“The Final Bloom” by Hojisan

Inspired by a three-year-old son’s fascination with a tulip blossom, China’s Hojisan decided to capture this macro image “when the sun kissed the flower.” The photographer captured the photo just before the wind came and blew the petals away, but “Even though the blossom was short, I still captured the highest moment of a tulip’s life, which is a gift from nature.” India’s Apeksha Maker described this as “nothing short of a painting,” adding that it shows off the high dynamic range of the iPhone “that smoothly evens the harsh and soft light.” The background is well-balanced thanks to the exposure settings of the iPhone, Maker adds, noting that “What completes the image is the ombré colors and fine lines on the petal so crisply captured.”