A performer dressed as a Hello Kitty poses inside a Hello Kitty-themed Taroko Express train in Taipei, Taiwan March 21, 2016. Lucky fans of Hello Kitty were among the first to ride a train themed after the iconic fictional character on its inaugural run in Taiwan on Monday. The Hello Kitty-themed Taroko Express train, the first in Taiwan, set off from the Shulin train station and will travel to Taitung on the east coast route. The Taiwan Railway Administration, which will introduce Hello Kitty merchandise, said it plans to adds more themed trains to its fleet. (Photo by Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

In Jukkasjärvi, a village a few miles east of Kiruna, the proprietors of one hotel begin planning for a winter ice festival in March. That’s when they begin collecting some 5,000 tons of ice from the River Torne in order to prepare the Icehotel, the world’s coolest place to stay. Options for overnight stay include snow rooms, ice rooms, art suites, and the Northern Lights room, all of which range from about $300 to $900 per night. But the deluxe suite’s the only way to go. These rooms come with a critical amenity: heated ensuite bathrooms and saunas. Here: A man walks into a room in the Ice hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, December 16, 2015. (Photo by Ints Kalnins/Reuters)

Six Flags New Orleans, also abbreviated to SFNO, is an abandoned theme park in New Orleans, Louisiana, that has been closed since just before Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005 and is currently owned by the city of New Orleans. Six Flags had previously owned the park since March 2002, but after assessing the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the related exorbitant expenses of repairing the damage, sought to terminate their 75-year lease with the city, beginning in July 2006 and finally succeeding in September 2009. The park is located in Eastern New Orleans, in the Ninth Ward of the city, off Interstate 10. Despite various announced plans to redevelop the site, as of 2014, it is still an abandoned amusement park in extremely poor condition. It is a well-known urban exploration destination.

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.

Projectionist Antonio Feliciano, 75, checks his projector before showing a film in Monforte, Portugal May 16, 2015. Shades of Oscar-winning classic "Cinema Paradiso" run through the life of Feliciano, a sprightly 75-year-old who fears he may be the last of Portugal's travelling film projectionists.After six decades travelling four million km (2.5 million miles) to screen 4,000 films in Portugal's far-flung villages, Feliciano does not plan to retire just yet. But he is resigned to the fact that the Internet, digital TV and distribution monopolies have made his craft obsolete. (Photo by Rafael Marchante/Reuters)

Members of the Michiana Rocketry prep a 10-foot, 450 pound porta-potty, mounted on rocket motors for launching, Saturday, December 6, 2014, from a field in Three Oaks, Mich. It made an arc and almost landed on a spectator’s pickup truck, 2,000 feet away. A group of Michiana Rocketry club members planned the project for more than two years. The club is trying to increase awareness of rocketry as a hobby and prove it’s possible to turn a porta-potty into a rocket and launch it successfully. About 30 people worked on the rocket, from engineers to sales people who lined up sponsors. (Photo by Don Campbell/AP Photo/The Herald-Palladium)

A policewoman wipes her tears as she stands in front of metal caskets containing the bodies of Special Action Force (SAF) police who were killed in Sunday's clash with Muslim rebels, at Villamor Air Base in Pasay city, metro Manila January 29, 2015. Philippine President Benigno Aquino urged legislators on Wednesday not to abandon a plan for autonomy for Muslims to end a decades-old insurgency after the clash in which dozens of people were killed, saying doing so would dash hopes for peace. (Photo by Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

Kevin Russ, a photographer & image moderator for iStockphoto, grew up in Arroyo Grande, California. In 2003, he made the move to Portland, planning to study at Multnomah Bible College. Finding the workload to be minimal, Kevin invested in a camera, filling his free time and finding himself instantly smitten with the craft. A year and a half later, photography had evolved into his full-time job. However, after 4 years of consistent portrait work, Kevin became burnt out and took a step back from photography altogether. Two years later, he picked up the camera again and now spends the majority of his time on the road, exploring & photographing the rustic landscapes & wildlife he encounters.