A young Emirati boy looks on as his falcon flies at the Liwa desert, 220 kms west of Abu Dhabi, on the sidelines of the Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival on December 21, 2013. The festival, which attracts participants from around the Gulf region, includes a camel beauty contest, a display of UAE handcrafts and other activities aimed at promoting the country's folklore. (Photo by Karim Sahib/AFP Photo)

These stunning images show the beauty and drama of Mother Nature at work. Captured deep in heart of the Danakil Desert in East Africa, the images show the acid pools near the Erta Ale volcano. Pools of brightly colored acid can be seen amid the dramatic blast of volcanic ash. The photos were taken by Neta Dekel, an Israeli photographer. He the acid pools were one of the most extraordinary sights he had ever seen. (Photo by Neta Dekel/Caters News Agency)

“These incredible shots show the stunning formations of an iceberg beneath the surface of the ocean. Taken in Tasiilaq, Greenland, by Franco Banfi, the underwater photography captures the beauty of these ice mountains beneath the ocean’s surface. In some of the photos, divers are swimming around an iceberg under the frozen water, while other images show some of the weird and wonderful creatures you can encounter in that part of the ocean”. (Photo by Franco Banfi/Caters News Agency)

For over 14 years, photographer Dane Shitagi has been photographing beautiful, strong, and powerful women dancing all over New York City. The juxtaposition of the incredible strength of the dancers’ bodies plus a seemingly devoid urban landscape creates a captivating visual experience. When social media emerged, Shitagi took advantage, creating pages for his photo series on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter. Currently, it is the largest dance photography page on Facebook with 850,000 “likes” and its Instagram account has about 500,000 followers. (Photo by Dane Shitagi)

Martin Rietze is a “volcano-chaser”, a particular breed of photographer who takes big risks for big shots. He was able to capture destructive and beautiful forces of nature at work on a trip to Japan in February 2013. His photos show the Sakurajima Volcano, an active volcanic who's record-breaking 1914 eruption sent lava flows across the island. (Photo by Martin Rietze/Guzelian)

Most probably wouldnt think of snakes, spiders and lizards as beautiful animals – but these photographs could change some minds. The images show the reptiles seemingly playful sides, from a gleeful looking Budgetts frog, a cheeky leopard sticking out its tongue at the camera and a stack of four colourful iguanas. Contrasted against a white background and shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark 2 and macro lens, photographer Mickael Leger really made sure they could be seen in all their glory. Here: Gecko. (Photo by Mickael Leger/Caters News)

Each year Nikon Small World recognizes the excellence of photography taken under the microscope. The contest showcases the beauty and complexity of life. Anyone interested in microscopy and photography can enter the contest and in its 42nd year, Nikon Small World received 2,000 entries from 70 countries. Here: 11th Place; Scales of a butterfly wing underside (Vanessa atalanta). (Photo by Francis Sneyers/Nikon's Small World 2016)