The competition is run by Royal Observatory Greenwich sponsored by Insight Investment and in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine. This year astrophotographers from 91 countries sent in more than 4,200 spectacular entries. Here: The Milky Way rises above an isolated lighthouse in Tasmania. Shot by James Stone of Australia. (Photo by James Stone/Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2018)

Girls play in the water during the Balaton Sound music festival held on the shore of lake Balaton in Zamardi, west Hungary, on July 9, 2017. (Photo by Sandor Csudai/Rockstar Photographers)

Models wait backstage ahead of the Carolina Herrera Fall/Winter 2023 collection show during the New York Fashion Week in New York City, U.S., February 13, 2023. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

A tamed hawk attacks a rabbit during the traditional hunting contest outside the village of Nura, east from Almaty, Kazakhstan, February 13, 2016. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

“Old Mursi woman”. Old woman by the huts of her village. Location: Marenke, Omo valley, Ethiopia. (Photo and caption by Jorge Fernandez/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

ATTENTION! All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture.

“Asaro from the Eastern Highlands”. The mudmen could not cover their faces with mud because the people of Papua New Guinea thought that the mud from the Asaro river was poisonous. So instead of covering their faces with this alleged poison, they made masks from pebbles that they heated and water from the waterfall, with unusual designs such as long or very short ears either going down to the chin or sticking up at the top, long joined eyebrows attached to the top of the ears, horns and sideways mouths. (Photo and caption by Jimmy Nelson)

A member falls as Team Kazakhstan competes during the women's team pursuit speed skating final at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

Balinese girls in traditional costumes gather during a parade for this year's last sundown in Bali island, Indonesia Thursday, December 31, 2015. (Photo by Firdia Lisnawati/AP Photo)