Belgian priest Philippe Goosse (L) blesses Bloodhound dogs during a religious and blessing ceremony for animals, outside the Basilica of St Peter and Paul in Saint-Hubert, Belgium November 3, 2015. Hundreds of animals get blessed during the celebration of Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunters who is also invoked for protection of dogs and horses, organisers said. (Photo by Yves Herman/Reuters)

Customers take photos of a snake at the Tokyo Snake Center, a snake cafe, in Tokyo's Harajuku shopping district August 14, 2015. The cafe has on display 35 non-venomous snakes of 20 different breeds. Open six days a week, the cafe allows customers to enjoy food and beverages while watching a small snake slither around in a cage on their table for a 1,000 yen (8.04 dollars). By paying an additional fee, customers get to hold and pet the snake. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Reuters)

These beautiful photos capture the tender moments between two young boys who share a unique bond with animals. Elena Shumilova, from Andreapol, Russia, began taking pictures of her sons Yaroslav and Vanya in early 2012 when she received her first professional camera. The pair were immediately accepted by the animals from a young age and their incredible bond continues to strengthen as they get older. Elena, 32, was able to capture images her boys playing with such animals as rabbits, dogs, cats and ducks as they become totally immersed in their communication with their furry friends. (Photo by Elena Shumilova)

“Check out this praying mantis totally bossing a trek through the Borneo jungle – on the back of a snail. Yes, it may not be the fastest mode of transport for the discerning traveller, but at least the green chap isn't getting his feet wet. The slightly sinister sight was captured by snapper Nordin Seruyan in central Borneo”. – Sara C. Nelson via Barcroft Media. (Photo by Nordin Seruyan/Barcroft Media)

“A girl arrives at the parking lot wearing tiny leather shorts and sits on the back of a bike with a horse power of more than 1,000 CC. Next to her a man gets ready to ride, wearing a skeleton mask. It’s more than a fashion show, it’s an extravaganza on two wheels along Chinese roads”. – Carlos Barria. Photo: A couple rides their motorcycle at the Qian Dao Lake rally, on May 11, 2013. (Photo by Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Passionate fans are doing something unique (wacky) to celebrate the World Cup. They’re getting the likeness of their favorite player shaved into the back of their head. Photo: England fan Joel Moore (23) has had a haircut featuring the face of World Cup star Theo Walcott by Daren Terry from Lotus Styling in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. (Photo by Southern News & Pictures)

The characters fighting for Westeros in Game of Thrones are fighting mostly for CGI backdrops. Like many others TV series and movies, visual effects is a huge part of the production process as it handles details both great and small. A great credit to Game of Thrones is that the story is so good that we forget about the effects, and another great credit goes to the VFX team because their work is seamless. If you want to see the seams, you have to get a visual breakdown of how the shots are put together.

Storm chasing photographer Mike Hollingshead makes a living following the worst storms in America, from snarling tornadoes chewing up the Kansas farmland to supercell thunderstorms massing over the Dakotas. His style is to get right in the path of the storm. While he says it’s less scary than you think – because most of the storm consists of heavy rain – it’s still extremely stressful. Photo: Vivid sunset under severe storm in central Nebraska August 17, 2005. (Photo by Mike Hollingshead)