HomeNewsIsrael- Gaza WarWar in UkraineWorldAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS &, CanadaUKEnglandN. IrelandScotlandWalesIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessFuture of BusinessTechnology of BusinessWork CultureInnovationTechnologyScience &, HealthArtificial IntelligenceCultureFilm &, TVMusicArt &, DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean &, BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth America World’s TableCulture &, ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather &, ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportBy BBC TravelFeatures correspondentArmand Sarlangue ( Credit: Armand Sarlangue ) The winners of the annual International Travel Photographer of the Year were just announced. Here are the most stunning pictures. From the day fog suspended above a river to the implicit friendship between a rescued pangolin and her caretaker to a hot galaxy of fire spewing from a volcanic crater, photographs have the power to inspire, attract and torment us. For the past 21 years, amateur and professional photographers from around the globe have been capturing the world’s richness, beauty and diversity through a lens as part of the annual International Travel Photographer of the Year ( TPOTY ) awards. This year’s contest saw photography from more than 150 states submit more than 20, 000 images to magistrates, who have just announced the winning pictures. Here is a collection of the winning photographs, along with a few terms from the photography. The winning photographs will also be displayed at The Photography &, Video Show in Birmingham, England, from 16- 19 March. AndreJa Ravnak ( Credit: AndreJa Ravnak ) Travel photographer of the year: AndreJa Ravnak ( near Pienza, Italy )” Early in the spring, the first rains allow wheat to grow in the rolling fields. Due to the cold night, the landscape is usually shrouded in gorgeous mists on obvious afternoons during this period. This agricultural environment is sparsely populated, with property being used to its fullest possible. Farms are located on the top of individual hills”.AndreJa Ravnak ( Credit: AndreJa Ravnak ) Travel photographer of the year: AndreJa Ravnak ( South Moravia, near Kyov, Czech Republic )” In early spring, the soil is still too cold for growth. An interesting pattern occurred while a new orchard was planted on the slope of the hill, making the scene very abstract”.Caden Shepard Choi ( Credit: Caden Shepard Choi ) Young travel photographer of the year winner overall: Caden Shepard Choi, USA, age 14, ( Chinle, Arizona, USA )” The sheep are herded back to their pen at the entrance of the canyon. They walk through a dust cloud formed by the regular blow of their paws. The animals are immediately reluctant to enter the lips of the valley, but when returning home, they show no opposition. After a long day steering sheep, the two herding dogs now playfully trail behind “.Caden Shepard Choi ( Credit: Caden Shepard Choi ) Young travel photographer of the year winner overall: Caden Shepard Choi, USA, age 14, ( Chinle, Arizona, USA )” The women dived for hours. I followed them with my camera as they disappeared and reappeared from the ocean, the only continuous was their peach lighthouses. I took this photo of a Haenyeo only as she plunged back into the ocean with great form, as if it were her second tumble of the day. Bright feet in the air and a tiny splash create the middle. The water appears but unfazed around the Haenyeo. In the length, waves crash over sheets of igneous rock. A light cloud floats in, veiling elements of a small area in the background. The clouds loom mysteriously overhead “.Lilly Zhang ( Credit: Lilly Zhang ) Young travel photographer of the year ( 15- 18 age group ): Lilly Zhang, age 17 ( Exton, Pennsylvania, USA )” Gold mist is suspended on the still lake surface, and amid this dreamy scene is the coexistence of a fisherman and a duck. Seeing this unlikely duo at Marsh Creek State Park, I knew that I had to capture the scene in a photo”.Matthew Armett ( Credit: Matthew Armett ) Joint runner- up young travel photographer of the year ( 15- 18 age group ): Matthew Armett, age 18 ( Solomon’s Temple, Buxton, United Kingdom )” The moon lined up with the silhouette of Solomon’s temple and one of my friends for scale. It was a challenge to get the line up just right, but it was all the more satisfying once I’d captured this shot with the setting moon “.Arthur Cech ( Credit: Arthur Cech ) Joint runner- up young travel photographer of the year ( 15- 18 age group ): Arthur Cech, age 15 ( Ifrane National Park, Morocco )” These wild monkeys climb freely on the majestic Atlas cedars in the Moroccan Middle Atlas and it’s just great to spend hours and hours watching them. I tried to capture the special atmosphere of the forest and the life of the monkeys: calm, peaceful, cosy, familiar” .Zayan Durrani ( Credit: Zayan Durrani ) Young photographer of the year ( 14 years and under ): Zayan Durrani, age 14 ( Litli- Hrutur volcano, Iceland )” My father and I took a trip to Iceland to visit an ongoing volcanic eruption. I was able to see the formation of new world straight in front of my eyes. We hiked for 10 kilometers through rough, rocky hills and desert, not stopping to sleep, just so that we may attain the eruption before it became gloomy. We were in a race against time because a heavy, nasty cloud was rolling in and we were told that we would have to evacuate the area. I finally got up close to the blazing volcano. I was able to capture this picture using a drone “.Armand Sarlangue ( Credit: Armand Sarlangue ) Landscape and environment portfolio winner: Armand Sarlangue ( Svinafellsjokull, Iceland )” This 360- degree panorama was captured with a drone. It shows the whole path of glacial waters, from the Skaftafellsjokull glacier, to the glacial lake, to the glacial river, then to the ocean in the background “.Tim Bird ( Credit: Tim Bird ) Landscape and environment portfolio runner- up: Tim Bird ( Obama Onsen, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan )” The onsen ( hot springs ) in and around the town of Obama Onsen in the Nagasaki prefecture in Japan are often wrapped in a steamy cloud. These landscaped landscapes near the waters were miraculously obscured by sudden winter flurries. I had to shoot fast – my camera was n’t weather- proof, and the snow did n’t cling for long. A fleeting, delicate image. .”.Kasuaki Koseki ( Credit: Kasuaki Koseki ) Landscape and environment portfolio commended: Kasuaki Koseki ( Lake Shirakawa, Iide Town, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan )” For a period from the end of winter to early summer, Lake Shirakawa is filled with water from melting snow and a ‘ submerged forest ‘ appears. The waters in the river changes shade between light blue and light green, and fog, combined with the reflections which look like a covered forest create a great scenery. In March, Lake Shirakawa, covered with heavy snow, was changing little by little. It was a wonderful night wrapped in mist and lighting. A beautiful light shone through the misty trees for a short time” .Sam Turley ( Credit: Sam Turley ) Nature, wildlife and conservation portfolio runner- up: Sam Turley ( Wild is Life Sanctuary, Harare, Zimbabwe )” Every day, Mateo and Marimba the pangolin walk together in search of termites and ants. If Mateo can see that Marimba is struggling to dig through the hard ground, he will usually support her out and provide her with an easy dinner. Marimba, a floor animal, was around a year old when her family was poached for her weights. Marimba was just too young to fight for herself and so the decision was made to get her to Wild is Life Sanctuary in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she met her total- time caregiver, Mateo. Pangolins are extremely difficult to look after in prison, requiring special and personal attention. Mateo’s sweet nature seemed like a perfect match, and a amazing partnership was born. Marimba and Mateo have spent ten hours a day together for the previous 13 years, and it shows – they are interrelated. Many attempts have been made to rewild Marimba, but she always finds a way back to Mateo who refers to her as his last- born child “.Roie Galitz ( Credit: Roie Galitz ) Nature, wildlife and conservation portfolio highly commended: Roie Galitz ( Tarangire National Park, Tanzania )” The Last Embrace: a young female lioness feeds on a dead female elephant. This is a great feast for the entire satisfaction, that will provide them with health consumption while the surrounding atmosphere of Tarangire National Park suffers from ale. For carnivores each food is a huge and difficult struggle. This series shows four mammalian predators from four continents, facing the same challenges as the climate changes “.Athanasios Maloukos ( Credit: Athanasios Maloukos ) People and cultures portfolio winner: Athanasios Maloukos ( Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia )” Shaman Aleksandr in an ice cave by the cliffs of Olgoi Island. Ice caves are considered the refuges of the middle- world spirits where humans live, while the’ upper world’ is reserved for good deities and the’ lower world’ for the dark forces “.Jack Lawson ( Credit: Jack Lawson ) Best single image in a people and cultures portfolio winner: Jack Lawson ( Lagos, Nigera )” Four members of The Special Eagles, Nigeria’s national amputee football team, stand looking out into the ocean at a day on the beach” .Sun Bin ( Credit: Sun Bin ) Special mention: Sun Bin ( Zhuomulang Village, Yunnan, China ) “]The ] Yi family in their centuries- old house” .Shyjith Onden Cheriyath ( Credit: Shyjith Onden Cheriyath ) Special mention: Shyjith Onden Cheriyath ( Al Qusais Cattle Market, Dubai, UAE )” Camels are a vital part of the culture and economy in the United Arab Emirates, and ensuring their proper nutrition is crucial. Camel supply mixing at the Al Qusais Cattle Market involves the merging of different materials to create a healthy and nutritious meal for the animals. This approach takes into account the specific dietary needs of animals, which usually includes a combination of grains, lentils, grass and other necessary nutrients. — Meet more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called” The Necessary Record”. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. PhotographyNews FeaturesRelatedShamans in Siberia among beautiful go award photosIn PicturesWill 2024 get the best season to discover Northern Lamps? WalesDorset’s Big Picture: Pictures of the countyDorsetMoreHow the Red Sea issue is rerouting world tradeThe Red Sea, a vital shipping alley, is under assault – what are the alternatives? 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