Shooting star by Tony Wu, US/Japan. Winner, underwater. The electrifying reproductive dance of a giant sea star. As the surrounding water filled with sperm and eggs from spawning sea stars, Wu faced several challenges. Stuck in a small, enclosed bay with only a macro lens for photographing small subjects, he backed up to squeeze the undulating sea star into his field of view. The dancing posture of spawning sea stars rising and swaying may help release eggs and sperm, or may help sweep the eggs and sperm into the currents where they fertilise together in the water. Kinko Bay, Japan. (Photo by Tony Wu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

A dolphin swims alongside ships and fishing boats at the Bosphorus in Arnavutkoy district of Istanbul, Turkiye on May 21, 2023. (Photo by Isa Terli/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

An Iraqi special forces soldier wears a rose in his body armor as troops move from the Yarmouk neighborhood to take another district from Islamic State militant control in Mosul, Iraq, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. (Photo by Maya Alleruzzo/AP Photo)

Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, of France, celebrates his bronze medal in the men's 110 meter hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, October 2, 2019. (Photo by Petr David Josek/AP Photo)

An Iraqi demonstrator runs as others burn tyres to cut-off roads in the southern city of Basra on November 25, 2019. (Photo by Hussein Faleh/AFP Photo)

Democratic Congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez poses with a campaign worker during a whistle stop in Queens, New York, November 5, 2018. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

A boy sleds through snow as he enjoys the snow in Bahcesaray district called as planet nine because of roads blocked by snow in winter, in Van province of Turkey on January 22, 2020. (Photo by Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Paul Poirier of Canada and Marjorie Lajoie of Canada after training before the Figure Skating Ice Dance – Rhythm Dance at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China on February 12, 2022. (Photo by Aleksandra Szmigiel/Reuters)