From the morning mist suspended above a lake to the unspoken friendship between a rescued pangolin and her caretaker to a molten galaxy of fire spewing from a volcanic crater, photographs have the power to inspire, captivate and haunt us.

“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. (Credit: Lilly Zhang)

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 competition saw photographers from more than 150 countries submit more than 20,000 images to judges, who have just announced the winning shots. Here is a selection of the winning images, along with a few words from the photographers. The winning photos will also be displayed at The Photography & Video Show in Birmingham, England, from 16-19 March….

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240119-the-best-travel-photographs-from-around-the-globe