Good issues usually come higher in pairs. That sentiment held true throughout this yr’s Close-up Photographer of the Year Challenge which noticed contestants from around the globe submit exceptional pictures of {couples} navigating the pure world.

Dutch photographer Alex Pansie took residence the principle prize this yr along with his virtually appallingly lovely picture (featured above) of two European floor squirrels munching on poppy on a Vienna garden. Second place, in the meantime, went to British photographer Barry Webb along with his picture of slime moulds on a useless apple department. And Julia Briggs, with hers that includes intricately detailed leaf skeletons, pressed up towards a black background, gained third.

“These stunning pictures show the power of two, whether that’s two ground squirrels working together or two stag beetles battling for mates in a woodland arena,” CUPOTY Co-Founder Tracy Calder stated in a press release. “Yet again, entrants have shown that close-up photography can help us see the world anew and discover beauty in subjects that are often overlooked.”

The CUPOTY Challenge has run yearly for 3 years with a special theme annually. Its creators say the competitors, based in 2018, is meant to encourage photographers to decelerate and join with the pure world. CUPTOY’s fourth installment is simply across the nook with entries accepted beginning in late February and ending in late May.