FROM ICE bubbles to boiling lava, these photographs highlight the stunning shapes and patterns found in nature. The series of extraordinary images were taken by German software engineer Thorsten Scheuermann after he decided to examine his surroundings. A trip to the city of Kalapana in Hawaii, home to the Kilauea Volcano, provided Thorsten with the setting for his lava picture, while a visit to the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon offered him the opportunity to photograph ice bubbles up-close. The 37-year-old, now of Washington, USA, said: 'These are sights that can gain greater significance and have their beauty exposed when excluding everything else around them.'
SQUEEZING their furry faces through a hole in a tree, a trio of curious baby squirrels leave their nest for the first time to explore their surroundings .
A terrified moose, trapped in a frozen lake, bobs her head above the icey water and awaits her rescue .
Say cheese! This cheeky chappy isn’t in the mood to live up to his scary reputation as he is pictured here cracking a killer smile as he goes about his daily business .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
An adorable black bear cub struggles to find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap as he wriggles around on the branch of a maple tree .
SAT with his arms folded and a cross look on his face, this Gorilla looks like he's had enough of the Christmas holidays already .
BURSTING colours of reds, pinks and purples give the illusion of a collection of stunning flowers .
WELCOME to the Temple of Zoom where you can “experience” sliding down a Mayan temple into shark infested waters .
MEET the little lion of suburbia with a mane that makes him look like a mini-king of the jungle .
SAILING peacefully across a river in the early morning light, a fisherman in China keeps a 1000 year old tradition alive .
