Over 11 weeks National Geographic reviewed thousands of submissions for their 2010 photo contest.

Aaron Lim Boon Teck was their winner for capturing the eruption of Gunug Rinjani an active volcano in Indonesia.

The skill required for some of these photos will blow you away, and while we won't debate the winner, check out the honorable mention of a thunderstorm in Montana (slide 4). All photos show remarkable composition, ingenuity or luck.