Elena Chernyshova's vision of Norilsk, Russia, the northernmost city in the world, is a series of surprises by which she extracts otherworldly beauty from ugly realities. Here: 2013. A woman is visible through a narrow passageway between two buildings. Norilsk's urban spaces were designed to shorten distances around large developments and give residents maximum protection from arctic winds. (Photo by Elena Chernyshova)

“Eye of a toad”. Animal Portraits, Łukasz Bożycki, Poland. Early spring sees a pond near Łukasz’s home city of Warsaw, Poland, full of mating frogs and a few toads. On this March day, Łukasz shared the pond with them for an evening, sitting in the icy water in his chest-high waders, keeping as still as possible, despite the numbing cold, so that the amphibians could get used to him. “I wanted to find a fresh way of portraying the amphibians”, he says, “at water level”. Using a telephoto lens, he focused on one lone toad and waited for the sun to dip almost below the horizon before pressing the shutter, using flash to bring out the details in the shadow. His prize was “the glorious pool of sunset colour” and fiery glow of the toad’s eye. Nikon D80 + 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 lens + extension tube; 1/125 sec at f9 (-2.3 e/v); ISO 100; built-in flash. (Photo by Łukasz Bożycki)

A polar bear whose bottom half is caked in oily black gunk. A whale wrapped in striped fabric: a pseudo straightjacket. These are the messes climate change leaves behind, the things we know are happening but often don’t have the opportunity to see with our own eyes. Swiss street art duo Christian Rebecchi and Pablo Togni, otherwise known as NeverCrew, met in art school when they were 15 and started making work together soon after. As a team, the artists adorn the world with eye-popping and gut-wrenching images depicting the consequences of humanity’s actions on earth. (Photo by NeverCrew/The Huffington Post)

With the world feeling more distant than ever, photographers were this year called on to translate their vision of the new humanity into images seen through their own eyes. Here: May. (Photo by Ami Vitale/2021 Lavazza Calendar)

Van cats, relatively large, have a chalky white coat, sometimes with ruddy coloration on the head and hindquarters, and have blue or amber eyes or have heterochromia, are seen at “Cat Villa”, established to protect the cats in Van, Turkey on January 20, 2021. Internationally valid “health certificate” is prepared for Van cats, visited by local and foreign tourists, within a project to protect their generations and increasing their numbers. Health certificates with information such as name, breed, gender, eye color, date of birth, tail feature, color, hearing status and identity are given to people who want to adopt cats. (Photo by Mesut Varol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Tuna is an adorable and charming 3 year-old Chiweenie who was born with an aggressive overbite and a lower recessed jawline. He also has 5 moles surrounding his mouth, a crumbled chin and a neck that looks like he has been soaking in a bathtub for days! Those who can see past his irregularities will also adore him for them. They have eyes see his true beauty, because true beauty captivates our hearts and not just our eyes.

Revellers out and about in Newcastle, England on “Black Eye Friday” or “Mad Friday” on December 22, 2017 as people across the country celebrate the start of the Christmas break by hitting bars, pubs and clubs. This partygoer had so much fun she looks lost. (Photo by Craig Connor/North News and Pictures)