Every time National Geographic announces the winners of its photo contest, you know you'll be blown away. This year's results are no different. Judges chose from more than 9,000 entries from more than 150 countries in three categories: People, Places, and Nature. The grand prize winner was picked from the People category and went to an image of a woman on a train, illuminated by the glow of her phone. Two more photographers won first place in the remaining categories, and others were recognized with honorable mentions.
"In the last ten years, mobile data, smartphones and social networks have forever changed our existence. Although this woman stood at the center of a jam-packed train, the warm glow from her phone told the strangers around her that she wasn't really there. She managed to slip away from 'here' for a short moment; she's a node flickering on the social web, roaming the Earth, free as a butterfly. Our existence is no longer stuck to the physical here; we're free to run away, and run we will."
"The thermal spas in Budapest [are] one of the favorite activities of Hungarians, especially in winter. We were fortunate to gain special access to shoot in the thermal spa thanks to our tour guide, Gabor. I love the mist, caused by the great difference in temperature between the hot spa water and the atmosphere. It makes the entire spa experience more surreal and mystical."
"A wild short-eared owl completes a shoulder check in case something was missed. Northern harriers were also hunting in the field and these raptors will often steal a kill from the owls."
"On a windy day right after a Cyclone passed the far northern Great Barrier Reef I took some friends out to the reef. Never before I saw that many glass fish on this particular coral 'bommie.' Just when I setup my camera, this Napoleon Wrasse swam right through the school of fish building a living frame."
"This playful fight amongst two young sub adult tigers was indeed a brilliant lifetime opportunity that lasted exactly 4 to 5 seconds. The cubs were sitting in the grass as dusk approached when suddenly one of them sneaked up behind the other and what happened next is captured in this image."
— Archna Singh
6 / 19
Honorable Mention, Nature: Zebras and the Rim of the Crater
"Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, is the world's largest inactive volcanic caldera. It is a collapsed volcano that harbors a range of African wildlife that live in relatively close proximity and competition of each other. Zebras are amongst the most common animals in the crater along with wildebeest, gazelles, hyenas, and lions. On a clear day, a 360-degree view of the crater rim can be seen whilst being inside."
"Birds fly over the destroyed houses in Khalidiya district in Homs, Syria. In the vast stillness of the destroyed city center of Homs, there are large areas where nothing moves. Then, suddenly, wind blows a ripped awning, or birds fly overhead."
— Sergey Ponomarev
11 / 19
Honorable Mention, Places: Tokyo — Shinagawa Station
"I was up at an ungodly hour to make it to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. With so many amazing things to see in the city, I had hardly slept, and managed to get off at the wrong station. Wave after wave of people kept coming through the station passageway. I spied a coffee shop with a vantage point and managed to snap free shots, camera resting on the ledge. After the caffeine kicked in, I was ready to brave the river of people. "
"Our road trip down to Miami traversed this outlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We rested on this ridge overlooking the mountains. Though we argued consistently throughout the journey, here we were reminded of our brotherhood."
"The chef of Ramnami people in Chhattisgarh, India. Ramnami tattoo the name of the lord “Ram” on their body. Their entire focus is on the name of Ram, the name of God that is most dear to them. The Ramnami Samaj is a sect of harijan (untouchable) Ram. Formed in the 1890s, the sect has become a dominant force in the religious life of the area. The tattoo is the result of their devotion and also, a gift and an acknowledgement from Ram."
"Little discussion with a doll in a plastic box, not inherently beautiful. But with this slice of light, it looks like a bubble invented to dream in an imaginative world."
