Each year Nikon Small World recognizes the excellence of photography taken under the microscope. The contest showcases the beauty and complexity of life. Anyone interested in microscopy and photography can enter the contest and in its 42nd year, Nikon Small World received 2,000 entries from 70 countries. Here: 11th Place; Scales of a butterfly wing underside (Vanessa atalanta). (Photo by Francis Sneyers/Nikon's Small World 2016)

The Tibetan night sky was captured in these beautiful images showing the stunning buildings and statues in the Himalayan mountains. Grey Chow, 33, traveled for two hours to get to the Spiti Valley to capture the starry backdrop along the isolated, deserted roads. The senior project engineer was able to take amazingly clear images thanks to the limited amount of pollution at the 4,500-foot (1371m) altitude. (Photo by Grey Chow/Caters News Agency)

Elsa Rhae Pageler, otherwise known as just Elsa Rhae, has the unbelievable knack for transforming her beautiful face into something incredibly scary. Although she began her career in video editing, and still works as one to this day, she has become infamous for her amazing makeup transformations. She took a stage makeup class as an elective to graduate from her film degree in college and soon realized that it was a passion she didn’t even know she had at first.

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.

New York-based visual artist and filmmaker Rä di Martino has taken a series of eerie and beautiful photos that capture scenes of abandoned Hollywood film sets. Martino spent over a year traveling throughout the desert towns of Morocco and Tunisia hunting down the old Star Wars sets, exploring these massive structures that stand almost like ancient ruins. “No More Stars” showcases the backdrop of Luke Skywalker's home on the fictional desert planet Tatooine. (Photo by Rä di Martino)

Brazilian Treatment – Mario Testino teams up with American beauty Karlie Kloss for a story lensed in Bahia, Brazil for the July issue of Vogue US. Stylist Phyllis Posnick selects a wardrobe of colorful looks for Karlie to wear as she heads to the beaches and other stunning sights of Bahia. Whether posing with Capoeira dancers or exploring the outdoors, Karlie enchants in every image. (Photo by Mario Testino)