A soap bubble lands on the frosty ground and creates a shimmering snow globe as crystals form around it. Pictured under the winter sun, the bubbles glow as sunlight bounces off their surface. Photographer Hope Thurston Carter captured the images after blowing the soap bubbles on several freezing days in Michigan. The 52-year-old, of Martin, Michigan, says: 'I got the idea to blow bubbles outside in the winter after I saw several similar photos on the internet.
From vivid greens to glowing pinks, the colours of the aurora borealis fill the night sky above a snow covered Lapland .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
RESTING his weary head on his flipper, this little seal pup takes a much needed nap after an afternoon of strenuous yoga .
SITTING quietly at the edge of the lake, these two baby bears watch and learn as the adults hunt for fish .
BRAIDED, sculpted and beaded, these are the eye-catching hairstyles worn by the tribal women of Angola .
THROWING himself off 1,100ft bridges in a wheelchair, this is the PARALYSED base jumper who knows no fear .
WITH THEIR adorable big round eyes and fluffy white fur, these baby seals are cute enough to melt any heart .
Swimming side by side with divers, these manatees will do anything they can to stay warm .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
CLINGING onto nothing but ice, this brave climber reaches heights of 1000 FEET as he scales frozen solid waterfalls .
As sunlight cascades through its vibrant stained glass windows, every inch of the Nasir-ol-Mulk Mosque bursts with colour .
An aerial view of flooding in Gloucestershire .