Photo Credit: Matt Clark

The winners of Weather.com’s 2015 “It’s Amazing Out There Photo Contest” were just announced. The second annual competition received over 40,000 submissions from amateur and professional photographers from across the globe. The stunning weather, nature and adventure shots were narrowed down to a final list of 73, from which judges selected the winners.

It was New York-based surf photographer Matt Clark who took home the grand prize of $15,000 for his powerful and striking black-and-white photo of Casino Pier’s Jet Star roller coaster. It was captured in the spring of 2013 just months after Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the region.

Shortly before the damaged roller coaster was due to be torn down, the 29-year-old surf and travel photographer made a trip to the Jersey Shore to document the beach that had a special place in his heart. He remarked, “It was an intense time for so many people who had their lives changed in such an incredible way. I really wanted to capture this moment in history that would’t be there in the future. I knew that there was only a little bit of time left.”

Clark’s images can be found anywhere from the cover of a magazine to the NYC transit system, from the streets of Paris to the center of Times Square. Find out more on his Facebook page Clarkography, or his website, clarkography.com.

Other winners include these breathtaking photos:

Rockhopper Penguins Storm the Beach, Rick Beldegreen

Photo Credit: Rick Beldegreen

The Crossing, Luke Collins

Photo Credit: Luke Collins

After the Storm, Jason Weingart

Photo Credit: Jason Weingart