These 5 astonishing landscape photographs capture some of nature's most delicate and dramatic moments

A diptych displays two contrasting landscape photographs: on the left, a bulbous bottle tree under a starry, red-tinged night sky, and on the right, an aerial view of an iceberg meeting dark blue ocean water that swirls into a foamy spiral.

The twelfth International Landscape Photographer of the Year contest has unveiled its Special Awards winners, recognizing five extraordinary photos taken in some of the world's most challenging environments.

Selected from over 3,600 entries worldwide, these pictures represent distinct categories within landscape photography, from monochrome mastery to weather extremes.