Incredible photos from the National Geographic Traveller competition

CNN

2 days ago

An intimate portrait of a Vietnamese woman sitting next to her great-granddaughter in a dark, smoky room as she works on some embroidery has won the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Photography Competition 2025.
Taken in Vietnam's Lào Cai province by UK-based photographer Justin Cliffe, the winning image was selected from thousands of entries and described by judges as portraying a 'moment between generations that captures so much beauty and humanity.'
'The colours, light and textures work really well,' the judges added in a press release Thursday.
The art of embroidery has been passed down multiple generations of Red Dao minority people in Vietnam, according to National Geographic.
Other category winners include a captivating image of an eye-like geothermal pool in Iceland, a family-run eatery in Tibet and a thrilling chance-encounter between a Bonelli's eagle and a fox in Spain.
The annual competition aims to highlight the best travel photos from around the globe taken by UK and Ireland-based photographers, both amateurs and professionals.
Cliffe's prize-winning image was chosen from six category winners across the themes of landscape, people, wildlife, food, city life and portfolio.
'Our competition goes from strength to strength, with this year's easily one of the strongest yet,' Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveller (UK), said in the release.
'Capturing everything from the dramatic landscapes of Iceland and Italy to incredible wildlife shots in Spain and Canada, the 18 finalists – who made the cut from thousands of entries – have really elevated the level of travel photography with their ingenuity and skill,' Riddell added.
The six category winners can be viewed in the gallery above.