This outrageous display of facial hair configurations made an appearance at the 4th Annual National Beard and Mustache Championships in New Orleans. Luckily Las Vegas-based photographer Greg Anderson was on-hand to give us a front-row seat as the bizarre spectacle of facial hair paraded in front of his camera lens. The championships involved some 150 contestants from the U.S., U.K., and Canada who competed in 17 different categories.

“It’s Fashion Week in Sao Paulo, Brazil and you don’t have to be a celebrity or a designer to check out these couture pieces. Subway stations were used as improvised catwalks in order to give the general public a chance to see these creations up close and at the price of a subway fare”. – Reuters. Photo: A model presents a creation in a subway station during the Sao Paulo Fashion Week in Sao Paulo October 27, 2013. (Photo by Paulo Whitaker/Reuters)

Photographer Maurizio Pignotti, 46, spends all night in freezing temperatures painstakingly shooting the breathtaking crystal-clear stars. He uses a technique where he merges together anywhere between 80 and 450 shots to create what he describes as a “rainbow of stars”. Space-lover Maurizio, captures the star trails on the borders of the Adriatic Sea – including the Sibillini Mountains National Park, the Conero National Park, and the Gargano National Park. (Photo by Maurizio Pignotti/Caters News)

Local villagers prepare to bury the body of elephant Hemantha during a religious ceremony at a Buddhist temple in Colombo March 15, 2016. Elephant Hemantha, which died from injuries to its feet, was under medical treatment for the last six months. The elephant used to march at street parades during festivals held by the temple. Elephant Hemantha died at age 23. Wild elephants have long lifespans, reaching 60–70 years of age. (Photo by Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters)

A man is seen trapped amid the debris of an under-construction flyover after it collapsed in Kolkata, India, March 31, 2016. Using saws, small cranes and bare hands, rescuers on Friday cleared the crumbled concrete and twisted steel from an overpass that collapsed onto a crowded Kolkata neighborhood, killing at least 23 people and injuring more than 80. With more than half the debris cleared by Friday morning, 67 people have been pulled out alive, police said. (Photo by Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters)

Members of the Prizma Ensemble wearing full solid-coloured bodysuits walk pest ultra orthodox jewish men as they take part in the 6th Jane's walk Jerusalem in Jerusalem, Israel May 6, 2016. Jane's Walk is a global walking tour movement, inspired by US-Canadian author and activist Jane Jacobs. (Photo by Baz Ratner/Reuters)

We are all drawn to fire, entranced by its beauty and ferociousness. Its brilliance draws us in like moths to a candle flame. Thus, many of the celebrations that humans have involve lighting fires. They can be big or small; there could be many little lights or one giant inferno; they may float on water, burn on land, or rise high into the skies. Loi Krathong is a festival that is held each year in Thailand and a number of other places. During this festival thousands of little fires are lighted, presenting a marvelous sight for all the onlookers. It is believed that this tradition is an adaptation of Brahmanical festival, which was adopted by Thai Buddhists to honor Buddha.

Elements of nature are too powerful for humans to subdue, yet it didn’t stop the most courageous individuals from trying. Conquering air, land, fire, water, and even the very fabric of reality – this is the ultimate goal of humanity. For now, we can only marvel at the beauty and tremble in awe before the Mother Nature. A short film “Ocean Gravity,” written and directed by Julie Gautier and Guillaume Nery, reminds us of how small and insignificant a human body is, as it is being swept away by an ocean current. Nevertheless, it never stopped people from attempting to subjugate these unstoppable forces, and someday, maybe the humanity will come out victorious.