“The fantastic landscape of Bagan in Myanmar features hundreds of temples and pagodas as far as the eye can see. Experiencing this sight at dawn from the basket of a hot air balloon will remain engraved in my memory for ever. Mick Ryan, judge – What a magical photograph and place. The Buddhist temples and pagodas fill the plains of Bagan in Myanmar at sunrise… the golden hour providing beautiful light to illuminate the retrogression of the temples and balloons toward a misty, mountainous distance. An excellent, exotic photograph that makes you want to book a flight”. (Photo by Alastair Swan/The Guardian)

Winner. “This was taken in the South Ari Atolls, Maldives, as the south-west monsoon season was setting in. It features my partner – and dive buddy – Emma after surfacing at the end of the last dive of the day to find 1.5 metre swells and dark monsoon clouds. MICK RYAN, JUDGE: This beautiful portrait of a diver in an ocean swell below a menacing sky stands out this month for its emotional and elemental beauty. It is a reminder that while we may play among nature we are always dwarfed by its power and must be constantly on our guard”. (Photo by Simon Dunn/The Guardian)

A serene turquoise glow glimmers from underneath these powerful icebergs. Stood in the middle of Antarctica, the giant icebergs appear to be from an unearthly world. These stunning photographs were captured by American photographer Michael Leggero. “My images show pure nature, as that is how I describe Antarctica, simply pure nature”, says the 43 year old, of Carthage, New York. “It is the only place on our planet that humans have not left a presence behind”. (Photo by Michael Leggero/Hotspotmedia/Visual Press Agency)

“At her job, Maria Torero cares for sick human beings. At home, she lavishes love on slowly dying cats – 175 of them at last count. The 45-year-old nurse has turned her two-story, eight-room apartment into a hospice for cats with feline leukemia, scattering it with scores of feeding dishes and at least two dozen boxes litter boxes. Some have suggested she shelter healthy cats instead. “That's not my role”, she told The Associated Press. “I'm a nurse. My duty is to the cats that nobody cares about”. She said that “people don't adopt adult cats, especially if they are terminally ill”. – Franklin Briceno via Associated Press. (Photo by Martin Mejia/AP Photo)

US Vogue’s top fashion editor works with photographers to inject style with sci-fi and fantasy. A new book, “Stoppers: Photographs from My Life at Vogue” by Phyllis Posnick and Vogue’s chief editor, Anna Wintour, highlights the results. Here: Surburban Woman #10, Mountainville, New York, August 2006. (Photo by Steven Klein)

“This brought me back. While I was doing my photo shoot this week for Muscle & Fitness, I could practically hear Joe Weider screaming, “Come on Arnold! What’s wrong with you? Pull in the stomach.” Watch for the issue in September!”

“My name is In Cherl Kim. I'm a PR manager of Samsung Everland. Everland is a largest theme park in South Korea. Everland has a variety of attractions and flower garden and entertainment. Among other things, Everland zoo is very unique place!” – In Cherl Kim. Photo: Ring tailed lemur. (Photo by In Cherl Kim)