Photo Of The Day: Best Of May: National Geographic

Every day, we feature an image chosen from thousands submitted to our photo community Your Shot. Here are 10 favorites from May

My favorite images from this month left me inspired by the stunning beauty of our world and the remarkable diversity of those who inhabit it.

A crocodile cruises by Your Shot photographer Fabrice Dudenhofer in Cuba's Jardines de la Reina, or "Gardens of the Queen." Named by Christopher Columbus, the group of islands is one of Cuba's largest protected areas.

Your Shot photographer Lauren Breedlove noticed this woman and perfect backdrop while on a trip to Havana. "I borrowed some change from a friend and approached the woman with it, asking to take her photograph. She nodded and posed like a boss, stogie and all."

This picture of Your Shot photographer Vironica Golden's son tells a very personal story. "After years of infertility I feel very lucky that we were able to conceive with the help of IVF," she says. "Having children made me change the way I see the world; ordinary things become extraordinary in the eyes of children."

A stuntman rides his motorcycle in what's known as the "Well of Death." Your Shot photographer Mahesh Lonkar had to obtain permission to stand in the dangerous, slippery bottom of the empty well in order to capture this daring feat.

An African lion waits out the rain. Sadly, in the past 20 years, the African lion population has decreased by 42 percent. Much of this decline can be attributed to humans encroaching on lions' territory and hunting them for sport.

A miner pauses in the ocher mines on the Iranian island of Hormuz. Ocher, which is naturally reddish brown, is used in products like paint, cosmetics, and ceramics.

Your Shot photographer Navtej Singh captured an old tradition with a new angle. Of the action below, he writes, "This is an early morning fish auction, when the boats come in after night fishing at Bhaucha Dhakka, Mumbai. The catch is offloaded by the boat managers and auctioned in lots to the highest bidder, who further sells the same in small lots to small-time fish sellers.

Window cleaners work 50, even 60 stories up in the air in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Your Shot photographer Huynh Dung calls them "brave," pointing out that not only are they on minimalist swings way up in the air, they're doing their jobs underneath the hot sun.

The northern lights combine with a sunset to make a beautiful landscape photograph. The Lofoten Islands of Norway, where this shot was taken, are a picturesque place to see the lights from September to April.

Your Shot photographer Avishek Mazumder captured this portrait of a boy and his snake at a Holi festival in Vrindabon, India. He says, "The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships."