Hawaii volcano eruption
© @mikemezphoto / Reuters
An incredible once-in-a-lifetime shot by a photographer in Hawaii saw him brave a volcanic eruption to find the perfect setting for his dramatic night sky image.

American photographer Mike Menzeul, 32, is no stranger to snapping stunning photos of nature at it's awesome best.

He captured the incredible images juxtaposing Earth's volcanic activity against the dark vastness of space while visiting Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii when he spotted a meteor soaring overhead.


"I was literally in shock," he told The Huffington Post. "It was my third frame to shoot after the sun had set, and after I saw the meteor, I knew I couldn't beat that image, so I packed it up and headed back."

Menzeul trekked some 13 miles "through some of the most extreme landscape I've ever been in" to get his shots - and left after spending just a few seconds at the site to avoid getting burned by lava.

"Once I found the lava surface flows, it was so amazing to see something that had traveled so far from the center of our Earth to that exact spot," said Menzeul.

Menzeul travels all over the world to capture spectacular pictures of the elements, sharing them on social media and his website.