These images have been created using a colour scanning electron microscope (SEM) by the award-winning Eye of Science, comprised of snapper Oliver Meckes and biologist Nicole Ottawa. For a decade the pair, based in Reutlingen in the south of Germany, worked with an old SEM they saved from the scrapheap, but for the last five years they have used a £250,000 FEI Quanta Series Field Emission SEM. Oliver said: “Flowers are beautiful in 'normal' view, but when you look closer, some parts get very bizarre and unexpected structures appear – flowers within flowers, worlds within worlds”. Photo: The floret of a Chamomile flower up close and personal. (Photo by Oliver Meckes/Barcroft Media)

“These are the stunning shots of one photographer who is putting everyday “selfies” to shame. Paul Zizka, 34, began experimenting with night photography just two years ago and immediately became fascinated with the spectacular scenes he discovered. To create something more unique he started adding himself into the shot – as well as showing others the beautiful surroundings he had been exploring. Using lengthy exposure, the photographer felt that featuring himself in some of his shots – the night sky illuminating the mountains around him – created a relationship between the central figure in the image and the nature around him”. – Caters News. Photo: Paul Zizka in “Galactic Gateway”, Bow Lake, Banff National Park, May 11, 2013. (Photo by Paul Zizka/Caters News)

“Slow”. A calm cow in the messy streets of Jodhpur. Photo location: India. (Photo and caption by Matthias Troeger/National Geographic Photo Contest)

American photographer Austin Tott created the series ‘Tiny Tattoos’ that matches miniature hand-drawn tattoos with the backgrounds from which they draw visual reference. A small bicycle is placed in its urban environment, little trees and envelopes find their bigger brothers and a tiny fox is put in the context of wooden logs.

Zaria Forman is a Brooklyn-based artist who creates life-like works of art by using pastel colors to draw. The representations you see here are all created delicately by finger. Photo: “Greenland #63” 50x75, soft pastel on paper. (Photo by Zaria Forman)

“The Net thrower”. The fisherman are conducting activities on Situgunung Lake. Photo location: Situgunung lake, Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia. (Photo and caption by Dody Kusuma/National Geographic Photo Contest)

You rarely get the opportunity to get up close and personal with a tiny insect. Indonesian photographer Nordin Seruyan helps us to look past the creepy-crawlies of insects and focus on their delicate beauty. In brilliant color and sharp focus, Seruyan captures the insects in his garden. From butterflies and mantises to beetles and snails, the creatures of Southeast Asian get your full focus. (Photo by Nordin Seruyan)

GDT Naturfotograf 2014 – “Die besten Naturfotografien des Jahres”. Radomir Jakubowski – Spieglein Spieglein. 2nd place: Mammals. (Photo by Radomir Jakubowski)