Guardian of the Mangroves – Overall Winner. Tanya Houppermans, Cuba. A curious American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) swims right up to Tanya, at Gardens of the Queen (Jardines De La Reina), an archipelago off the coast of Cuba. It has been strictly protected since 1996, and is one of the most untouched marine ecosystems in the world. ‍ “The healthy population of American crocodiles is down to the pristine condition of the mangroves and I wanted to capture close ups of this gentle giant in its natural habitat. I hope this image can illustrate that protecting areas like this is so critical”. (Photo by Tanya Griffin Houppermans/Mangrove Photographer of the Year)

A visitor views “Giant Pumpkin, no1” by British artist Anthea Hamilton during the Frieze Art Fair in Regents Park in London on October 12, 2022. The fair is open to the public 14–18 October. (Photo by Guy Bell/Alamy Live News)

A curious grey seal investigates photographer Brian Matthews at Lundy Island off the north Devon coast, July 2024. *Photo by Brian Matthews/Solent News)

A fisherman carries a large Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) at the Piagacu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve in Amazonas state, Brazil, on October 24, 2019. The pirarucu -a giant fish of the Amazon, that had been on the verge of extinction- can measure up to three meters and weigh more than 200 kilos. The soft and tasty white meat fish is nowadays served in renowned restaurants in Rio de Janeiro. (Photo by Ricardo Oliveira/AFP Photo)

Ice Age – Tibet, China. “This is the Chinese version of the blue ice lake, Pumoungcuo, at an altitude of 5,070 metres (16,600 feet). This lake in Tibet freezes every winter. At night, under the low temperatures of -20C, you can listen to the sound of the ice cracking while capturing the most beautiful winter sky. The blue ice surface and dazzling Orion constellation create a fantasy landscape. I felt so happy to have the stars as my companion on this magical night”. (Photo by Daniel Zafra Portill/Milky Way Photographer of the Year)

Model Nikita Dragun gets her hair and makeup touched up backstage at The Blonds fashion show at Spring Place on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Brittainy Newman/AP Photo)

A woman works on the production of grape molasses using various traditional methods and materials in the Huyuk district of Konya, Turkiye on September 22, 2024. Neighbors and relatives in the region work in cooperation in the production of molasses prepared by boiling in cauldrons. (Photo by Seyit Konyali/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A man takes a photo of a radio antenna that's part of the Atacama Large Milimeter Array Observatory on March 12, 2013 at Llano de Chajnantor, about 43 miles (70 kilometers) from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. The $1.5 billion ALMA facility, which had its official inauguration on March 13, is considered the world's most expensive ground-based observatory. (Photo by Felipe Trueba/EPA)