"Suspended." Animals. In Portugal, there is no reptile quite as remarkable as the chameleon. Every year, towards the end of summer, the Algarve fills with juvenile chameleons. Naturally discreet, they become more active as the sun climbs higher in the sky, setting off to explore the world around them. Here, at the edge of the ocean, they inhabit the coastal dunes. At their scale, the slender stems of sea pinks become towering lianas, suspended pathways through this sandy jungle. To capture this image, I used a fisheye lens, aiming for a composition that would reveal not only the chameleon itself, but also the perhaps unexpected habitat it calls home. Credit: Joao Pontes / CUPOTY

A split-second, a zoomed in frame, an element you’ve never noticed: close-up photography puts the tiniest details into focus.

The Close-up Photographer of the Year 8 (CUPOTY 8) awards honor the greatest achievements in close-up, macro, and micro photography.…