50 Incredible Photos From The 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest

I took this photo of an adolescent humpback whale in the South Pacific, several miles off the coast of Tongatapu, Tonga. I captured this as a split-shot with half my dome port submerged, and the other above the surface. This playful whale came right up to me and looked directly into my eyes as the tip of his rostrum glistened in the afternoon sun. Looking closely, you can see Loni, our expert skipper, lining up a surface shot of this incredible encounter from the roof of our dive boat.

We were lucky to find new born lion cubs in the plains of Masai Mara, Kenya. The mother is extremely protective of the cub and was often seen hiding them behind the bush and away from predators. In this instance, as the cub unknowingly walked very close to the side of a cliff, the mother lioness quickly tried to grab it from its head to protect it from falling over. It looks dangerous, but it is an endearing way for the lioness to pick up the cub and place it back to safety.

I was able to see the Milky Way when the cherry blossoms at Chureito Pagoda were in full bloom, and I was able to shoot a rare landscape.

I rode an icebreaker along the Beaufort Sea in Kaktovik, Alaska to capture these two cubs playing in the snow. I was fortunate to grab this high-five moment, among so many other favorites. It's difficult to photograph the bears in snow at eye level on the ice and this close, because once the water freezes, the season is over for small skiffs. If you go to early, you only capture polar bears on dirt.

Rundown neighborhoods contrast with the glitzy Grand Lisboa hotel on Macau’s skyline

Xiapu is a giant mudflat in Fujian, China. Most famous for a battalion of bamboo poles stretching to the horizon and thrust into the mud to hang and dry seaweed, the area has preserved traditional ways of coastal living. After having visited an ancient forest we got lost on the country roads back towards the highway. I happened to look out the passenger window and see these giant nets floating in the breeze like tentacles clawing at the boatman. I parked, slid down a muddy bank and took picture.

On my recent trip to Lake Kerkini, Greece, I got up close and personal with the globally threatened Dalmatian Pelicans. Being the largest of the Pelicans in the world, these birds are amazing to photograph, especially during winter when their breeding reddish/orange colors brighten up the shot

The famous "Firefall" of Yosemite National Park is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the Horsetail Falls waterfall glows orange due to the angle of sunlight hitting the water, and will only occur when certain time and weather conditions are met. Some firefalls may glow a pale yellow, while others may glow like burning fire. I was lucky to witness the latter combined with strong winds, creating a spectacular sight to see. I went the extra mile up a snowy mountain to get the eye level shot.

Sunset at alpine meadows in Dolomites, Italy. I had to cycle 5kms uphill from the hotel to catch the sunset, as I got to know at the last moment that visitors were not allowed to drive in this conservation area, but it was worth it.

Some places like El Rosario National Reserve in Mexico, make you feel humble, grateful you are alive and can see natures beauty. Like a time machine, the child in you has been awaken. I took a few photos, but then decided that the best pictures cannot be taken, you just hold them in your heart. I put down the camera, sat on my rear end, and looked up quietly. The monarchs gather in Michoacan to spend the cold months, between November and March. Some of them make it all the way from Canada