38 Winning Images From The 2025 Travel Photographer Of The Year Announced

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

A massive bull elephant showers himself in dust.

Torres del Paine, Chile.
Chile’s Torres Del Paine is famous for its stunning landscapes, but it’s also home to a fierce predator — the puma. These majestic creatures primarily feed on guanacos. However, the hunting success rate for pumas is not very high, especially for female pumas. They primarily rely on the abundance of guanacos for their survival. It’s a rare treat to see a puma hunting right in front of you. We followed a female puma for a few days, and she had two adorable cubs who depended on her to bring them food. In this particular early morning, she had been keeping a guanaco close by for a while, and finally she had the chance to get close enough to jump on it. She tried to pull down the guanaco a few times, and she was really close to biting into the neck and suffocating the guanaco… But guess what? The guanaco was a tough cookie, and it managed to escape!

Mekong Delta, Southern Vietnam

This is a 100-year-old Vietnamese man living in a rural village in southern Vietnam.

His home is sparse but filled with the remnants of his memories of yesteryears. Hanging on the wall is a traditional straw hat commonly worn by Vietnamese farmers. Propped against the wall is a walking stick. His fit body belies his age.

Hanoi, Vietnam

I took this photo in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The woman was weaving traditional bamboo baskets, and her joyful smile immediately caught my attention. Her blackened teeth are part of an old Vietnamese beauty tradition, where women dyed their teeth black as a symbol of elegance and cultural identity.

I wanted to capture her warmth, her craft, and the heritage she represents.

Zamora, Spain — Night of Sorrows: The “Yacente” Procession of Zamora, Holy Thursday A lone penitent walks barefoot across Zamora’s Plaza de la Catedral moments before the brotherhood’s final gathering. Behind him, the procession slowly comes to rest, with candles swaying in the night air. Soon, the silence will give way to the haunting chant of the Miserere, closing the “Yacente” procession with a moment of collective sorrow and reflection, well past midnight.

Altai Mountains, Mongolia

We are surrounded by the immensity of the Altai Mountains, a corner of Mongolia where Russia, China, and Kazakhstan converge. Here, Kazakh nomadic herders have, for centuries, forged a unique bond with majestic golden eagles. More than a tradition, this relationship is a symbiosis between human and animal — an ancestral legacy passed down through generations.

Her name is Erbod, and she proudly holds the eagle she inherited from her recently deceased father.

Hoque Market, Southern Angola

"Motherhood"

This Ovahanda woman was visiting a small local market in the Lubango area with her tiny charge securely strapped to her back.

The elaborate beading ornamentation is a tribal tradition, now sadly in decline as Westernization takes its toll on tribal communities who live in the vicinity of ever-expanding urban areas.

Bajirav Vihir, Natepute, Solapur, Maharashtra, India

FEET IN THE MUD, HEARTS IN THE DIVINE — BAJIRAV VIHIR

In the foreground, two men — Warkaris — are joyfully performing a traditional dance or mock stick-play (dand patta–style movement). Their clothes are smeared with mud, symbolizing the earthy, devotional spirit of the journey. One of the men is smiling widely, clearly immersed in the rhythm and devotional enthusiasm. Both hold long bamboo sticks adorned with orange flags (Bhagwa dhwaj), waving dramatically against the wind. The low-angle shot makes their movements look grand and dynamic, while the crisp blue sky with scattered clouds creates a stunning backdrop.

The ground is bare earth, typical of the rural paths the Warkaris travel. The entire scene radiates community, devotion, energy, and cultural richness, capturing the spirit of the Pandharpur Wari — where singing, dancing, and unity are as sacred as the pilgrimage itself.

In the background, a large group of Warkaris — men and women dressed in traditional white attire, colorful saris, turbans, and topis — sit in a semicircle, clapping and cheering. Their expressions show delight, devotion, and communal joy.

Ouadane, Mauritania

Outside the classroom walls, a girl holds her lauwḥ, the board used for learning Qur’anic verses. When lessons are memorized, the boards are washed clean, and the water is sometimes kept as baraka, or blessing. In the silence of the desert, the act of learning becomes an act of devotion.

Moal Boal. Cebù island, Philippines

A large school of sardines moves quickly as predators and humans approach, forming clusters that resemble clouds during a thunderstorm.

La Gomera Island, Canarias, Spain
The red crab (Grapsus adscensionis) lives among the rocks of the Atlantic coasts of the Macaronesian islands (Canary Islands, Azores, Savage Islands, Madeira, and Morocco). In the photo, it appears enveloped by a fine curtain of water produced by the waves crashing against the rocks, where it searches for small crustaceans and plants, on which it feeds.

Jebel Shams, Oman

A man sits in the frame of an unfinished building in Oman, watching the last light fall over the mountains.

His shadow stretches across the glowing wall, creating a contrast between the raw interior and the serenity of the landscape beyond.

Beerwah, Queensland, Australia

I was very fortunate to travel to Australia and visit the Zoo Hospital, where I was able to see the incredible work they do there.

This photo shows a veterinary nurse holding a very young bat that had been brought in by a member of the public who found it out in the wild.

Hoi An, Vietnam

This is a large net set up in the middle of a river in Vietnam. A motor, when activated, raises the nets to catch any fish trapped inside. I was fortunate to be there to document this scene during the golden dawn hours. The gentle light beautifully interacted with the yellow of the nets, creating a striking composition.

Cenote Nicte Ha, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

A water lily garden against a perfectly still water surface makes the texture of the landscape greenery indistinguishable from the scene below the water.

The tiny fish in the water column, contrasting with the blue sky, helps situate the underwater scene.

Cenotes form a network of a subterranean water system stretching over a thousand kilometers throughout the Yucatan Peninsula’s forests.

Factory Butte, Utah

Utah’s breathtaking landscapes — towering rocks, expansive deserts, and serene canyons — offer an unparalleled canvas for nature’s artistry.

Light plays a key role in transforming these dramatic terrains, revealing a spectrum of contrasts from soft, pale hues at dawn to bold, saturated tones at sunset. It doesn’t just illuminate the scenery; it brings it to life, creating moods and enhancing textures in ways that captivate the soul.

This photograph below captures the eroded textures and unique geological formations of Utah’s deserts, Factory Butte, showcasing the mesmerizing beauty of places like the Badlands, Canyonlands, or Escalante.

The interplay of deep blue tones and glowing orange highlights illustrates the incredible power of light. As sunlight grazes the surface at just the right angle — likely during the golden hours — it transforms the rugged terrain into an evocative masterpiece.

Utah’s landscapes shift dramatically under changing light, transitioning from vibrant and saturated to soft and muted. This image is a perfect reminder of how dynamic and alive this incredible state truly is — a place of awe, beauty, and peace in this troubled land.

Athens, Greece

An impressionistic-style photo of a Nemoptera coa on Helichrysum. I took this photo in May 2025 on a mountain near Athens, Greece. I wanted to capture the fleeting feeling I got when this insect landed on the flower, which is why I chose this approach for my frame.

Moorak, (Limestone Coast) South Australia

A freediver rises through the void, a shaft of light piercing the serene depths of Kilsby Sinkhole.

Yamal Peninsula, Siberia, Russia

The moment the fishes touch the ground, the cold claims them. No struggle, no sound — just the swift silence of nature’s rhythm. It’s not cruelty, but necessity. Out here, survival is swift, and reverence is quiet.

The fishermen, exhausted, do not celebrate. They simply nod, as if acknowledging an ancient pact between man and lake. And I, a witness wrapped in layers and awe, feel the weight of that exchange settle into my bones.

Tokyo, Japan

Sumo wrestling is a revered sport in Japan. The basic rule is that a wrestler must force his opponent out of a circular ring or make them touch the ground with any body part other than the soles of their feet.

Often, the winning margin is razor-thin, and it’s impossible to tell who will win until the very last second.

Pithara Lakes, Western Australia

Aerial image of the colorful Pithara Lakes, Western Australia

Kuwait seaside, Kuwait

Framed by the glow of Kuwait City’s streetlights, an Arabian red fox kitten explores the night outside its den — a rare sight for a species that normally breeds deep in the desert.

I monitored two urban dens for nearly three months, each home to five kits and their parents. Habitat loss, overhunting, and human pressure had pushed these families to risk raising their young near the city.

This image was taken next to the seaside, where colorful car and streetlights reflected off the water, while two small hand flashlights created the rim light. I visited the den four nights a week, slowly gaining the trust of the mother and kits until they approached me freely.

Their curiosity — and their vulnerability — made the experience unforgettable.

Broome, Western Australia

On the sunlit mudflats, a crab seizes a blue-spotted mudskipper with a powerful upward snap of its claw, lifting the wriggling fish clean from the mud.

Sukhothai, Thailand (Sukhothai Historical Park)

I captured this image shortly after sunrise in a quiet region of Thailand, whose name fittingly translates to “Dawn of Happiness.”

I noticed how perfectly the Buddha’s figure reflected in the still water. To convey the spirit of the moment, I inverted the photograph, turning the reflection into an illusion where the sky above the Buddha becomes a tapestry of floating flowers and drifting plants.

My intention was to create an image that mirrors the peaceful, dreamlike feeling of this sacred location, where the green textures and beautiful flowers of our world can be transformed into a new and unexpected reality.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Photo of a man sitting in the foreground, lost in thought, while a retired colonel plays table tennis behind him.

The image was taken from a helicopter with open doors flying over Lake Magadi in the south of Kenya.

“On the way to Mars”

The landscape is extremely hostile, harsh, and dry, and the water evaporates very fast. The shallow, highly alkaline water of Lake Magadi is rich in algae and microorganisms, which give it its blood-red color.

From a bird's-eye view, the structures of the subsoil also become visible, opening up the same unique perspective that the flamingos have. Looking at the image, it almost felt that the birds were on a mission to explore planet Mars.

Forest near the town of Kraliky, the Czech Republic

One early morning, I observed a nice tiny mushroom in the Bohemian forest of the Czech Republic… and a few months later, I discovered very different mushrooms during our walks through the Ivorian rainforest of tropical Africa!

Kom Ombu Temple, Egypt

The Pharaoh Ptolemy XII at the Temple of Kom Ombo. He is looking longingly out of the frame at Sobek, the Crocodile God, with the two sharing a gaze for millennia.

Morii Lake, Bucharest, Romania

I was on an outing with my friend, walking along a path known only to us, when the twittering of Spotted Flycatchers caught our attention. It seemed like there were quite a few of them. I moved slowly with my camera ready, trying to spot them, but at first, none were visible.

Then, a sudden movement in a bush drew my eye. A flycatcher was perched nicely on a twig, singing calmly without being disturbed by our presence. I stepped a little closer and decided to shoot through the bush, knowing the foreground would frame the bird beautifully and create a circular composition in the middle that would enhance the overall shot.

Shobujpara, Thanahat, Chilmari, Kurigram, Rangpur

In the small village of Shobujpara, where I grew up, two children pause their play as a rainbow appears after a brief rain.

They had been running around the open field when the sky shifted into soft colors and the arc of light rose above them. The scene feels simple and familiar, reflecting the everyday beauty of rural Bangladesh and the innocence of village childhood. One child looks toward the horizon while the younger boy glances at the camera, capturing a quiet moment shaped by nature, play, and the gentle rhythm of life in a Bangladeshi village.

Delhi, India

A quintessential part of Indian cities is the vibrant array of street food. During Ramadan, special dishes are prepared in huge quantities in the lanes near Delhi’s Jama Masjid. Muslims stop at their favorite restaurants to pick up meals to break their fast in the prayer yard of India’s largest mosque.

This man squats on a counter for long hours, seasoning pan after pan of chicken dishes.

Varanasi, India

From above Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, the scale of the Ganga Aarti becomes visible: hundreds of boats crowd the river, illuminated by the reflections of prayer lamps, while thousands gather along the ghats for the ritual dedicated to the Ganges.

Each evening, the ceremony unfolds in a blaze of fire and devotion, as people watch from the steps and from gently drifting boats, witnessing a tradition that has endured along this timeless river.

Nordurfjordur, Árneshreppur, Iceland

In a week of touring North Iceland, there had been no quality light for landscape photography at all.

The day started as all the others had, with a bland blue sky and sunshine. However, within 10 miles, we drove into a bank of sea fog and a session with such beautiful light filtering through the fog onto the calm sea.

The fog thinning and thickening to reveal and then hide elements of the landscape.

Bauchi, Northern Nigeria

A Gobirawa woman with distinctive facial scarification.

The Gobirawa live near the town of Bauchi and are pastoralists. They are a subgroup of the Hausa and have a long history of living in Northern Nigeria.

Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, USA

A moody seagull shaking water off itself. I knew I needed to get as close as possible to capture the shot I wanted, so I slowly approached while taking pictures until it finally shook the water off.

Altai Mountains, Western Mongolia

During the winter months, every body of water freezes over as temperatures plummet to an average of -35 to -40°C. Animals are cautious around the ice, as they risk slipping, falling, and injuring themselves.

During the 150 km, five-day Winter Migration, herds must cross many frozen bodies of water. In this image, a herd is navigating around a frozen lake, a detour that often makes the journey even longer.

Kyzylkup, Mangystau, Kazakhstan

The wonder of venturing into the spectacular Tiramisu Canyon, where its shapes and lines beautifully absorb the colors of the sunset.

Komodo Island, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tanggara, Indonesia

Komodo dragons, native to a few Indonesian islands, primarily inhabit savanna grasslands, which are ideal for their hunting style, and tropical forests, which provide shelter and shade.

Coastal shorelines and mangrove forests, however, are also an important part of their environment and lifestyle. Komodo dragons are good swimmers and use their tail for propulsion (similar to crocodiles), though always keeping their head above the water.

While they are adept at swimming in deep water, they prefer traversing shallow waters whenever possible, where they can more comfortably walk across the seabed.