I had seen.

Spreading the Beauty

by Om
(Pokhara, Nepal)

For annual plants, the starting of flowering is the sign of the beginning of its life to end. Even if it is going to die sooner or later, it still spreads the Beauty.

The seeds it produces will give rise to a new plant, a new beginning of life, someday.

So, for being a human being, one should also try to Spread the Beauty and Joy of Living.

Beginnings of a Flower

by Kumara Raja
(Manchester, UK)

It's the beginnings for a flower while it starts blooming...