Known as Tse Bitai to the Diné (Navajo) people, or “winged rock,” Ship Rock in New Mexico is an otherworldly geological formation rising out of the desert that can be seen for miles around. The result of a massive volcanic eruption, the unique outcrop consists of a monolithic stack and at least six radiating, serpentine ridges of long-cooled lava.

Originally, Ship Rock was likely a few thousand feet below the ground, but gradual erosion over tens of millions of years has revealed its jagged shape. For Karol Nienartowicz, who won second place in this year’s International Landscape Photographer of the Year contest, the natural landmark was an irresistible place to document from the air as a storm rolled through the Navajo Nation.

A photograph by Lukas Trixl of a New Zealand mountain and greeneryLukas Trixl (Austria), “The Land Before Time,” New Plymouth, North Island, New Zealand

One of more than 3,600 entries from photographers around the world for the competition’s 12th edition, Nienartowicz’s image is joined by dozens more honorable mentions that highlight the astonishing diversity of our planet’s surface. Forests, deserts, mountains, lakes, canyons, plains, and many more nuanced ecological systems take center stage in the winners’ striking images.

A panel of judges chose three winners, with the first place award of Landscape Photographer of the Year presented to J. Fritz Rumpf, followed closely by Nienartowicz and Joyce Bealer. Another category commended specific photographs, with Lukas Trixl’s ethereal capture of New Plymouth, New Zealand, taking the top spot.

In total, a pool of 101 photographs made the cut for publication in the competition’s annual book, a further 101 of which can be viewed in the online gallery.

A photograph by Enrico Raimondo of snow-covered pine trees in the mountains of ItalyEnrico Raimondo (Italy), “From the cold age,” Capracotta, Molise, Italy

A photograph by Dennis Hualong Zhang of a supercell in New MexicoDennis Hualong Zhang (Armenia), “Supercell,” New Mexico

A photograph by J. Fritz Rumpf of snow-covered trees in a snowy landscape by a lakeJ. Fritz Rumpf (U.S.), “Winter Meditations”

A photograph by Henriqu Murta of otherworldly rock formations in the desert in AlgeriaHenrique Murta (Brazil), “Martian Sculptures,” Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, Algeria

An aerial photograph by Max Terwindt of a volcanic eruptions and the aurora borealis in IcelandMax Terwindt (Netherlands), “Aurora Eruption,” Reykjanesbaer, Iceland

A black-and-white photo by Matt Payne of desert landforms in UtahMatt Payne (U.S.), “Cracked Earth,” Utah

A photograph by Albert Dros of mushrooms in a wetland forestAlbert Dros (Netherlands), “Porcelain Shrooms,” Speulder forest, Veluwe Area, the Netherlands

a photograph of a Dolomite landscape in autumn by Martin MorávekMartin Morávek (Czech Republic), “Morning in Dolomites,” Dolomites, Italy

A photograph by Karol Nienartowicz of the Atacama Desert in ChileKarol Nienartowicz (Poland), “Salar de Gorbea,” Salar de Gorbea, Atacama, Andes, Chile

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