The honored “National Geographic Traveler (UK) Photography Competition 2025” has announced its winners, with the best travel images by photographers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Celebrating your 12th year, annual National geographical competition Entries taken in the last year from both amateur and professional photographers in six categories in the UK and Ireland: landscape, people, wildlife, food, city life and portfolio.
“Our competition goes from strength to strength, this year is easily one of the strongest. The world -class photography remains in the heart of the National Geographic brand, and the winners are happily in that category,” Pat ridelEditor of National Geographic Traveler (UK).
“Capturing everything to incredible wildlife shots in Spain and Canada in Iceland and Italy, 18 finalists – who cut from thousands of entries – have really raised the level of travel photography with their simplicity and skills.”
A highly respected jury panel led by Head Judge Becky RedmanNational Geographic Traveler (UK) art directors include Ben Rowe Picture Editor, National Geographic Traveler (UK), Aisha Nazar Photographer and picture researcher, National Geographic Traveler (UK), Lauren Atkinson-Smit Director of Deputy Arts, National Geographic Traveler (UK), David birda Community Director, Photo Diversity Hele benoite Portrait, Commercial and Editorial Photographer, Renato Granary Wildlife and Travel Photographer, Celeste Noche Documentary and editorial photographer, Andrew raner Food and travel photographers, Denila Zalcman Founder and Executive Director, Women’s Photo. Together, he selected a winner from each of the six categories, from five runners -up, and category winners, was awarded a grand prize winner.
Grand Award winners, people category winners: Justin Cliff
Described as a favorite of the Judging Panel, the National Geographic Traveler (UK) is the Grand Prize winner of this year of 2025, 2025 Justin Cliff From the ‘people’ category.
In the striking picture of Cliff taken in LÃ o Cai province of Vietnam, the attractive moment of a red dao woman is shown to be embroidered with great-granddaughter on her side. Red Dow people are a specific ethnic group and cultural minority, known for their beautiful headdresses and complex embroidery, which is a skill that passes from mother to daughter.
“It is an intimate moment among generations that captures so much beauty and humanity. Color, light and texture actually work well,” the judges said.
The food of the competition celebrates the Pak Yatra from the category area to the fork, whether it is a farmer or the highest-tier chef in the harvest. This year’s food category is the winner Prabir Kumar Mitra The layered composition of which uses perspective to attract audiences in a chef at a restaurant in a restaurant in Berkor Square, Lhasa, Tibet.
Mitra explained how the family -run restaurants serve authentic Tibetan food, made of all scratches, highlighting the diverse tastes made by Tibetans on the “roof of the world”.
“Our guide advised us to travel to the restaurant run by this family and we were impressed by simple but extremely tasty food. Yak meat, noodles and cheese they used were all produced locally, added to the authenticity of taste,” said Mitra.
Influenced by the relationship between not only the work but also the relationship between the photographer and the subject, the judges focus on the spirit and aesthetics of strong composition.
The judges said, “This picture seems warm and comfortable, and as we have been invited to share this private moment with the chef. Importantly, it seems intimate and suggests that there is a strong relationship between the photographer and their subject,” the judges said.
Winning landscape category: Pavail zigimant
The winners of the landscape category, Pavail zigimantUse a drone to show the beauty of the Havevellir geothermal region of Iceland, which is a nature reserve set between two glaciers and 2133 feet above sea level. Oddnýjarhnjúkur-langjökull part of the volcanic system, the text of active geotomical regions and other landscapes are shown in the air of zigment, in which the raw power of nature is on full performance. In the center of the composition, a sapphire with a sapphire blue center is surrounded by a polymer-rich ring of the earth toned due to the mineral-rich deposit of the region.
The judges said, “How fun is it, a trick-off-the-e-landscape-is it an elephant eye? A turtle eye?
The portfolio category of the competition honors photographers who offer a set of 10 images as a harmonious story. This year’s portfolio was the winner Joshua Malelet Whose visual narrative depicted places and the subjects that reside them.
“From the dense forests of Nepal to the landscape of Saint-Michel’s tide of Normandi and the quiet roads of a historical city, these pictures catch the moments where time seems to stop. Each visual shows a different aspect of existence: Mixing a person who takes up his daily life together. History, where history, where the history, where the present and present are found in the past,” Did.
The composition was an integrated factor between the set of 10 images, with a strong stacato pattern of repeating the focal points attracted the judge’s attention.
“We were surrounded by this collection. The similarity of the composition in the pictures gave us a break at the first time, but as we reviewed them, we liked the focal point that tied them all together. It was cute to see these glimpse of everyday moments with such intentions and purpose,” said the judges said.
City Life category winners, Scott antcliffThe beauty and contrast of Singapore, a modern city that embraces nature. The image of a woman descends on a spiral ladder, appears in amazement, as the leaf drips below the wall from the opening of the top, showing the scales and dualism of human and nature.
“After detecting the gardens of Singapore by Gulf and Modern Miracles, I was eager to catch the more unmatched areas of the city’s natural beauty. I found this place and was killed by the shelter density of the leaf – the vines covered the supporting walls completely, but I showed anything. I used to show anything. The shelter of the scorpion.
Judges were influenced by Antcliffe’s view, but also that the vital moment occupied by the woman, giving both the frozen spirit in time, along with the spirit of the scale, was giving a sense of scale.
“A magnificent composition that combines different geometric forms to an image … it is a calm, architectural perspective and a striking photo with an unexpected intersection with the natural world,” said the judges.
For National Geographic Traveler (UK) Photography Competition 2025 Wildlife Category, which honors animal life as “one of the great miracles of travel”, 2025 winners Victoria AndrewsWhile showing the moment of tension between a fox and the eagle, the picture of Andrews shows two animals that they look more eager with a fox than the eagle, which looks screaming, the wings flare up.
“I took this image during one of the hottest summer in Toledo, Spain in August 2023. This area is well known for my raptors and I decided to travel after wooing from the chance to take a picture of beautiful Bonley’s eagle. After reaching the place, I did not have to wait for more than an hour after reaching the place.
Judges mentioned that they chose this image among so many great contenders, for rare conversations caught, lighting, as well as the ingenuity of catching such a fidelity with the right composition.
“In this conversation, incredible moments, composition and expression – this is the person who understands the behavior of these animals … with good light – the ability to catch movement,” said the judges.
Image Credit: All photos individually credit and courtesy National Geographic Traveler (UK) Photography Competition 2025
