“Lofoten Glow”. I was desperately searching a good sunrise spot this particular morning. Normally Storvatnet Lake is completely covered in snow, so you can only imagine my surprise when I saw these crazy ice formations almost being shot out of the frozen lake. I put my crampons on and took a big risk walking out. I could hear the ice cracking underneath my feet, and when you’re all alone in a fjord/canyon like this – the cracks are echoed and sound really frightening. Was it worth it? I sure think so! Photo location: Storvatnet, Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway. (Photo and caption by Stian Klo/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Once upon a time a girl named Laura lived in Columbus, Ohio. She had a nice family, and got good grades, but it was always rainy and cold in Columbus, which was neither nice nor good, so she wore lots of sweaters and turned the heat up when her dad wasn’t looking.

Would a Barbie doll with real-life proportions sell in stores? Pittsburgh artist Nickolay Lamm thinks so. He created a 3D model of Barbie if she had the proportions of an average 19-year-old woman. Artist Nickolay Lamm, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recreated the iconic Mattel doll using proportions of the average 19-year-old woman, according to the CDC. (Photo by Nickolay Lamm)

This photographer has promised to his girlfriend Belmar that he will follow her all over the world. The Russian photographer has realized this photo collection from various places all over the world. staying always behind his girlfriend. We don’t see the face of her, but he loved her so much dedicating this photography set.

Terence Chang's (aka exxonvaldez) long exposure photographs, capturing only streaks of light as airplanes arrive and depart from the San Francisco airport, certainly are stunning. There's just something so magical about seeing the various patterns created in the sky, even over a relatively short amount of time.

Jacek Yerka is an amazing painter from Poland. His subject matter ranges from odd beasts to whimsical landscapes incorporating extraordinary architecture, and includes imagery gleaned from his childhood. I handpicked a few of his pieces so we can take a close look at his world of painting.