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In 2003, travel writer Patricia Schultz published a guide to fabulous locales called "1,000 Places to See Before You Die." The book exhorted readers to "stop dreaming and get going."

The nearly 400 members of this Flickr pool have done just that. For some time now, these peripatetic photographers have shared pictures snapped at the color-drenched spots Schultz recommends. Amble through and encounter the gleaming white buildings of Mykonos, Greece; the colossal statues of Easter Island; a perfect bridge coiled over a Venetian canal; and a seaplane wading in the surf of Key West, Florida. We like the submissions best that make explicit their spot on Schultz's list. But all the images echo the book's gusty encouragement of globe trotting and its zest for the Earth's old and new.

If you make it to the Taj and back and still want more, jump over to the pool's sister collection: Missing From 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Now get going!

In one photo, the polar bear hovers underwater, ears pressed back, paws extended, bubbles escaping the glorious schnozz. In other pictures, the animal inspects the possibilities of a plastic emergency cone, or takes in the view above the blue-green expanse of its pool. Later, the camera catches the creature paddling off, flashing a glimpse of gargantuan paws.

Welcome to the zoo photography of Valerie Abbott. Through her extensive collection on Flickr, this amateur photographer has captivated viewers with her astonishing portraits of wild animals.

We first discovered Valerie, whose Flickr name is "ucumari," through her "Bears of the World" collection. But her ursine photographs are just the beginning. Elephants, giraffes, lions, gorillas, tigers, wolves, and parrots romp, run, swim, doze, and flap through these colorful, dignified sets.

When we wrote Valerie, she told us how she got started capturing the mugs of these incredible creatures—and what her "secret trick" is...

Hi there, Valerie. We know you volunteer at the North Carolina Zoo. We think they should hire you as a full-time photographer! What is your day job? And how much time do you devote to photography?

I would love to be a full-time photographer at a zoo or any place that has animals that are well cared for! My "day" job is really a night job... I work in the prepress department of our local newspaper, and no, I'm not a photographer there! Read the full profile...