A heifer, tied with a rope, turns during “Toro de Cuerda” in the white village of Villaluenga del Rosario, southern Spain September 3, 2016. Dazzling clusters of cube-shaped houses perched on top of Andalusia's olive tree-studded mountains, the “Pueblos Blancos”, or white villages, of southern Spain are named for the lime wash the buildings are painted with to keep the interiors cool. The labyrinths of narrow alleyways are a throwback to when this region was known as Al-Andalus and was part of a medieval Muslim territory. While this region is stunningly beautiful and a big draw to tourists visiting the south of Spain, it is also one of the poorest areas in the country and has one of the highest unemployment rates in the European Union. (Photo by Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters)

Guardian of the Mangroves – Overall Winner. Tanya Houppermans, Cuba. A curious American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) swims right up to Tanya, at Gardens of the Queen (Jardines De La Reina), an archipelago off the coast of Cuba. It has been strictly protected since 1996, and is one of the most untouched marine ecosystems in the world. ‍ “The healthy population of American crocodiles is down to the pristine condition of the mangroves and I wanted to capture close ups of this gentle giant in its natural habitat. I hope this image can illustrate that protecting areas like this is so critical”. (Photo by Tanya Griffin Houppermans/Mangrove Photographer of the Year)

A Nymph or female devotee of the Vale do Amanhecer religious community, prays at their temple complex in Vale do Amanhecer (Sunrise Valley), a community on the outskirts of Planaltina, 50 km from the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, on April 29, 2023. This eclectic community holds its most important ritual of the year on Labour Day to honour the mediums who communicate with good and bad spirits. The group combines a range of religious practices, including Christian and Hindu, with symbols borrowed from the Incas and Mayans, as well as a belief in extraterrestrial life and intergalactic travel. The religion claims hundred temples throughout Brazil, Portugal and other countries. (Photo by Carl de Souza/AFP Photo)

“On the Li River near Xingping in China, Cormorant fishermen work the waterways before dawn amidst the spectacular limestone towers of the Karst landscape. The birds are trained to fetch fish from the inky depths but not swallow them. The fisherman accepts the fish from the birds who dive back for more. Here, still before dawn, the fisherman and his birds head for home”. (Photo and caption by Neville Jones/2014 Sony World Photography Awards)

A couple stands next to a poster depicting Dutch politician Geert Wilders and Russian President Vladimir Putin kissing, at a metro station in Amsterdam April 3, 2016. (Photo by Cris Toala Olivares/Reuters)

Turkey's Yamaha rider Toprak Razgatlioglu celebrates winning the world championship during the World Superbike Championship at the Mandalika International Circuit in Kuta Mandalika, in central Lombok on November 21, 2021. (Photo by Bay Ismoyo/AFP Photo)

People are reflected in mirrors as they walk in a busy shopping district in Tokyo, Japan, December 25, 2015. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Spanish soldiers of the 7th Airborne Light Infantry Brigade “Galicia” fire a howitzer Light Gun L118 during maneuvers with other units in preparation to NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) in Zaragoza, Spain, April 19, 2016. (Photo by Javier Cebollada/EPA)