And you thought the weather was bad here! Spectacular pictures from photo awards show some of most dramatic landscapes on earth
Breath-taking landscapes, Mother Nature in full force and a glimpse into the life of the animal kingdom are among the stunning images
Mount Etna erupts in a mushroom cloud of ash as stormy snaps dominate a major photographic contest. The awe-inspiring volcano photo taken by Giuseppe Mario Famiani in Sicily, Italy, won a “remarkable” award in the Siena International Awards. It was matched by a picture of ominous storm clouds in South Dakota, US, that won the nature category for Australian James Smart. The overall winner shows a flock of cranes flying during a lightning storm in Nebraska, US. It was taken by National Geographic’s Randy Olson.
1 of 17 The timing of this image of Etna erupting could not be more perfect as smoke fills the sky above.
(Image:Giuseppe Mario Famiani)2 of 17 The winner of photo of the year at the Siena International Photo Awards goes to Randy Olson's Sand Hill Cranes. Chosen from nearly 50,000 entries, the perfectly timed picture captures a beautiful lightning strike behind a flock of cranes in Nebraska, US.
(Image:Randy Olson)3 of 17 This bird's eye view of the last of the sunlight highlighting a snowy forest was captured by Eberhard Ehmke in the last rays of sunshine. The judges of the contest had their work cut out as entries were submitted from more than 161 countries.
(Image:Eberhard Ehmke)4 of 17 Xiaolu Tu's striking image of a walker in red in front of a sea of houses was the winner of the Remarkable Award: Journeys and Adventures. The competition, hosted by non-profit organisation, Art Photo Travel, was about “cultural initiatives aimed at spreading, promoting and enhancing art, monuments, traditions, cultures and natural beauty from all around the world.”
(Image:Xiaolu Tu)5 of 17 Painting of the Wave was taken by Dieter Schweizer while he was flying over the Snaefellsnes peninsula with the seagulls in Iceland.
(Image:Dieter Schweizer)
6 of 17 A majestic image of an octopus dancing in shallow clear blue waters secured Barathieu Gabriel a winning title in the competition hosted by Art Photo Travel.
(Image:Barathieu Gabriel)7 of 17 Gabriela Staebler discovered this male lion sleeping in the shade of a huge rock while on safari. It looks as if he's stopping the boulder from rolling onto him with his leg.
(Image:Petar Sabol)8 of 17 This incredible image shows people scrambling out of a crowd in a sea of pink. The photograph scooped one of the top spots for its remarkable use colour.
(Image:David Oliete Casanova)9 of 17 Berlin Biker by Wenpeng Lu shows the magnitude of German architecture compared to the tiny person cycling past.
(Image:Wenpeng Lu)
10 of 17 The flamingos reflecting in the water give a dream-like feel to Qiusheng Hu's Red Army.
(Image:Qiusheng Hu)11 of 17 Pine rock lightning and full moon was taken by Miguel Angel Artus Illana.
(Image:Miguel Angel Artus Illana)12 of 17 Two dragonflies take shelter from the rain under a flower. Clinging onto the stem it does not look like they want to get wet at all in Petar Sabol's Umbrella.
(Image:Petar Sabol)13 of 17 Scott Portelli's image looks other-worldly as rays of light highlight just how small this diver is next to the school of fish.
(Image:Scott Portelli)
14 of 17 In Yousuf Trushar's Betal nut you can barely see this young man amongst all the betel nuts surrounding him as he proudly shows what he's collected to sell at market in Bangladesh.
(Image:M Yousuf Tushar)15 of 17 Flatiron Building in the snowstorm by Michele Palazzo shows just how strong this building is against the elements in New York.
(Image:Scott Portelli)16 of 17 James Smart's Dirt captures a twister in full force.
(Image:James Smart)17 of 17 This storm looks like it is taking over the area in South Dakota as black clouds swirl menacingly in the sky in yet another of James Smart's photographs called Beast.
(Image:James Smart)