This football field in Henningsvær in the Lofoten Islands is considered one of the most amazing fields in Europe, and maybe even in the world. The photo was taken during a 10-day sailing trip in Norway in June 2017. We arrived to Henningsvær after a week of sailing through the cold and rainy weather. Upon our arrival, the weather cleared up. I was really lucky that the conditions were suitable for flying my drone, and I managed to capture this shot from a height of 120 meters.Misha De-Stroyev/ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
This image was captured in Costa Rica when I was travelling from Monteverde to Playa Hermosa. As you cross over this river, you can stop and peer over the edge of the bridge. Below, reside over 35 gigantic crocodiles,relaxing on the muddy banks of the river. I wanted to capture the stark difference between the crocodiles on land and in the water. In the murky waters, the body contours of these beasts remain hidden, and one can only truly see their girth as they emergefrom the river.Tarun Sinha/ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
This photo was taken in Konya. Willing Dervish in an historical place of Sille KonyaTurkey.The 'dance' of the Whirling Dervishes is called Sema and is a symbol of the Mevlevi culture. According to Mevlana's teachings, human beings are born twice, once oftheir mothers and the second time of their own bodies.F.Dilek Uyar/ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
Swans who live vigorous even in mudHiromi Kano/ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
I recently traveled to Tavarua, Fiji to do some surf photography with pro surfer Donavon Frankenreiter at Cloudbreak. I'm always looking for new angles and perspectives. The usual surf shots have all been done so we decided to get a little creative. Makes you look twice.Rodney Bursiel/ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
Museum visitors curiously watching Rembrandt's painting " Syndics of the Drapers' Guild" where it gave the illusion that the people on the paintings too are curiously watching the visitors.Julius Y./ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
Powerful eruption of Colima Volcano in Mexico on December 13th, 2015. That night, the weather was dry and cold, friction of ash particles generated a big lightning of about 600 meters that connected ash and volcano, and illuminated most of the dark scene. On last part of 2015, this volcano showed a lot of eruptive activity with ash explosions that raised 2-3 km above the crater. Most of night explosions produced incandescent rock falls and lightning not bigger than 100 meters in average.Sergio Tapiro Velasco/ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
The modern interior of the city library in Stuttgart. With its wide-open space in the central, where natural light comes from through the windows on the top, it has a very unique atmosphere, where you can broaden your knowledge.Norbet Fritz/ National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year
An erupting volcano, lightning, and a backdrop of stars created the perfect storm for photographer Sergio Tapiro Velasco. On Tuesday, August 1, National Geographic named Velasco, a photographer from Mexico, the Travel Photographer of the Year for his shot of an eruption outside of Colima, Mexico. Judges also recognized the top three photographers in each category for nature, cities, and people.
Velasco monitored the activity on the Volcan de Colima, one of the most active volcanoes in the region, for nearly a month before taking the shot. Setting up about 12 kilometers, or about 7.5 miles, from the volcano, the photographer shot the biggest volcanic lightning strike he has ever seen. While the cause of volcanic lightning is still debated, the clear night and eruption allowed Velasco to get the lightning, the eruption, and the stars all in one shot.
“When I looked on the camera display, all I could do was stare,” said Velasco. “What I was watching was impossible to conceive, the image showed those amazing forces of nature interacting on a volcano, while the lightning brightened the whole scene. It’s an impossible photograph and my once-in-a-lifetime shot that shows the power of nature.”
National Geographic also awarded category prizes. While Velasco took top honors for the nature category, the judges awarded Norbert Fritz first prize in the cities category, and F. Dilek Uyar took top honors for the people category.
For his shot, Velasco receives a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Archipelago and a $2,500 cash prize. First, second, and third place winners received $2,500, $750, and $500 in the contest.
Molly Roberts, National Geographic senior photography editor; Benjamin Lowry, adventure and underwater photographer; and Jody MacDonald, adventure and sport documentary photographer, evaluated the contest’s submissions.
“The quality of submissions in the 2017 Travel Photographer of the Year contest was wonderfully eclectic,” said Roberts. “I was inspired by the variety of locations and creativity of the photographers in their quest to make compelling images.”
The 2017 contest brought in over 15,000 entries, representing photographers living and working in more than 30 countries. The winning entries, including a selection of honorable mentions, can be viewed on National Geographic’s contest website.
