THIS spectacular selection of images embodying nature’s grandeur and variety are among the best of the bunch in the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards competition, open to entries from many corners of the world.

For the Vietnam category, Thien Nguyen Ngoc took first place for his tranquil shot of a sea turtle and diver swimming together in harmony off the coast of the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia (pictured above). Pictured below it is the winning entry for Bangladesh – the yellow eyes of a spotted owlet peeping out from its tree trunk nest in the country’s National Botanic Garden, taken by Protap Shekhor Mohanto.

Another dramatic eye features in the main image, this time belonging to a red-eyed tree frog in its Costa Rican rainforest home, which saw Manuel Rodriguez shortlisted in the Latin America category.

Andres Novales from Guatemala also made this shortlist for his ominous shot (pictured above) of a crocodile on the muddy banks of the Usumacinta river, taken towards the end of Guatemala’s rainy season. It is a reassuring sight, since crocodiles are a key indicator of a healthy ecosystem.

The awards also gave a nod to some dazzling natural scenery. The image above by Huazheng Hong is the Singapore winner. He captured the immense scale of the Ilulissat icebergs off Greenland. Pictured below is a shortlisted shot by Vlatko Rafeski of North Macedonia. It is from the Dolomites mountain range in Italy, showing the two-headed peak of Peitlerkofel in the background.

An exhibition of the awards will run at Somerset House, London, from 14 April to 1 May.