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The Promise of Dawn
On a November morning, the sun rises late. Cranes announce the break of dawn with their clangor, and the accompanying Whooper Swans wake up. At dawn, the blue hues of the departing night blend with the tinted rose of the rising sun, a rare blend of nature’s many shades. With the silhouettes of these majestic birds against nature’s beautiful backdrop, the sight is at once calming and promising.

• Clicked by: Agnieszka Florczyk

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The Tree of Life

An artistic top shot of a mangrove with the interspersed estuaries resembling a tree with its broad trunk and many branches. Mangroves are important to the ecosystem. Their presence prevents erosion and absorbs storm surge impacts during extreme weather. Their dense roots help bind and build soils.

• Clicked by: Amar Habeeb

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As the River Flows
This unusual top shot of the river is akin to abstract modern art. With minimal colors, but a varied geometry of designs, this piece of art almost challenges us to think what we make of it. Just as a river that flows where it pleases, circumventing anything that comes in its way.

• Clicked by: Amin Malekzadeh

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Nature’s Carpet
When water is scarce in summer, algae often form in the lakes. It’s almost as if Mother Nature has spread out a verdant green carpet. In this pool of green algae, people bathe their cows. Sometimes children play in the green pool. In this picture, the cow’s movement while being bathed, has created swirls in the algae creating a delicate natural tapestry.

• Clicked by: Aung Chan Thar

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The Desert Arose
The magnificence of the desert, the undulating mountains of sands, the enmeshed play of light and shade, and in it all, the insignificance of man walking through – this picture captures the majestic beauty of the desert

• Clicked by: Babak Mehrafshar

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Milky Way Chaser
The night sky illuminated with a million tiny lights and in their midst, a hazy band of light formed from stars that cannot be distinguished by the naked eye – The Milky Way. Atop the large natural rocks, the man stretches his arm out to the Milky Way. And for that brief moment, he has the whole world in his hands

• Clicked by: Ehsan Nikfarjam

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Issa and the Majestic Dragon Tree
The island of Socotra has long remained solitary and indifferent to the upheavals of the world. But today, Socotra and its fragile ecosystem are on the front line of climate change.
This picture pays homage to the majestic Dragon Tree

• Clicked by: Guillaume Petermann

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The Living Bridge
Jing Kieng Jri (Khasi Language) is a living bridge made out of tree roots from rubber fig trees (Ficus Elastica). These bridges are found in the Indian state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya, owing to its geology and geography, is a place where concrete bridges are unlikely to survive even a few decades because of torrential rain, earthquakes, landslides, and floods. At a time when concretization is happening everywhere, these living bridges have become live examples of how humans can live in harmony with nature, where nurturing the environment is both a tradition and a habit.

• Clicked by: Himadri Kumar Bhuyan

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The River’s Bounty
The fishermen of yore harvested small fish, and made a living off the ecosystem that water provided. The intricate hues and folds of the vast fishing net against the backdrop of the river makes it a sight to behold.

• Clicked by: Khanh Bui Phu

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A Butterfly on Water
Fishermen are casting nets to catch fish for their livelihood. A very ordinary scene in their daily lives. But this picture taken, from the top angle, makes this ordinary scene look extraordinary. Viewed from the top, it looks like a large butterfly rippling on the surface of the water. The vast nets cast out onto the water are like the translucent wings of the butterfly, and the two narrow fishing boats, poised in V shape look like the butterfly’s antennae. There is beauty even in the ordinary.

• Clicked by: Kim Cuong Nguyen Trang

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Lotus Farming
Lotus farming is an age-old profession that adds value to the rural economy. These lotuses are collected by the farmers in the early morning and get sold to the local market which eventually gets transported to city markets for further distribution.
This top-angle shot using a drone shows the lotus collection from a unique perspective and the purple flowers in the blackish-blueish water bed have created an amazing color contrast and harmony.

• Clicked by: Kishore Das

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Morning Glory
A fisherman and his wife working in a lakeside using the traditional method of fishing. All over the world, man relies on Nature for everything. From food and water, to livelihood, our entire existence depends on Nature. This photograph captures Mother Nature in all her glory – the magnificent sun, the white fluffy clouds against the expanse of blue sky, water rippling till the eye can see. The fishing nets resembling lace curtains hanging from the dried up tree, and the quaint thatched hut, add to the picturesqueness of this morning scene.

• Clicked by: Kyaw Thet Sint

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The Joy of Little Things
Young boys are playing together in mud by lying down in it and flailing their arms and legs. Their bodies are messy but the joy abounding from their faces is unmistakable. They don’t need toys or gadgets or artificial things to make them happy. Living in true harmony with their surroundings, this moment symbolises the happiest childhood lives for them.

• Clicked by: Kyaw Zay Yar Lin

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The Russian Dragonfly
Microphotography at its best, this shot captures the usually unnoticed beauty of the Dragonfly. The exquisiteness of its vividly hued wings, its long and shining abdomen and delicate legs can be appreciated well in this magnified image. This dragonfly found in the Penza Region is included in the Red Data Book of Russia.

• Clicked by: Lapshina Vladlena

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The Flamingo Dance
Captured from the top, the pristine white flamingos seem to be immersed in their own choreography. Moving on their long, lithe limbs, in a beautifully orchestrated ballet, these birds of nature are a sight to behold.

• Clicked by: Majid

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Morning Glory
This picture captures the burst of morning light on the seashore of Botolan Beach in Zambales in the Philippines. Ensconced between the waters rushing to greet the expanse of the beach sand is the solitary man. Standing in the midst of beautiful nature, the man is filled with new hope to embrace a new day in life.

• Clicked by: Mark Anthony Agtay

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The Flight
We have a lot to learn from migratory birds. The precision of their flight, the inherent knowledge of the direction, timing and place, the synchronicity of their movement and the disciplined order. One can only marvel at nature’s perfection. Captured in graceful motion are these exotic birds, as they fly precisely and orderly, over a blue-green lagoon, so sure of their flight, never a wing out of place.

• Clicked by: Mehdi Mohebi Pour

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The Sands of Time
A picture of the timeless desert that has seen history from time immemorial. The desert seems to stand still possessing a unique beauty, peace and silence. And yet the sand is anything but still, always in a state of motion, making the desert dynamic at the same time. The play of light in the picture appears as if making a pathway in the desert, for the weary travelling passing through.

• Clicked by: Mohammad Esteki

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The Ghost Lake
Mamorz Lake in the Mazandaran province of Iran is known as the Ghost Lake. However, seen from this angle, the view of the lake is vibrant and filled with color. So which is true? In reality, this lake has two different views. One is hazy when you look at it from the ground. With bushes rotting in the water. Bushes the size of a man that creates a strange illusion.Another view is a view from above. A calm lake in the arms of the forest, radiant with colors. Much like in life, what you see depends on your perspective. Choose the better view.

• Clicked by: Mohammad Reza Masoumi

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The Many Shades of Green
This picturesque scene is captured at the Sirajganj spot in Bangladesh, a popular place for locals to swim and bathe, even in the cold water. Traditional Fishing Fishermen are seen floating on top of algae as they search for potential catch in the sharp green waters of the river. Algae makes the water cloudy at times, but can’t take away from nature’s beauty as seen in this picture. Sadly, nature is at risk as climate change causes the river to become polluted and dry out. It is mankind that ultimately loses.

• Clicked by: Muhammad Amdad Hossain

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A Storm Approaches
This is a picture of the Lap An lagoon in Hue province of Vietnam, in the dry season. When the water recedes, fish are stuck in puddles. During low tide, people here often go fishing. When I arrived at Lap An lagoon, the storm came. The people with me were afraid of lightning, and rushed to safety. But I stayed to witness the change. When the storm came, heaven and earth seemed to be connected by wind and water. I stayed calm, forgot my fear, watched in awe at this glorious sight, and shot this moment, capturing it for posterity.

• Clicked by: Phan Thi Khanh

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The Dance of the Firefly
Fireflies flying around a street lamp at night were captured in slow shutter. Termites sprouting wings and mating overnight to form several new termite colonies is an amazing sight of nature. The day the termites emerge with their wings is also the feeding festival of the predators. It is also an example of a way of life where species

• Clicked by: Rajeev Mannayam

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Every Drop Counts
Every drop of water can save lives. Every bit of nature around us is beautiful and serves a purpose. This picture was captured near my garden. After a small rain, I saw a spider reaching out to a water droplet that hung precariously from a thin dangling branch. I zoomed in and captured that captivating scene.

• Clicked by: Rashin Karayi

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The White Tree
Trees are one of the most sensitive elements of nature. One can recognise the change of seasons from the visible transformations in trees.This picture was shot in winter. By autumn the trees have shed their leaves and when it snows, the trees appear white, in harmony with the rest of nature.

• Clicked by: Saeed Hadipoorsalestani

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Green Clouds

An aerial shot of the pristine beauty of Kavvayi, a group of small and large islands, located at the foot of the Ezhimala Hills, near Payyanur in Kerala. Kavvayi is Kerala’s third largest backwater system, surrounded by lush mangrove forests, abundant with aquatic birds and freshwater fish.A picture of serenity and pristine beauty, it appears as if the lone man is kayaking across a sea of soft, fluffy, green clouds. Almost as if he is gliding in the sky, not sailing in the water. A tranquil journey, in harmony with his inner self.

• Clicked by: Shyjith Onden Cheriyath

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Face to Face
The Deccan Banded Gecko is usually found in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. This Gecko was micro photographed as it stuck its head up during a drizzly monsoon evening at Amboli in the Western Ghats. The bands on its body and its eyes appear fluorescent in the lighting.

• Clicked by: Soumya Ranjan Bhattacharyya

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Dawn Lights
This stunning picture captures the early morning sun, shining over the lake. The scene, replete with natural beauty, shot under natural lighting, looks like an artist’s painting. The early morning mist gives the picture even more allure.

• Clicked by: Tran Ngoc Anh

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An Elephant’s Mud Bath
An Asiatic Elephant doing Mud bath on a hot summer evening. This behavior is commonly seen in elephants because it helps them to maintain their body temperature cool. This tusker was at the foothills of Himalaya & the sun was setting on top of the mountain, giving me the darker background. Everyone accompanying me were busy looking for tigers to come out. At that moment, I noticed this tusker who was unabashedly enjoying the mud bath. I positioned my vehicle at the perfect angle, waited for the tusker to come straight in front and there, I framed this moment.

• Clicked by: Trikansh Sharma

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The Protector
This picture captures the many faces of nature – the destructor, the protector, the helpless victim, the powerful saviour. A girl saved two little chicks holding them in her palms, while covering them with a leaf to protect them from getting drenched in the rain. Here the rain causes damage, the leaf protects, the chicks are the helpless victims and the joyous girl child is the saviour. Interestingly, all are various elements on nature. Which one do we want to be?

• Clicked by: Varada Nayaka

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Red Lines
Civilization is intensively generating a new normality, which mankind is still grappling with. Only nature silently observes and empathises with our helplessness before our own freedom.
#StayHome

• Clicked by: Yuri Pritisk

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