When the power of man intersects with the beauty of nature, mesmerizing moments are born. And nothing makes those moments possible like extreme sports.
This week, Red Bull released a random selection of photographs from their 2016 Red Bull Illume Image Quest -- an action sports photography contest -- and the submissions, revealed below, are nothing short of badass.
More than 5,600 photographers from around the world submitted their work, giving us a glimpse into the heart-pounding world of action sports.
A panel of photography and magazine editor judges are currently reviewing the submissions. Eleven category winners and one overall winner will be announced on Sept. 28, with each winner receiving a prize package of photography gear. Red Bull Illume will then tour the winning images around the world on life-sized light boxes as part of a nighttime photography exhibit.
"I believe action and adventure sports photography represents a kind of pinnacle of human spirit and achievement," Apoorva Prasad, a contest judge and founder of The Outdoor Journal, said in a press release. "I feel that spectrum of human achievement can be encapsulated in an action sports image."
Below, see these extreme athletes conquer their craft by reaching terrifying highs, exhilarating speeds and mysterious depths.
Related
Before You Go
