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.'
HUDDLED together in the hollow of a tree, it would be easy to overlook these two sleepy owls as they blend into the trunk .
These beautiful photographs show how these playful pods of dolphins make their own fun by gliding, flipping and spinning through the air whilst enjoying the sun on their backs .
VENTURING into the ocean with self-made spears and nets, the fishermen of Zanzibar put their lives on the line when they catch food for their families .
LOCATIONS bursting with vibrant greens and chestnut browns, these photographs capture the peaceful English countryside in all its glory .
Tina O’Brien, 54, from East Midlands, met Frederick Allchorne, now 62, when she was 15 .
From vibrant blues to dazzling oranges, these eye catching hummingbirds proudly show off their impressive colours .
STARING open-mouthed into the camera, this shocked fish looks out of place in the middle of its angry friends .
THE TOWERING Irish cliffs of Moher stand tall over the rippling Atlantic Ocean .
With blue waves tumbling over them, these surfers glide underneath a tunnel of water .
Staring death in the face, a little field mouse bravely confronts a hungry cat .
RAISING his flipper, this two day old seal pup gives a wave to the camera .