Every month we challenge our talented readers with a topic to photograph. June's topic was the elusive blue hour. The results, as always, were wonderful. Each image is a great reminder of how patience can truly pay off when you're behind the camera. The official winner will be announced in an upcoming issue of the magazine, but here's a gallery of some of our favorites to provide inspiration. Once you've made your way through the images, head over to our contest page and participate.

By Miles Morgan

Lava drips into the ocean before dawn creating the newest land on earth. The toxic fumes and unstable bench that forms when lava hits the water and cools make this a challenging environment in which to shoot, but the memories make it worth the risk.

• CAMERA: Canon 5D Mark II
• FOCAL LENGTH: 200
• SHUTTER SPEED: 1/3s
• LENS: Canon 70-200 f4
• ISO: 100
• APERTURE (F-STOP): f19