10 of the most amazing submissions from the world’s biggest photo contest that will make you see the world a little differently

Huddling elephants, frozen lighthouses, a dandelion seed and even a photo of a fried egg.

(Josef Schwarz/CEWE Photo Awards/PA)

The world’s largest photo competition has released its first images – ranging from long-distance nature photography to an ultra-close-up of a dandelion.

Some 660,000 entries have been submitted by amateur and professional photographers from the across the globe to the CEWE Photo Awards, in line with a competition-wide ‘Our World Is Beautiful’ theme, and the overall winning image will be announced at an event in Berlin on 16 September.

These ten shortlisted images – one from each of the ten different categories – should give you a taste of what is to come and perhaps some inspiration for your own photography.

Hobby & Leisure, Hans Lahodny: A women’s outfit strikingly matches the artwork she is gazing at.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Nature Petra Jung: Rain droplets cling to the thin tendrils of a dandelion seed.

Travel & Culture, Siegfried Claeys:  Beachgoers gather on idyllic white sands in the Cape Verde islands while maintaining social distancing.

Cooking & Food David Weimann: A very modern take on a classic breakfast fried egg.

Landscape, Manfred Voss: An icescape captured on the German island of Rugen, featuring a lighthouse looking out over a startlingly frozen sea.

Sport, Andreas Bauer: Children play football against the backdrop of a large mural on the streets of Havana, Cuba.

Architecture & Technology Cor Boers: This image which looks to us like a scientific diagram comes courtesy of Cor Boers from the Netherlands.

People Hartmut Schwartzbach: A group of children talking and laughing in the Philippines.

Phil, Tacloban auf der Insel Leyte, Die Kinder in dieser Wellblechhütte haben auch bei strömenden Regen gute Laune.Slumsiedlung am Fluss Estero Mangonbangon.Die Familien aus dem Slum im Barangay 39 Calvary Hills am Estero Mangonbangon sollen in neue Häuser einer Relocation Area umgesiedelt werden. Allerdings setzt die Regierung die Priorität auf die Bewohner am Meer, deshalb werden sich die Slumbewohner entlang des Flusses wohl noch gedulden müssen. Es entstehen sogar neue Häuser, doch mit einem Abstand von drei Metern des Flusses sollen alle Wellblechhütten entfernt werden (Demolition). Einen Land Titel hat hier niemand. Neben der Überflutungsgefahr birgt die Siedlung insbesondere für Kinder große gesundheitliche Risiken wegen der miserablen hygienischen Verhältnisse, auch die durch Rattenkot und meist tödlich verlaufene Leptospirose kommt vor.[(c) Hartmut Schwarzbach/argus, Veroeffentlichung nur gegen Honorar und Urhebervermerk, Belegexemplar an H.Schwarzbach/argus, Eidelstedter Weg 65, 20255 Hamburg, Tel.040-493143 oder mail: post@hartmut-schwarzbach.de, Portfolio: www.hartmut-schwarzbach.de , Bank: HASPA, IBAN DE0420050550 1281519437, BIC: HASPDEHHXXX]

Aerial Photos, Azim Khan Ronnie: A bird’s eye view of a vast array of colourful Vietnamese herbs and spices.

Animals, Josef Schwarz: A family of elephants huddles together for safety in South Africa, forming a huge mass with the tiniest ones tucked away.