“Theyyam”. Preparation for the Theyyam performance in the surroundings of Kasaragod city. Theyyam is a popular ritual dance form of North Kerala, particularly in Kannur and Kasargod districts. The Theyyam represents a mythological, divine or heroic character. Make up of Theyyams is done by specialist. There are different types of face painting for which primarily and secondary colours are used. Therefore it is essential that the makeup man should have perfect knowledge of primary and secondary colour combinations. Sometimes, it takes several hours to paint each face. Photo location: Kasaragod, India. (Photo and caption by Rafal Ziejewski/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Opossums on their mothers back at a game reserve in Central Minnesota, USA, on September 2, 2013. (Photo by Caters News Agency)

Spanish singer Rosalia Vila Tobella, known mononymously as Rosalía performs during Louis Vuitton Menswear ready-to-wear Fall/Winter 2023-2024 collection show as part of Men's Fashion Week in Paris, France on January 19, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

A fan looks at the Germany flag before the 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro July 13, 2014. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A Chinese shopper sleeps on a bed in the showroom of the IKEA store on July 6, 2014 in Beijing, China. Of the world's ten biggest Ikea stores, 8 of them are in China to cater to the country's growing middle class. The stores are designed with extra room displays given the tendency for customers to make a visit an all-day affair. Store management does not discourage shoppers from sleeping on Ikea furniture, even marking them with signs inviting customers to try them out. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

“Strike Through The Mothership”. Every May for the last 3 years I have driven down to Tornado Alley to capture some amazing storms. This supercell held so much promise to drop a tornado but one small shift in the atmosphere and all that it produced was an extreme lightning show. Photo location: Broken Bow, Nebraska. (Photo and caption by Vanessa Neufeld/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Kyaiktiyo, Burma, 1978. The Golden Rock at Shwe Pyi Daw (the Golden Country), the Buddhist holy place. Hiroji Kubota writes: “I was desperate to keep a distance from America for a while; luckily, I found Burma and its gentle and compassionate people. In the spring of 1978, on the top of the hill where I took this photo, I had two Leica bodies: the one with Tri-X and the other with Kodachrome 64. Soon after, I realised that the colour one looked very colourful and was more powerful. That was my decisive moment, to become a colour photographer”. (Photo by Hiroji Kubota/Magnum Photos)

Elephant Maja of Circus Bush on his daily walk with Circus ringmaster Hardy Scholl (R) on Berlin streets in Berlin, Germany June 30, 2016. (Photo by Stefanie Loos/Reuters)