“Photo mechanic” and photographer Ionut Caras creates surreal concepts by combining the everyday with the unthinkable. His use of light and tone takes the viewer into a bizarre and beautiful world only seen in storybooks and our dreams. Photo: “The observer”. (Photo by Ionut Caras)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s misfortunes have often eclipsed its good news, with ongoing armed conflicts and most recently an Ebola outbreak. Much of the world knows little of the country’s vibrant arts scene, and last weekend in the capital, Kinshasa, models showed off daring new looks dreamed up by local designers on the catwalk. (Photo by Olivia Acland/The Guardian)

Model Heide Lindgren attends Heidi Klum's 12th annual Halloween party at the PH-D Rooftop Lounge at Dream Downtown on October 31, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Model Adriana Lima attends the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show After Party at Dream Downtown on November 9, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images)

Sharon Montrose has what most people consider a dream job: She photographs adorable animals – from lions to flamingos to knobbly-kneed giraffes – and sells prints online at her store, The Animal Print Shop. But what's her job really like? Does she ever get scared? What's the trickiest animal to photograph?

The materialisation of this house is a dream come true for the owner. This house was built in Germany, in the town called Zell and what is the most astonishing about it is the stone used in the whole design. It was built by Walter Andre and it looks as if it just got out from a fairytale, and everything from its fantastic roof to it’s sandstone windows points in that direction.

It's that time of year again when dogs with unusually large heads, hairless bodies and other oddities compete to be the World's Ugliest Dog. This year's winner? A 2-year-old mutt named Peanut, whose wild white and brown hair, bulging eyes and protruding teeth belie his sweet, energetic personality. Peanut's owner, Holly Chandler of Greenville, North Carolina, says he was seriously burned as a puppy and she wants to use her pet to raise awareness about animal abuse. She plans to use the $1,500 prize to pay for other animals' veterinary bills. The contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, California, is in its 26 year. The dogs are scored by a three-judge panel in several categories, including special or unusual attributes, personality and natural ugliness.