National Geographic Traveller has revealed the winners of its 12th annual photography competition, showcasing the most beautiful and powerful images taken by British and Irish photographers who travelled across land and sea to capture them.
The winners of the competition, who travelled as far as Antarctica and as near as London’s Chinatown, were made up of amateur and professional photographers alike, who each took breathtaking images from across the world.
The photos each portray a unique side to the world, both natural and man-made, that tells a different story of progress, preservation, belief, wonder and much more.
The competition was made up of five categories that exemplifed a different aspect of the world, Food and Travel, Landscape, People, Urban Environment and Wildlife, and a portfolio category.
Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveller, said: ‘The entries of this year’s competition continue to amaze us with their creativity.’
KERALA, INDIA: A man dressed as a deity can be seen leaping through a raging fire at a 3am ceremony for the Kandanar Kelan Theyyam — a Hindu religious ceremony
DUONG DONG, VIETNAM: A bird’s eye view of the bustling town of Duong Dong, formerly home to lush jungles and mangroves and now a site of vibrant human activity
SALAR DE ARIZARO, ARGENTINA: El Cono de Arita, a bizarre natural formation of earth shaped by winds on the salt pans of Salar de Arizaro, casts a long shadow over this nearly-lifeless part of the world
VESTRAHORN, ICELAND: A lone person stares up at the sky, watching the Northern Lights dance with the rarely spotted Milky Way Galaxy
LONDON, UK: A fox serenely relaxing as dandelion seeds gently rest on its face, after the rest of its family reportedly took up residence in a south London cemetery
CANADIAN ARCTIC – Molly (pictured) and her shy daughter are seen wearing traditional Inuit clothing, known as amautis, which are made from seal skins
ADELAIDE ISLAND, ANTARCTICA: A female public toilet stands alone against the harsh climate of the Antarctic
NAMIRI, TANZANIA: Countless zebras, wildebeest and other animals take refuge at a river in the Eastern Serengeti as the Great Migration moves south
ELLESMERE ISLAND, CANADA: A solitary polar bear takes a nap on an ice flow near Ellesmere Island, one of the most northern bits of solid land in the world
MARRAKECH, MOROCCO: The city’s Souk Haddadine is home to some of the most skilled blacksmiths and artisans in the world, who toil day and night to produce intricate pieces of metalwork
CORNWALL, UK: Countless swimmers decided to brave the icy waters of Cornwall’s Bude Beach on Christmas Day, of all days
LONDON, UK: Tourists and Londoners alike flock to Chinatown day after day to take in the sights and smells unique to Chinese culture in the heart of the capital
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: This richly coloured basement bar was featured in the heartachingly beautiful film Return to Seoul, which tells the story of a young woman adopted by French parents who comes back to South Korea to find her biological family
DEVON, UK: A hardworking fisherman can be seen hauling up his catch from his boat, a view seen countless times across British coasts over centuries
KOH DACH ISLAND, CAMBODIA: Bean curds skins are a popular food item in China, Japan and Korea. This worker can be seen making them by hand