A photographer has taken an explosive set of images by igniting gasoline in midair. Rob Prideaux, 45, photographs fire and smoke and then creates patterns from it. The San Francisco-based artist captures the fire in the split second its visible by using highly arcane methods. Rob's Smoke and Fire series is his quest “to shape one of the more uncontrollable phenomena in nature”. (Photo by Rob Prideaux)

Italian pencil artist Marco Mazzoni‘s work goes far beyond technical perfection. His representation of historical healing women is enigmatic and sublime. Often leaving the eyes blank or covered with an abundance of birds, butterflies and flowers, he gives the impression of a deeper inward focused sight, as well as obscuring the identity of the individual. Many female healers in the past – both medicine woman and midwives – were brutally persecuted by religion, some even burnt as witches… Mazzoni’s work captures their deep connection with nature and their innate power and femininity with delicacy and beautiful detail.

“Potholes” is a series of photographs depicting the concave street cracks and holes as a collection of imaginative tableaux in the city. Captured within the backdrops of New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and Montreal, the sets explore the urban flaws as a playground creating a multitude of uses out of the potholes. Directly engaging the street and the city, the highly imaginative series transforms the bad into good, creating a tongue-in-cheek collection that is at once contextual and surreal”. (Photo and caption by Davide Luciano)

Libyan rebel fighters protect a pro-Gaddafi loyalist fighter from angry onlookers as he is brought in for medical attention to the Tripoli Central Hospital on August 25, 2011 in Tripoli, Libya. Heavy fighting continues in the Libyan capital between Gaddafi's forces and the surging rebel presence. Rebels, who have issued a $1.7m reward for Gaddafi's capture “dead or alive”, are attempting to reach Colonel Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte but have met loyalist resistance. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Call Parade is an ongoing public art project in São Paulo sponsored by Brazilian telecommunications firm Vivo, that paired 100 artists with 100 street-side phone booths giving them free reign to transform the peculiar hooded fixtures into anything imaginable. The exhibition has proven to be extremely popular and Brazilian photographer Mariane Borgomani set out to capture a number of the phones, my favorite of which is the painted day/night treatment above by artist Maramgoní.

A storm trooper feeds a walker in the grass, taken in Glasgow, Scotland, December 2016. Tiny Storm Troopers and a mini Darth Vader are captured doing everyday activities – from taking a bath, to wrapping presents. Scottish Artist and Photographer, David Giliver created these scenes over a period of two years using toys and miniature props. (Photo by David Gilliver/Barcroft Images)

This beautiful set of images capture the moment a young ballet dancer interacts with her four-legged friends against some iconic backdrops including the Church of the Savior on Blood and the Admiralty building in Saint Petersburg. The enchanted photos were taken by Andrey Seliverstov, 59 from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Here: Nine year old Maria Palkina dancing with dogs. (Photo by Andrey Seliverstov/Caters News Agency)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and these striking images of 2017 are no exception. The photo highlights include incredible snapshots of the natural world as well as some awesome animal and human encounters. The vibrant gallery also shows thrill-seekers pushing themselves to the limit with breathtaking stunts captured in perfect clarity. The pictures have been taken by a host of photographers from around the world. Here: The two lion cubs singing their hearts out at Antelope park in Zimbabwe. (Photo by David Jenkins/Caters News Agency)