By Laura Sharman

Published: 08:07 EDT, 14 September 2023 | Updated: 11:50 EDT, 14 September 2023

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There’s incredible beauty to be found in the depths of the Earth’s oceans, seas and lakes, as these magnificent pictures reveal. 

They’ve been honoured at the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 awards, an annual contest that has a mission to ‘shine a light on the beauty of the ocean and the threats it faces’.

Thousands of drone and underwater images were entered, with a heartwarming picture of fish taking refuge under a turtle and a striking shot of a pair of playful humpback whales among those that caught the judges’ attention.

Taking the title of Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 is marine biologist and amateur photographer Jialing Cai with her picture of a paper nautilus – a species of the octopus family – off the coast of the Philippines. The shot, which is described as ‘stunning’ by the awards’ organisers, was taken in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption.

Want to see them all up close? All of this year’s imagery will be showcased at a five-month exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney, Australia, that opens to the public on November 17. 

Or simply scroll down to see 10 astonishing photographs that wowed the judges, including Cai’s winning shot…

Commended in the ‘Adventure’ category, this stunning picture shows a free-diver gazing up at the intricate ice patterns below the surface of a frozen lake in Canada

This heartbreaking picture was taken by Sirachai Arunrugstichai in Thailand. It shows a giant manta ray entangled in ghost nets (abandoned fishing nets) – leading to large wounds – off the coast of Thailand. The ray repeatedly approached divers and allowed them to remove some of the nets. The picture is one of a series that takes the top prize in the ‘Portfolio’ category

In this jarring shot, fishermen carry a dead tiger shark to a notorious shark market in Lombok, Indonesia. Taken by Rike Brandt, it is highly commended in the ‘Conservation Impact’ category

Jarvis Smallman earns the title of Young Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 with this moody shot, showing a bodyboarder paddling out to sea in Western Australia. Smallman notes how big storm clouds blocked the sun when he took the image, creating an ‘electric blue colour effect on the wave’

LEFT: Photographer Merche Llobera, whose portfolio of work is the winner of the Female Fifty Fathoms category, snared this fantastic photograph of a sea lion and a striped marlin moving in on a bait ball off the coast of Mexico. RIGHT: This captivating shot from Merche Llobera’s winning portfolio shows playful humpback whales swimming in the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands

This striking photograph from Merche Llobera’s winning portfolio shows fish taking refuge under a turtle in Costa Rican waters

This devastating shot shows an injured whale swimming towards the ocean’s surface off the coast of Mexico. Its flukes (part of its tail) have been severely damaged from repeated entanglement. It was captured by Alvaro Lopez, who takes third place in the overall Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 awards

Andrei Savin wins the silver medal in the awards with this mesmerising photograph of a crab sitting in the centre of a sea anemone as it sways in the ocean current off the coast of the Philippines

Now for the winner… this is the image that has earned Jialing Cai the title of Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023. Taken on a blackwater dive (a type of night-dive) after a volcanic eruption in the Philippines, it shows a paper nautilus drifting on a piece of ocean debris at night, surrounded by heavy sediment. Part of the octopus family, these creatures are found in ‘temperate and tropical waters’ of the open ocean and live ‘typically less than a year and feed on small molluscs, crustaceans and jellyfish,’ according to the Ocean Conservancy. Cai was inspired to start photographing on blackwater dives after learning about ‘diel vertical migration’, when zooplankton move from the deep ocean to the surface at night 

Dramatic cloud formations over a Chilean mountainscape, a crocodile devouring a wildebeest and a polar bear cub prancing over an ice shelf.

These are some of the scenes captured by the winners of All About Photo (AAP) magazine’s nature photography contest, a prestigious awards that celebrates photographers who ‘beautifully capture the essence of nature, highlighting the magnificence of landscapes, wildlife, and flora and fauna’.

It’s the first nature-themed contest organised by AAP, a monthly online magazine that endeavours to educate and inspire in all things photography-related by providing a platform to ‘exceptional’ work from around the world.

Twenty-five photographers from 11 countries worldwide have been presented with awards. The grand prize winner is Thomas Vijayan, an Indian wildlife photographer whose subjects include Bornean orangutans and Vietnam’s critically endangered golden-headed langur monkeys.

A statement from AAP Magazine says: ‘Nature photography is a captivating genre that explores and captures the breathtaking beauty of the natural world.’ It adds that this style of photography ‘not only celebrates the earth’s majesty but also serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of conservation and our responsibility to protect our planet for future generations’. 

Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel’s pick of the winners – with images from Vijayan’s gold-medal-winning portfolio at the very bottom…

With a tuft of its hair blowing in the wind, this young lion can be seen staring into the distance in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It was captured by Italian photographer Paolo Ameli, who bags a ‘Merit’ award 

This green-hued shot shows the red-eyed tree frog in a jungle in Costa Rica’s La Fortuna region. Photographer Pablo Trilles Farrington – the recipient of a ‘Merit’ award – describes the creature as ‘hypnotic’, noting that its distinctive features are its red eyes and the blue stripe that colours its sides. He notes that though these frogs are typically nocturnal, ‘this photograph was taken during the day when the frog was looking for a better place to rest’

In this breathtaking shot, a caravan of camels moves through a storm near the town of Merzouga, which lies in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Photographer Olivier Unia, the recipient of a ‘Merit’ award, describes the scene as a ‘gift from nature’ 

This magnificent image shows a group of gelada monkeys – also known as the bleeding-heart monkey – in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains. Photographer Turgay Uzer, a ‘Merit’ award-winner, says: ‘To protect themselves from leopards, they spend the night on tiny ledges on the impossibly steep cliffs of the mountains and climb back on the plateau at daybreak to graze’

This magical shot of silhouetted gelada monkeys in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains is the work of Turgay Uzer

A young polar bear cub walks with a spring in its step in this captivating photograph by Turgay Uzer, which is titled: ‘I’ve Got Things To Do And People To See.’ It was captured in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago

Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park was the setting for this mesmerising shot, which shows a ‘young leopard checking on its hoisted kill’ – which means the kill was tugged onto a tree to keep it out of reach of other carnivores. It’s the handiwork of Turgay Uzer

A lion in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park is the subject of this beautifully composed picture by ‘Merit’ award-winner Turgay Uzer

This transfixing shot of a night monkey in Panama’s Parque Nacional Soberania was captured by Turgay Uzer. Describing the creature, he says: ‘It weighs less than one kilogram, has some of the biggest eyes in nature and those long pianists’ fingers!’ Uzer adds: ‘Sadly, the [night monkey] is endangered in Panama because of deforestation, capture for the pet trade and poaching’ 

Turgay Uzer captured this stunning shot of an elephant feeding on the leaves of acacia trees in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park

Though it looks like they’re enemies, the jaguars in this powerful shot are actually mating, photographer Turgay Uzer reveals. He explains: ‘Big cat mating starts with courting, continues with purring and ends with snarls and violence. And can go on like that for days.’ The picture was captured in Brazil’s Parque Estadual Encontro das Aguas 

A crocodile feasts on an unfortunate wildebeest in the Mara River in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve in this jarring shot by Turgay Uzer, titled ‘Dinner Time’ 

This picture of a leopard cub feeding on an impala kill in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is the work of Turgay Uzer. He says: ‘We could have been the first humans this cub had seen. The mother left after dragging a heavy impala kill into the thicket. It was aware of us and yet kept on feeding’ 

U.S photographer Jo Fields captured this striking shot of a non-venomous rat snake on a branch. ‘Many people walking by shuddered with fear and kept walking by,’ Fields says, adding that the snake had just come out of hibernation. Fields snaps up a ‘Merit’ award 

This stunning shot shows lenticular clouds over Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s Patagonia region. Photographer Carmen Villar, who gets a ‘Merit’ award, remarks: ‘Before the sun came up, the colour of the clouds was simply impressive’

This image was captured by overall winner Thomas Vijayan. It shows an inquisitive-looking golden-headed langur, a critically endangered species of monkey endemic to Vietnam’s Cat Ba Island. There are less than 70 golden-headed langurs remaining, the photographer reveals, adding that the species was almost extinct two decades ago, due to poaching for medicine and hunting for sport. Their average body length is 20 inches (50cm) and then their tails extend another three feet (one metre), he says

Behold another spectacular shot captured by overall winner Vijayan, this time showing an orangutan in Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo 

 A whole new ‘Squad’ of progressives is headed to Capitol Hill next year – and could join forces with the Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-anchored group that’s made headlines for pushing the Democratic Party further left and caused a few headaches for party leaders along the way.

While the House of Representatives is on pace to go Republican as of Thursday morning, Democrats outperformed expectations to keep hold of some key swing seats. 

Meanwhile there were also Congressional hopefuls running in safe blue areas that still made history. 

Maxwell Frost, 25, of Florida is the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress and among the youngest Congressman-elects in history.

In Vermont, Becca Balint won a decisive victory to become the state’s first female and LGBTQ person elected to Congress.

The first black woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania, Summer Lee triumphed despite millions of dollars being spent in favor of her more moderate Democratic primary rival.

It remains to be seen whether all five will coalesce outside of the Congressional Progressive Caucus or join the existing ‘Squad.’

The ‘Squad’ was comprised of original members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left), Ilhan Omar (right), Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib

The informal alliance rose in 2019 with core members who had been elected in the 2018 ‘blue wave’: Ocasio-Cortez in New York, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.

Two more progressives were elected in 2020 who later joined, Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri and Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York.

But it’s at least guaranteed to grow House Democrats’ progressive presence – especially as some moderates in key areas fell to Republican challengers on Tuesday.

Summer Lee (PA-12): First black woman in the Keystone State elected to Capitol Hill 

Summer Lee beat Republican Mike Doyle in Pennsylvania’s newly-drawn 12th Congressional District, making history as the first black woman elected to represent the Keystone State on Capitol Hill.

She made similar history being elected to Pennsylvania’s statehouse, before making a career as a civil rights attorney.

Lee went into November 8 armed with endorsements from every Squad member plus progressive Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

She ran the race on similar platforms, being in favor of Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.

The United Democracy Project PAC, the campaign funding arm of the American Israel Public Affairs committee, spent six figures both in the primary and general race to defeat Lee – and failed. 

The 34-year-old progressive bested Republican rival Doyle by just over 10 points.

Summer Lee will be the first black woman in Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation when she gets to Capitol Hill next year

Greg Casar (TX-35): The Austin City Council member who wanted to cut the police budget 

Austin City Council member Greg Casar won his Texas House race with roughly three-quarters of the vote.

In his city position, the progressive congressman-elect had advocated for cutting the police budget and repealing Austin’s ban on homeless encampments. 

Like Lee, he too scored some big name progressive endorsements like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

However at his election night party, Casar shrugged off concerns that he would legislate to the hard left – despite his deep blue constituency. 

‘I’m ready to put my name on powerful pieces of legislation that would help the everyday person, regardless of whether the sponsor of the bill is a Democrat or Republican Independent. No me importa,’ Casar said, according to Fox 7 Austin.

Austin City Council member Greg Casar won his Texas House race with the endorsements of Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren

Maxwell Frost (FL-10): The 25-year-old activist who is the youngest ever member of Congress 

Maxwell Frost is a 25-year-old progressive activist who made history as the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress, sailing to victory in his Democratic district that’s anchored by Orlando.

He won in the Sunshine State despite some big gains by Republicans there, including flipping the vacated House seats of Democratic Reps. Charlie Crist and Stephanie Murphy, as well as a decisive re-election victory for Governor Ron DeSantis.

Formerly an activist for the American Civil Liberties Union and March For Our Lives, Frost clinched a meaningful endorsement from the father of teenager Jamie Guttenberg, who was killed in Florida’s Marjorie Stoneman Douglas high school mass shooting. 

He’s taking over the seat left open by Democratic Rep. Val Demings, who vacated it to run unsuccessfully for Senate against GOP Sen. Marco Rubio. 

President Joe Biden gave Frost a special shoutout during his post-midterms press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

‘I told him that I was the first elected- the second youngest person ever elected United States senator, at 29,’ the 79-year-old president said. ‘And I have no doubt he’s off to an an incredible start of what I’m sure will be a long distinguished career.’

Maxwell Frost became the first Gen Z person to be elected to Congress when he won the seat vacated by Rep. Val Demings

Frost is the son of a Cuban refugee who fled the communist regime for Miami in the 1960s. Pictured: Frost reuniting with his grandmother in April, just six months before she passed away

Pictured: Frost meeting Harry Styles back in 2014 when the candidate was 17-years-old

Becca Balint (VT-At large): Vermont’s first woman and first openly LGTBQ person representative 

Vermonters only get to send one representative to the House, and they’ve chosen their first woman and first openly LGTBQ person for the job.

Becca Balint won more than 60 percent of the vote and was endorsed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

When she gets to Capitol Hill in January, she’ll be the only openly LGBTQ member of Congress serving currently.

‘Today, we reaffirmed that Vermont, and this nation, is still a place where anything is possible. We’re still capable of change and progress,’ Balint, a former schoolteacher, said when claiming victory in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

‘Tonight, after 231 years, Vermonters are sending a woman and openly gay person to Congress for the first time.’

As a current state lawmaker in Vermont, she’s acted in favor of safeguards to affordable housing and gun control.

Becca Balint will be the first woman and first LGBTQ person that Vermont sends to the House of Representatives

Delia Ramirez (IL-03): The Squad-backed state lawmaker who advocates for immigrants 

Illinois state lawmaker Delia Ramirez is yet another progressive Democrat heading to Congress next year after soundly beating Republican Justin Burau.

With her Chicago-area victory, Ramirez becomes the first Latina from the Midwest elected to Congress. 

Her left-wing credentials include endorsements from the Working Families Party and Reps Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Ayanna Pressley.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal also endorsed Ramirez.

‘We broke a glass ceiling,’ Ramirez told her supporters on Tuesday night.  

On her website Ramirez touts her work on behalf of immigrants as an Illinois state lawmaker, writing that she had ‘co-sponsored legislation to stop Illinois cops from acting as Trump’s deportation force and making IL one of the most immigrant-friendly states in the nation.’

And Illinois state lawmaker Delia Ramirez soundly won her race in the Chicago-area 3rd Congressional District

By Ailbhe Macmahon For Mailonline

Updated: 07:44 EDT, 1 August 2023

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An iPhone is a tool for astounding creativity in the hands of these talented photographers.

Their work has been honoured in the 2023 iPhone Photography Awards, an annual contest that sets out to showcase the most showstopping images captured on Apple devices. 

This year the contest, which has been running since 2007, welcomed submissions from photographers from more than 140 countries. For a place in the running, photographs must have been captured on an iPhone or an iPad, and the use of desktop image editing programs such as Photoshop is forbidden.

Reigning supreme overall, this year’s grand prize winner is Mexican photographer Ivan Silva, who captured a magnificent shot of a young football fan on an iPhone 12 Pro. Other shots to gain recognition include a moody picture of Dartmoor National Park in southern England, a vibrant image of a Swiss mountain railway and a mesmerising shot of a trio of elephants marching across an arid landscape.

A statement from the awards’ organisers says: ‘Congratulations to all the winners for the amazing stories they managed to capture with such sensitivity, humour, and beauty.’

Below is a handful of the pictures that captivated the judges. Scroll down to the very bottom to see the photograph that takes the top prize…

This mesmerising mountainscape was captured by Chinese photographer Chun Luo and gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category 

This wintry shot taken in Switzerland shows the train that takes passengers from the holiday resort of Vitznau to the Rigi mountain massif. It’s the work of Chinese photographer Wenqin Hu and gets an honourable mention in the Travel category 

LEFT: U.S photographer Juliane DeLeo Naclerio captured this breathtaking shot of a polar light display over a snowy expanse. Impressing the judges, it gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category. RIGHT: U.S photographer Chang Sun snared this magnificent picture, which gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category, in California’s Yosemite National Park

This magnificent panorama gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category  

American photographer Ryan Coleman captured this epic bird’s eye view, which gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category 

This atmospheric shot of a series of cable cars – which gets an honourable mention in the Travel category – is the work of Chinese photographer Chuangcheng Jin 

UK photographer Clifton Ticehurst captured this moody scene in Dartmoor National Park in Devon. It gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category 

American photographer Roxy Schiavone took this transfixing black-and-white picture of a pair of horses, which gets an honourable mention in the Animals category 

This eye-catching shot of a trio of elephants, which gets an honourable mention in the Animals category, is the work of Chinese photographer Bo Meng 

Light breaks through the clouds over a mountain landscape in this beautiful shot by Chinese photographer Jianming Yu, which gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category 

This beautifully-composed shot shows a farm near the Dutch village of Thesinge in the early morning. Captured by photographer Ton Ensing on an iPhone 12 Pro, it takes the top prize in the Landscape category 

U.S photographer Chang Sun snared this wonderful shot, which gets an honourable mention in the Travel category

U.S photographer Kyle Rehn snared this impressive shot of Sunnylvsfjorden fjord in Norway, which gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category 

Italian photographer Giovanni Casini took this enchanting woodland picture, which gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category 

LEFT: Australian photographer Anthony Ginns took this dramatic waterfall shot, which gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category. RIGHT: This striking mountainscape is the work of photographer Annemarie Jung from Luxembourg. It gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category

This vibrant picture – which gets an honourable mention in the Landscape category – was captured by British photographer Barry Mayes 

LEFT: This captivating aerial picture shows a traditional soy sauce factory in Vietnam’s Hung Yen Province. It was shot on the iPhone 12 Pro Max by German photographer Thea Mihu, who takes first place in the ‘Photographer of the Year Award’ category. RIGHT: Behold, the picture that has earned Ivan Silva the grand prize in the contest. The beautifully composed shot shows a boy in a Lionel Messi football shirt atop a vehicle in Mexico’s Arandas region

Max Verstappen left in disbelief as his F1 winner’s trophy is BROKEN again for a second race running – one week after Lando Norris’ podium gaffe

• Max Verstappen’s Belgian Grand Prix trophy was damaged during a team photo
• Blunder marks second race running that the Dutchman’s gong has been broken
• Lando Norris smashed a champagne bottle on his trophy from the Hungaroring

By Adrian Bishop For Mailonline

Updated: 07:47 EDT, 31 July 2023

Max Verstappen has been left stunned after his Belgian Grand Prix trophy was damaged during a Red Bull team photo.

The incident comes just one week after Lando Norris cracked his award from the Hungarian GP whilst celebrating on the podium.

In a clip posted by Red Bull Racing on social media, the Dutchman can be seen posing alongside his team with the trophy from his victory at the Spa Francorchamps precariously placed in front of them.

A countdown from behind the camera begins, leading to some members of the team begin spraying cans of the team’s energy drink namesake, leading to some of the group racing forward to avoid the mist.

After scurrying to safety, Verstappen looks back in disbelief as it emerges his trophy had been damaged in the chaos before shouting: ‘It’s broken again, the trophy is broken again!’

Max Verstappen suffered yet another trophy blunder after his victory in the Belgian Grand Prix

Grand prix trophy appeared to be damaged just after the Red Bull star posed for a team photo

The blunder marks yet another trophy damaged while in his possession, though he could hardly be blamed for last week’s mishap.

Joined on the podium by Norris and Sergio Perez at the Hungaroring, Verstappen drenched his teammate in fizz while Norris elected to try and use the Dutchman’s trophy as a makeshift bottle opener.

Unsurprisingly however, the gong failed to withstand Norris slamming his champagne bottle into it, and was later seen snapped in half on the floor.

Though he may be struggling to keep his titles safe, Verstappen’s run of dominance this season has shown no signs of slowing down.

Lando Norris cracked Verstappen’s Hungarian Grand Prix trophy on the podium last week 

Despite being hit with a five-place grid penalty in Stavelot for exceeding his gearbox allowance for the season, Verstappen triumphed for the third consecutive year at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The result marked Verstappen’s eighth-consecutive victory, leaving him within touching distance of  Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine set during in 2013, opening the possibility of a record-equalling opportunity on home soil at next month’s Dutch Grand Prix.

Victory also sees Verstappen’s lead at the top of the drivers standings move to 125 points, with a third-world title win now more a matter of when rather than if for the 25-year-old.

These photographers are taking their art form to lofty new heights.

Their work has been awarded in the Drone Photo Awards 2023, an annual international competition dedicated to aerial photography.

The contest received thousands of submissions from countries around the world, with gongs handed out in nine categories including Wildlife, Urban and Sport.

The top prize goes to a shot of a mass of protesters partially concealed by three enormous billboards in Israel, captured by Israeli photographer Or Adar. Other photographs that have stirred the judges include a mesmerising shot of a storm cloud looming over a surfer in Australia, a beautiful picture of a shark gliding through a swarm of silver fish and a dramatic image of smoke billowing from a Mexican volcano.

Photography lovers can get a closer look at the winning entries when they’re showcased in the ‘Above Us Only Sky’ exhibition at the San Galgano Abbey in Siena, Italy, from July 8 to November 19 as part of the Siena Awards festival of visual arts.

Below is MailOnline Travel’s pick of the winning and commended images. Scroll down to the very bottom to see the image that reigns supreme overall…

This astonishing photograph, which is commended in the Nature category, shows Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano, the second tallest volcano in the country at 5,393m (17,694ft) above sea level. It’s been active since 1991 

The stunning Hengifoss waterfall in eastern Iceland is the subject of this vibrant photograph, captured by Ammar Alsayed Ahmed. He notes that the waterfall, which is the third highest in Iceland at 128m (420ft), is ‘mainly eye-catching’ due to the patterns on the cliffs by the water – striking strips of red clay between layers of lava rock. The image is highly commended in the Nature category 

A runner-up in the wildlife category, this poignant picture shows wild elephants in the eastern province of Sri Lanka that have ‘developed a peculiar, distressing, and dangerous [habit] of searching for food in a designated garbage dump’. Photographer Lalith Ekanayake notes: ‘It is disheartening to witness these majestic creatures resorting to such destructive and unhealthy habits’ 

LEFT: Commended in the Sport category, this high-octane shot shows a surfer brave ‘harsh afternoon summer storms in pursuit of the perfect wave’ off the coast of Racecourse Beach in New South Wales, Australia. Photographer Tim Burgess recalls that as the storm cell ‘formed in the distance, the most unique formation of textures embraced [these] skies’. RIGHT: Titled ‘Suburban Dystopia’, this eerie photograph shows ‘a purpose-built villa community on the outskirts of Dubai’ that ‘features houses with identical designs’. Photographer Florian Kriechbaumer says: ‘The houses are characterized by a two-colour pattern and are arranged along a rectangular access street system.’ The shot is highly commended in the Urban category

This astonishing photograph of the Austfonna ice cap in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago takes the gold medal in the Nature category.  It was captured by Thomas Vijayan, who reflects: ‘I have visited this place several times before, but last year it was disheartening to witness the sea ice melting as early as June… even the ice cap had begun melting earlier than usual last year, which was a concerning observation’ 

Highly commended in the Wildlife category, this mesmerising photograph shows an aerial view of a shark ‘gracefully’ gliding through a dense school of menhaden fish (a type of herring) off the coast of the town of Southampton in New York State. Photographer Joanna Steidle says: ‘It was a remarkable privilege to witness this captivating interaction between these two species’ 

Mammatus clouds, a rare cloud formation, can be seen over Toowoon Bay and Blue Bay in New South Wales, Australia, in this powerful shot, which is commended in the Urban category. Jim Picot notes that ‘they are associated with storm activity, and can form very quickly and also dissipate quickly as well’

Taking the top prize in the Sport category, this photograph shows the renowned tightrope walker Nathan Paulin successfully crossing a 200m (656ft) long and 2.5cm (one-inch) wide ‘high-line’ in France’s Aravis Range mountains. Positioned at an altitude of 2,460m (8,070ft), he completed the feat ‘amidst intense cold’. Photographer David Machet notes: ‘This incredible achievement required the dedicated efforts of a team of six individuals over the course of three days’ 

This eye-opening photograph shows a densely populated area of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The photographer notes that in the city, ‘the detrimental consequences of urbanization are evident’, adding: ‘One of the most significant impacts is the gradual disappearance of green spaces. Over the past few years, various parts of the city have witnessed the vanishing of green areas, a side effect of unplanned urbanization.’ The picture is highly commended in the Urban category 

A runner-up in the Nature category, this remarkable drone shot shows the Maelifell volcano in southern Iceland. Photographer Daniel Vine Garcia reveals: ‘I attempted to capture the isolated beauty of the volcano, while also highlighting the rivers that lead towards it’ 

This magnificent aerial shot, commended in the Wildlife category, shows a polar bear in its natural habitat in Norway. Photographer Javier Lafuente notes that ‘the bear shows signs of previous hard fights’. He adds: ‘I used a drone with low noise propellers but I never approached very close to the bear, so it ignored me while I was framing the shot’ 

Commended in the Wildlife category, this jarring photograph shows the remains of a buffalo being eaten by a hyena and vultures in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park

This epic photograph by Oren Alon – commended in the Sport category – shows a group of runners beginning the Dead Sea Marathon in Israel. Alon says the athletes appear to be crossing the sea ‘in a manner reminiscent of’ the biblical story of the parting of the Red Sea

Commended in the Wildlife category, this brilliant drone shot shows gray whales interacting with people on board a boat in Baja California Sur, Mexico, ‘as if they were friends’ 

This enchanting picture of India’s Taj Mahal is commended in the Urban category. Photographer Michele Falzone notes that the ‘layer of clouds and mist’ in the frame gives ‘a floating… surreal look to the timeless mausoleum’

Behold, the picture that takes the top spot overall, captured by Or Adar. It shows huge billboards stretched above protesters in Tel Aviv, Israel

The 76th annual Tony Awards, held at United Palace Theater on Sunday, were not without controversy.

The annual show celebrating all things Broadway received backlash after Lifetime Achievement Award winners Joel Grey, 91, and John Kander, 96, were not allowed to speak after receiving their award.

The iconic duo were announced as winners and joined on stage by host Ariana DeBose and Julianne Hough.

However, just as soon as they appeared they were awkwardly ushered off, all without saying a word.

Grey was previously given the opportunity to make a speech as he accepted the award, however it was at the pre-show. Kander also received his award at the pre-show from New York, New York writing partner Lin-Manuel Miranda – who dropped out as writer of the opening segment in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America Strike.

Backlash: The 76th annual Tony Awards received backlash after Lifetime Achievement Award winners Joel Grey, 91, and John Kander, 96, were not allowed to speak onstage 

The pair stood on stage for a quick beat while getting a standing ovation, before the ladies walked them back out. 

Fans quickly took to social media to point out the situation, with one writing on Twitter, ‘So why Joel Gray and John Kander not allowed to say something about their lifetime Tony awards.’ 

‘I wanted to hear Joel Gray and John Kander speak for their lifetime achievement awards,’ another added. 

Comments from disappointed fans continued to pour in, with someone else writing, ‘Please, there is NO REASON that these aren’t in the “main” show. It’s infuriating.’ 

‘Disrespectful to John Kander and Joel Gray. They are living legends. Stop pandering to people who were born since 2000.’ 

‘Wait no recap for Joel Gray and John Kander?? Good thing they and their moment moment in Act 1,’ someone else chimed in.

Earlier on Sunday Grey received his award from daughter Jennifer Grey, 63, during the Tony Awards: Act One, Live Pre-Show.

‘It’s ultimately the people, the community… all of you… who have made this ride more outstanding than I could have imagined,’ the actor proudly stated.

No speech? The iconic duo were announced as winners and joined on stage by host Ariana DeBose and Julianne Hough

Leaving without a word: However, just as soon as they appeared they were awkwardly ushered off, all without saying a word

Pre-show: Grey was previously given the opportunity to make a speech as he accepted the award, however it was at the pre-show

Writing partner: Meanwhile Kander received his award from New York, New York writing partner Lin-Manuel Miranda, also at the pre-show

Upset: Fans quickly took to social media to point out the situation, with one writing on Twitter, ‘So why Joel Gray and John Kander not allowed to say something about their lifetime Tony awards’

Infuriating: ‘Please, there is NO REASON that these aren’t in the “main” show. It’s infuriating’

Unfair: ‘I wanted to hear Joel Gray and John Kander speak for their lifetime achievement awards,’ another added

Living legends: ‘Disrespectful to John Kander and Joel Gray. They are living legends. Stop pandering to people who were born since 2000’

Disappointed: ‘Wait no recap for Joel Gray and John Kander?? Good thing they and their moment moment in Act 1’

Meanwhile an emotional Jennifer teared up as she watched her father accept the honor. 

She introduced him earlier saying, ‘Hello, friends and colleagues of my dad.’

The star added that it was an ‘honor’ to present the award to her father, who is best known for playing the Master of Ceremonies in the film and stage versions of Cabaret, which earned him an Oscar, a Tony and a Golden Globe award.

She already started getting choked up before a video package was played showing footage from her father’s work.

After the presentation she concluded by presenting, ‘your hero, my hero, Joel Grey’ to the stage, earning a standing ovation.

‘My daughter, my beauty, my sweetness. Seven pounds, 11 ounces, no more. No more! Thank you, darling!’ Joel said.

Eight years earlier, Jennifer Grey also presented her father Joel with another lifetime achievement award, and she also got teared up as well.

Jennifer honored Joel with the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award at the 33rd Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards in New York City back in 2015.

Sweet moment: Earlier on Sunday Grey received his award from daughter Jennifer Grey, 63, during the Tony Awards: Act One, Live Pre-Show

Touching: ‘It’s ultimately the people, the community… all of you… who have made this ride more outstanding than I could have imagined,’ the actor proudly stated

Emotional: Meanwhile an emotional Jennifer teared up as she watched her father accept the honor

Cute: At one point she sweetly cuddled up to her dad 

Fab trio: The duo later posed with host Ariana backstage 

No hard feelings: They appeared to have no hard feelings about being snubbed from the main show and smiled for snaps

Relaxing: They relaxed at the event sitting side by side backstage 

‘I didn’t expect to feel like that,” Jennifer said to the crowd at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, already getting choked up.

She joked, ‘I feel like Liza [Minnelli], all gaspy and stuff!’ She started to speak again but added, Just give me a moment, sorry about that,’ as the crowd broke out in applause.

‘I’m so inspired by my dad. By the sheer breadth of his work, his love of life,’ Grey continued.

‘As someone who has clung to his every move my entire life his incredible career only pales in comparison to the accomplishment of how he lives his life, his gigantic heart. This world is just markedly better for him being here,’ she added.

This year’s ceremony was the latest production to have been impacted by the ongoing Writers Guild of America Strike. 

It marks the first time in 35 years that the Tonys had been afflicted by the WGA strike. 

The ceremony aired on CBS in an unscripted format, and the union agreed not to picket the event. 

TONY AWARD WINNERS 2023

Best Musical

& Juliet

Kimberly Akimbo — WINNER

New York, New York

Shucked

Some Like It Hot

 

Some Like It Hot

Best Play

Ain’t No Mo’

Between Riverside and Crazy

Cost of Living

Fat Ham

Leopoldstadt — WINNER

 

Best Musical Revival

Bob Fosse’s Dancin’

Camelot

Into The Woods

Parade — WINNER

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

 

Best Revival of a Play

 A Doll’s House

The Piano Lesson

The Sign In Sidney Brustein’s Window

Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog — WINNER

 

Best Leading Actress of a Musical

Annaleigh Ashford — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Sara Bareilles — Into The Woods

Victoria Clark — Kimberly Akimbo — WINNER

Lorna Courtney — & Juliet

Micaela Diamond — Parade

 

Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House

Best Leading Actress of a Play

Jessica Chastain — A Doll’s House

Jodie Comer — Prima Facie — WINNER

Jessica Hecht — Summer, 1976

Audra McDonald — Ohio State Murders

 

Best Leading Actor of a Musical

Christian Borle — Some Like It Hot

J. Harrison Ghee — Some Like It Hot — WINNER

Josh Groban — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Brian D’Arcy James — Into The Woods

Ben Platt at the Met Gala 2023

Ben Platt — Parade

Colton Ryan — New York, New York

 

Best Leading Actor of a Play

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II — Topdog/Underdog

Corey Hawkins — Topdog/Underdog

Sean Hayes — Good Night, Oscar — WINNER

Stephen McKinley Henderson — Between Riverside and Crazy

Wendell Pierce — Death of a Salesman

 Best Book of a Musical

 & Juliet — David West Read

Kimberly Akimbo — David Lindsay-Abaire — WINNER

New York, New York — David Thompson & Sharon Washington

Shucked — Robert Horn

Some Like It Hot — Matthew López & Amber Ruffin 

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Jordan E. Cooper — Ain’t No Mo’

Samuel L. Jackson — August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson

Arian Moayed — A Doll’s House

Brandon Uranowitz — Leopoldstadt — WINNER

David Zayas — Cost Of Living 

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical 

Kevin Del Aguila — Some Like It Hot

 Kevin Cahoon — Shucked

Justin Cooley — Kimberly Akimbo

Jordan Donica — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Alex Newell — Shucked — WINNER

 

Best Scenic Design of a Play 

Tim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding — Life Of Pi — WINNERS

Miriam Buether — Prima Facie

Rachel Hauck — Good Night, Oscar

Richard Hudson — Leopoldstadt

Dane Laffrey & Lucy Mackinnon — A Christmas Carol 

 

Best Costume Design of a Play

Brigitte Reiffenstuel — Leopoldstadt — WINNER

Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell — Life Of Pi

Dominique Fawn Hill — Fat Ham

Emilio Sosa — Ain’t No Mo’

Emilio Sosa — Good Night, Oscar

 

Best Lighting Design of a Play 

Neil Austin — Leopoldstadt

Natasha Chivers — Prima Facie

Jon Clark — Jon Clark

Bradley King — Fat Ham

Tim Lutkin — Life Of Pi — WINNER

Jen Schriever — Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman

Ben Stanton — A Christmas Carol 

 

Best Direction of a Play

Saheem Ali — Fat Ham

Jo Bonney — Cost Of Living

Jamie Lloyd — A Doll’s House

Patrick Marber — Leopoldstadt — WINNER

Stevie Walker-Webb — Ain’t No Mo’ 

Max Webster — Life Of Pi 

 

Best Sound Design of a Play

Carolyn Downing — Life Of Pi — WINNER

Joshua D. Reid — A Christmas Carol

Ben & Max Ringham — A Doll’s House

Ben & Max Ringham — Prima Facie

Jonathan Deans & Taylor Williams — Ain’t No Mo’ 

 

Best Choreography

Casey Nicholaw — Some Like It Hot — WINNER

Steven Hoggett — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Susan Stroman — New York, New York

Jennifer Weber — & Juliet

Jennifer Weber — KPOP 

 

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre 

Joel Grey

John Kander 

 

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre

Victoria Bailey

Lisa Dawn Cave

Robert Fried 

Best Original Score (music and/or lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Kimberly Akimbo — David Lindsay-Abaire/Jeanine Tesori — WINNER

Almost Famous — Tom Kitt/Cameron Crowe & Tom Kitt

KPOP — Helen Park & Max Vernon

Shucked — Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally

Some Like It Hot — Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play 

Nikki Crawford — Fat Ham

Crystal Lucas-Perry — Ain’t No Mo’

Miriam Silverman — The Sign In Sidney Brustein’s Window — WINNER

Katy Sullivan — Cost Of Living

Kara Young — Cost Of Living 

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical 

Julia Lester — Into The Woods

Ruthie Ann Miles — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Bonnie Milligan — Kimberly Akimbo — WINNER

NaTasha Yvette Williams — Some Like It Hot

Betsy Wolfe — & Juliet 

 

Best Scenic Design of a Musical 

Beowulf Boritt — New York, New York — WINNER

Mimi Lien — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Scott Pask — Shucked

Scott Pask — Some Like It Hot

Michael Yeargan & 59 Productions — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

 

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes — Some Like It Hot — WINNER

Clint Ramos & Sophia Choi — KPOP

Susan Hilferty — Parade

Jennifer Moeller — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Paloma Young — & Juliet 

 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Ken Billington — New York, New York

Lap Chi Chu — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Heather Gilbert — Parade

Howard Hudson — & Juliet

Natasha Katz — Some Like It Hot

Natasha Katz — Sweeney Todd: THe Demon Barber Of Fleet Street — WINNER

 

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden — Parade — WINNER

Lear deBessonet — Into The Woods

Casey Nicholaw — Some Like It Hot

Jack O’Brien — Shucked

Jessica Stone — Kimberly Akimbo

 

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Kai Harada — New York, New York

Scott Lehrer & Alex Neumann — Into The Woods 

Gareth Owen — & Juliet

John Shivers — Shucked

Nevin Steinberg — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street — WINNER

 

Best Orchestrations

Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter — Some Like It Hot — WINNERS

John Clancy — Kimberly Akimbo

Daryl Waters & Sam Davis — New York, New York

Bill Sherman & Dominic Fallacaro — & Juliet

Jason Howland — Shucked 

 

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

Jerry Mitchell 

 

Regional Theatre Tony Award

Pasadena Playhouse 

These talented photographers are reaching for the stars.

Their work has been awarded in the annual Milky Way Photographer of the Year competition run by the photography blog Capture the Atlas.

Selected from more than 3,000 photographs, this year’s 25 winning images were captured everywhere from Western Australia’s Pinnacle Desert to the Wind River Range mountains of Wyoming.

Capture the Atlas says: ‘Photographing the Milky Way is a marvellous experience. Modern cameras can capture vibrant details and colours in the night sky beyond what our eyes can see. However, what really matters in any great image is the photographer behind the camera – the idea, plan, and creativity to bring the image to life.’ 

Sharing tips with those hoping to hone their astrophotography skills, Capture the Atlas notes that the Milky Way season ranges from February to October in the Northern Hemisphere and from January to November in the Southern Hemisphere. The best time to see and photograph the Milky Way is usually between May and June on both hemispheres, it reveals. 

Capture the Atlas adds: ‘Besides the timing, the other requirement for seeing the Milky Way is a dark sky that is far away from light pollution. It’s always recommended to get away from light-polluted areas like cities and to visit preferably areas at higher elevations.’ Keep scrolling to see the illuminating pictures that charmed the contest’s judges…

This ethereal photograph shows the night sky over Lake Tekapo on New Zealand’s South Island. Photographer Tom Rae recalls: ‘Midway through my Milky Way panorama, a faint glow appeared on the horizon — my first aurora! What followed was a spectacular light show of flowing beams and vibrant colours. The image also showcases airglow, a wave-like pattern of red and green caused by ionized molecules in our atmosphere. But the true focus remains the Milky Way galaxy gracefully spanning the sky, accompanied by the Magellanic Clouds – its smaller satellite galaxies, hovering above the aurora’

Photographer Larryn Rae captured this astonishing image in the Southern Alps, a mountain range on New Zealand’s South Island. Rae recalls: ‘This was some of the craziest airglow I have ever seen! Airglow is when atoms get charged and excited in the upper atmosphere by the sun and emit this wonderful colour and cloud-like pattern’

The Milky Way over Aunqueospese Castle in the Spanish province of Avila is beautifully captured in this picture by Ivan Ferrero. He reveals: ‘This castle is steeped in legends of forbidden love’

This 360-degree time-blended panorama, captured in Bulgaria, shows us what the night sky would look like if we could see two Milky Way arches side by side, photographer Mihail Minkov reveals. He says: ‘This is practically impossible since they are part of a whole and are visible at different times of the day.’ The photographer continues: ‘The two arches of the Milky Way represent one object in the starry sky, with part of it visible in winter and part of it in summer. Therefore, they are called the winter and summer arches. The winter arch includes objects that we can observe from October to March, primarily associated with the constellation Orion. On the other hand, the summer arch features the Milky Way core, visible from March to September, which is the most characteristic and luminous part of the night sky, representing the centre of our galaxy’

LEFT: This enchanting picture by Isabella Tabacchi shows a rock formation in Iran’s Lut Desert under the Milky Way. Tabacchi notes that she successfully captured ‘a green airglow under the Milky Way’ in the frame. RIGHT: Photographer Marcin Zajac explains that the ‘strange, cream-coloured rock towers’ in this picture, captured near California’s Mono Lake, are called ‘tufas’. He says: ‘They formed when underwater springs that are rich in calcium mixed with the waters of the lake, which are rich in carbonates. The resulting reaction formed limestone. Over time, the build up of limestone formed towers, and when the lake’s water level dropped, the towers became exposed’

‘This picture was taken in one of the darkest places in the world: Socotra, a mystical island located in the Indian Ocean between Yemen’s mainland and Somalia.’ So says photographer Violeta Lazareva, adding that the sight of the island’s endemic dragon blood trees under the Milky Way ‘blew her mind’ when she was there 

This breathtaking picture of the Milky Way was captured near the town of Cafayate in Argentinia’s Salta province. Photographer Gonzalo Santile says: ‘In the image, you can see the rock formations of this area known as Las Ventanas (“The Windows”) and the small cacti that are the only vegetation here.’ The photographer notes that he successfully captured ‘the reddish colours of the nebulae [clouds of dust and gas in interstellar space]’ in the frame 

LEFT: ‘It was the first and only time I saw such a bright meteor,’ photographer Roksolyana Hilevych says of the moment she captured this picture on the Spanish island of Tenerife. She says that the meteor ‘lit up everything around it, making it seem like daytime for a few seconds’. The photographer recalls: ‘Luckily, at the moment [the meteor] appeared, I was photographing the core of the Milky Way.’ Hilevych notes that the mountain in the background ‘resembles a cathedral’. RIGHT: This mesmerising shot by photographer Benjamin Barakat was taken on the isle of Socotra. Barakat says that the darkness ‘took his breath away’, explaining: ‘It was as if someone had flipped a switch and turned off all the lights in the world. The stars shone so brightly that it felt like I could touch them. The horizon was so dark that it looked like the zenith. In that moment, I felt small and insignificant, but incredibly alive’

Jose Luis Cantabrana Garcia snared this shot over Western Australia’s Pinnacles Desert. He says: ‘This area is sacred to the [Aboriginal] Noongar people, the traditional owners of this land, and in the past, it was only accessible to women. The story goes that these limestone rocks are nothing but petrified ghosts of the men who dared to enter and were then eternally punished by the gods.’ The photographer adds: ‘As the summer Milky Way stretches across the night sky, these ancient ghosts seem to bridge the earthly world with the interstellar realm beyond’

LEFT: The Milky Way hangs in spectacular style over Mount Taranaki, a dormant volcano on New Zealand’s North Island, in this shot. Photographer Brendan Larsen says that the Rho Ophiuchi star system ‘looks really good with its pink, yellow, and blue colours’. He also points out the Zeta Ophiuchi Nebula as ‘the pinkish nebula to the lower left of the image’. RIGHT: Photographer Mitsuhiro Okabe says that ‘the ethereal beauty of the Milky Way’ is visible in this shot of Japan’s Mount Fuji. It was captured during cherry blossom season in the country’s Yamanashi Prefecture

LEFT: This fantastic shot by photographer Burak Esenbey turns the lens on the ‘majestic’ mountains of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. Esenbey says: ‘In this frame, you can see the Los Cuernos mountain. Capturing this is demanding and you’ll need a bit of luck on your side… clear skies are rare.’ RIGHT: This atmospheric shot by photographer Gary Bhaztara was snared on Gigi Hiu Beach in the south of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island. Bhaztara says of the setting: ‘The rock formation looks like a row of shark teeth, which is why it is called “Shark Teeth Beach” (Pantai Gigi Hiu in Indonesian). The sharp-looking rocks on this beach make this piece of shoreline one of the most unique in the world.’ He notes that the beach is a popular spot for astrophotographers, as ‘there is no light pollution here’

This extraordinary picture by photographer Uros Fink shows a double arc of light over the Julian Alps in Slovenia. Fink says: ‘In the sky, two arcs of light shine. One represents the winter belt of the Milky Way, while the other is the soft glow of the approaching sunrise.’ He continues: ‘In the panorama’s left foreground stands the mighty Mangart mountain (2,679m/8,789ft), from which the Milky Way belt emerges, along with the Seagull Nebula and Orion [a constellation].’ Fink describes it as an ‘incredible view’, and reveals that he stayed awake for 30 hours in order to capture the shot

This striking shot by photographer Luis Cajete was snared during a long night ‘under millions of stars’ in Spain’s Serrania de Cuenca nature reserve. Cajete says: ‘Some of Spain’s darkest skies can be found in the Serrania de Cuenca, an area of remarkable geological beauty. In the southern region lies a place where water has carved the landscape, creating intriguing formations and limestone chimneys’

This spectacular astro-landscape shot was captured on Baobab Avenue, a stretch of baobab trees in Madagascar. Photographer Steffi Lieberman says: ‘Here you see the complete Milky Way arc over the imposing baobabs’

Photographer Jose D Riquelme says of the setting for this magnificent picture: ‘The Huayhuash mountain range, located in the Andean region of Peru, is home to stunning landscapes with mountains and lakes, offering unique opportunities to capture the Milky Way in all its splendour. Night photography in this location is an unforgettable experience, as the altitude and clean air allow the stars to shine brightly.’ He continues: ‘In this image, the mountain and the lake below serve as the perfect frame to highlight the Milky Way… the reflection of the starry sky in the lake creates a captivating symmetry’

LEFT: The setting for this eye-catching photograph was the Wind River Range mountains in western Wyoming. Photographer Brandt Ryder says: ‘This image was taken at a sheltered lake deep in the wilderness where the reflections were so pristine that it’s nearly impossible to separate the sky from the earth. Memories like this hold an extra special place in my heart as I was able to share this spectacular spot with my seven-year-old. I can still hear her words ringing in my ears: “Daddy, this must be the most beautiful place on earth.”‘ RIGHT: Alexander Forst captured this stunning shot of a night train running over the Wiesen Viaduct in the Swiss canton of Grisons and overlaid it with a shot from the same scene that shows the Milky Way overhead

Jakob Sahner captured this ethereal shot on the Spanish island of La Palma, which is part of the Canaries. He says: ‘La Palma and the Canary Islands are ideal for astrophotography due to the trade wind clouds that sit at around 1,000m (3,280ft). Being above these clouds makes it clear enough for capturing images, provided there is no haze or high cirrus clouds’

Photographer Lorenzo Ranieri Tenti says that this panoramic photograph captures a ‘breathtaking scene’ in Namibia’s Gross Spitzkoppe Nature Reserve, showing ‘the southern Milky Way gracefully [spanning] a remarkable formation of smooth granite boulders’. The photographer notes: ‘This area holds a unique charm, with Mount Spitzkoppe being the sole prominent feature for kilometres, majestically rising 700m (2,296ft) above the endless savannah’

LEFT: The setting for this stunning shot was the Cactus Valley in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a location that photographer Pablo Ruiz Garcia describes as ‘one of the coolest and most mind-blowing places on the planet to experience the night sky’. Garcia notes that he was particularly excited about capturing the Gum Nebula and the Magellanic Clouds in the frame. RIGHT: This eye-catching photograph, taken by Peter Hoszang, shows ‘magical quiver trees along with the pristine Namibian night sky’ near the city of Keetmanshoop. Hoszang says: ‘The quiver tree… is a tall, branching species of succulent plant indigenous to Southern Africa.’ He notes that you can see part of the Milky Way galaxy on the left side while to the right is the ‘Large Magellanic Cloud’ galaxy

Jennifer Coolidge showed her support for the Writers Guild of America Sunday amid the ongoing writers strike, while accepting the Comedic Genius award in a clip for the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards Sunday, while Drew Barrymore dropped out and was honored with an award, and The Last of Us came away with three large honors.

‘Almost all great comedy starts with great writers,’ The White Lotus star said in her speech. ‘I just think as a proud member of SAG, I stand here before you tonight side-by-side with my sisters and brothers from the WGA that are fighting right now, fighting for the rights of artists everywhere.

She added, ‘I think of the words of Shakespeare where he once said, you know, the play is the thing. Well, I don’t want to put words in his mouth or anything but I think what he really meant was it’s everything!’

Coolidge won a second award for Most Frightened Performance for The White Lotus at the event. She prevailed in the category against Cocaine Bear’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Barbarian’s Justin Long, Bodies Bodies Bodies star Rachel Sennott and Smile’s Sosie Bacon.

‘My gosh, popcorn,’ she said. ‘Thank you. Oh, my go. Most frightening death. Thank you. I hope this is the last time that I ever die on a show. I would like to stay alive.’

Solidarity: Jennifer Coolidge showed her support for the Writers Guild of America Sunday while accepting the Comedic Genius award at the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards Sunday

The Last Of Us star Pedro Pascal won the honor for Best Hero to kick off the award announcements on Sunday, as the show also garnered the honors for Best Show and Best Duo for Pascal and Bella Ramsey. 

Pascal prevailed over a field including Andor’s Diego Luna, Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania’s Paul Rudd and Top Gun: Maverick’s Tom Cruise for the honors. 

‘I want to say thank you, MTV Movie and TV awards,’ Pascal said in his acceptance speech. ‘I am a child of MTV. This means the absolute world to me. The people at MTV told me that 77.5 million people voted this year. Which blows my mind and just makes it such an honor.’

He continued, ‘I wish we could all be together so that I can look into your eyes and tell you that all young people in the world are my heroes and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. I want to say that you deserve a world that serves your interests.

‘You deserve to be healthy. You deserve to be safe. You deserve for your individual rights to be fought for and protected. You deserve real heroes in this world because you are real heroes to me. And I love you. Thank you. Thank you.’

Cruise was named the winner for Best Performance in a Movie for Top Gun: Maverick, besting fellow nominees Austin Butler (Elvis), Florence Pugh (Don’t Worry Darling), KeKe Palmer (Nope) and Michael B. Jordan (Creed III). 

Cruise showed off his trademark showmanship as he delivered his acceptance speech from the air in a jet.

‘Hi, everyone, thank you so much for this award,’ the perennial A-lister said. ‘I make these films for you. I love you. I love entertaining you. How much you enjoy it, how much you appreciate it. There is no better feeling and I hope you enjoy this.

The White Lotus star said in her speech: ‘Almost all great comedy starts with great writers’

The American Pie alum paid tribute to her writing peers in accepting the Comedic Genius honors

Coolidge won a second award for Most Frightened Performance for The White Lotus at the event

She said, ‘My gosh, popcorn. Thank you. Oh, my go. Most frightening death. Thank you. I hope this is the last time that I ever die on a show. I would like to stay alive’

The beloved actress was one of the shining stars of the evening for the pre-taped program 

Cruise was named the winner for Best Performance in a Movie for Top Gun: Maverick

Cruise showed off his trademark showmanship as he delivered his acceptance speech from the air in a jet

‘Dead reckoning coming out in July. It’s a wild ride. Have a wonderful summer. Thank you again for letting me entertain you. It’s an absolute privilege. We’ll see you at the movies.’

Scream VI was named the Best Movie of the year, edging out a field that included Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, Nope, Smile and Top Gun: Maverick. 

Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega was named the winner of Best Performance in a Show, besting a loaded category that consisted of Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus), Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets), Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & The Six), Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) and Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building). 

The Kardashians were named Best Docu-reality Series over Jersey Shore Family Vacation, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Family Reunion: Love & Hip Hop Edition and Vanderpump Rules. 

In the category of Breakthrough Performance, Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn was crowned with the honor over fellow nominees Bad Bunny (Bullet Train), Bella Ramsey (The Last Of Us), Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon), and Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies). 

Vanderpump Rules quarter Ariana Madix, Katie Maloney, Scheana Shay and LaLa Kent was named Best Reality On-Screen Team, besting stars from shows such as Jersey Shore Family Vacation, The Challenge: Ride or Dies, RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Adam Sandler took home the prize for Best Comedic Performance, besting fellow nominees Coolidge (Shotgun Wedding), Dylan O’Brien (Not Okay), KeKe Palmer (Nope) and Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary).

In the category for Best Fight, the Scream VI conflict between Ghostface and Courteney Cox (as Gale Weathers) prevailed of the nominees.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars was crowned the Best Competition Series, besting competitors including All-Star Shore, Big Brother, The Challenge: USA and The Traitors.

The Last Of Us star Pedro Pascal won the honor for Best Hero at the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards Sunday 

The beloved leading man praised young people in his speech, saying, ‘You deserve real heroes in this world because you are real heroes to me’

Pascal and Bella Ramsey also won the honors for Best Duo for The Last Of Us 

The actor, who plays the role of Joel on the video game adaptation, had his hands full with three trophies as the HBO series garnered the honors for Best Show

Drew Barrymore was slated to host, but backed out due to the WGA strike. Despite her absence, the Hollywood stalwart was also named the Best Host for The Drew Barrymore Show 

Outer Banks stars Madison Bailey and Rudy Pankow were crowned winners in the Best Kiss category, defeating competitors such as The Last Of Us’ Anna Torv and Philip Prajoux, My Policeman’s Harry Styles and David Dawson, Daisy Jones & The Six’s Riley Keough and Sam Claflin and Only Murders in the Building’s Selena Gomez and Cara Delevingne. 

The 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards aired Sunday in a pre-taped broadcast amid the commencement of the WGA writers’ earlier this week.  

The long-running awards show is one of the first victims of the ongoing dispute between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Writers Guild of America union.

Officials from the Writers Guild had pledged to picket at the event in Southern California – which will would have put celebrities in the awkward position of crossing the line – until MTV scuttled the live event Saturday evening.

MTV executive producer Bruce Gillmer said in a statement, ‘We’re pivoting away from a live event,’ according to the AP.

Gillmer said that the pre-taped format enables the network ‘to produce a memorable night full of exclusive sneak peaks, irreverent categories our audience has come to expect, and countless moments that will both surprise and delight.’

Writers are now on strike and picketing studios, leading the host Drew Barrymore to announce she was dropping out last Sunday.

The 48-year-old actress-turned-talk show host had been set to MC the festivities, but she is now putting her clout behind writers struggling to earn better pay and guarantees on staffing, as studios increasingly try to limit the size of writers’ rooms and shrink the number of episodes per series.  

‘I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike,’ Barrymore told Variety. ‘Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of their creation.’

In the category for Best Fight, the Scream VI conflict between Ghostface and Courteney Cox (as Gale Weathers) prevailed of the nominees; the horror villain accepted the honors in a pre-taped speech 

Sofia Carson’s Come Back Home was named the Best Musical Moment for the film Purple Hearts 

Barrymore added that she’ll be watching the show from home, and she stills plans to return as host next year. 

Despite her absence, the Hollywood stalwart was also named the Best Host for The Drew Barrymore Show. 

Though she won’t be at the Barker Hangar in person, she may still be in pre-taped sketches that were filmed prior to the start of the strike. 

The labor action has also led the awards show to cancel its red carpet festivities, and other stars may also drop out to show support to strikers.

On Thursday, Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent also announced she was no longer attending as a show of solidarity.

‘Although Vanderpump Rules falls under the unscripted sector of TV, that is not an excuse for me to remain silent and carry on as if there isn’t so much at stake for every writer and their families,’ she told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. ‘We have to protect our creators and I hope you’ll stand with me and many others as we do so until we reach a resolution (hopefully very soon).’

As in previous years, the show will feature gender-neutral award categories. 

The show, which had previously been split over two days for scripted and unscripted content, had been condensed back into a single evening this year.  

Viewers can also stream the show on Paramount+.