First place, The Beauty of Plants. “There are many stages of lotus growth on display at the Aquatic Gardens, but to come across twotwisted dancing stems of nelumbo nucifera was unexpected and quite magical”. (Photo by Kathleen Furey/The Guardian)

These beautiful images aim to show the more artistic side of Hawaii’s recent volcano eruption, highlighting the sheer power of Mother Nature and the act of creating new land. Photographer CJ Kale’s breathtaking works show the molten lava in its incredible vibrancy, whether it’s bursting from the ground in fireworks fashion or pouring into surrounding waters, causing steam to rise. (Photo by CJ Kale/Caters News Agency)

Jan Agha, 49, an Afghan hunter, tries to catch his crane at a field in Bagram, Parwan province, Afghanistan on April 10, 2019. As the early morning light breaks over the plain north of Kabul, bird hunter Jan Agha checks his snares as he has done for the past 30 years, hoping to catch a crane, using a tethered bird to lure others down to the nets. (Photo by Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)

Skiers and snow boarders descend from a slope as they attempt to break the record for mass skiing in swimming suits at Rosa Khutor resort near Sochi, Russia, April 9, 2016. (Photo by Kazbek Basayev/Reuters)

In this Monday, March 18, 2019 photo, a street artist performs in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuelans are facing a severe economic and political crisis as President Nicolas Maduro has remained in power despite heavy pressure from the United States and other countries arrayed against him, managing to retain the loyalty of most of Venezuela's military leaders. (Photo by Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo)

Edinburgh mask maker Lorraine Pritchard on Sunday, January 28, 2024 alongside some of her Venetian masks which will be worn and displayed at the Venice Carnival, which starts on Saturday February 3. Lorraine studied model making at Glasgow College of Building and Printing and Venetian mask making in Florence, Italy. She travels to Venice each year to be a “mask” herself, wearing different masks she has designed as a live exhibit of her work. (Photo by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)

Pakistani Waseem Akram, 27, dances during a private party in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. By day, Akram sells mobile phone accessories from an alleyway shop in an old neighborhood of this Pakistani city, Thursday, January 15, 2015. Across conservative Pakistan, where Islamic extremists launch near-daily attacks and many follow a strict interpretation of their Muslim faith, male cross-dressers and the transgendered face a challenge of balancing two identities. Some left their villages for the anonymity of a big city, fearing the reactions of their families while still concealing their identity from neighbors and co-workers. (Photo by Muhammed Muheisen/AP Photo)

These images capture the intricate details of minuscule snowflakes, moments before they melt. The shots were taken by Don Komarechka, 31, who has had a lifelong fascination with all things macro – especially snowflakes. The professional photographer says people often don’t believe that his pictures are real because they’re so perfect. (Photo by Don Komarechka/Caters News Agency)