LONDON (25 August 2020) — National Geographic Traveller (UK) has announced the winners of its Photography Competition 2020.

The grand prize winner of this year’s National Geographic Traveller Photography Competition was snapped by Hadriel Torres at the Matavaa O Te Henua Enana arts festival, held on the remote Marquesas Islands. The celebration of local music, dance and crafts showcases the lively traditions of this Pacific archipelago, attracting delegations from all six inhabited islands, as well as tourists.

Here, the haka (a ceremonial dance of powerful gestures and stamping) is performed by the local dance group on the small island of Ua Pou while awaiting the arrival of the neighbouring islands’ canoes. The shot, entered into the ‘People’ category, was selected as the overall competition winner from more than 4,500 entries.

Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveller (UK), said of the grand prize winner’s photograph: “The shot was a clear winner with the judges, capturing the energy and the power of the dance against the backdrop of the stunning location. The immediacy and sense of place is captivating; you can almost feel the stamping of feet and hear the rhythmic chanting. A well-deserved winner.”

The winners are:

Grand prize winner: Hadriel Torres: Performing the haka, Ua Pou island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Category winners:

Cities: Jordan Banks: Soho building on Odaiba artificial island, Tokyo, Japan
Landscapes: Annapurna Mellor: Thiksey Monastery, Ladakh, India
People: Hadriel Torres: Performing the haka, Ua Pou island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia
Nature: Francesca Page: Spotted eagle ray, near Cocos Island, Costa Rica

As the grand prize winner, Torres will travel to Mexico courtesy of National Geographic Journeys, operated by G Adventures, on the Cultural Wonders of Mexico tour — a new, nine-day itinerary exploring the cuisine and culture of the country. Each category winner will receive a Manfrotto Befree Advanced Aluminium Travel Tripod.

Launched in 2011, the prestigious annual competition seeks the UK’s best travel photography talent across four categories: Cities; Landscapes; People; and Nature. A global press and media campaign will present the winning images, which will also be featured on the National Geographic Traveller website.

The judging panel consisted of Celia Topping, freelance photographer and picture editor; Greg Funnell, freelance photographer; Paul Wilson, editor, Nikon Pro magazine; Simon Bajada, food and travel photographer; Yulia Denisyuk, travel photographer and writer; Olly Puglisi, picture editor, National Geographic Traveller (UK); and Becky Redman, art director, National Geographic Traveller (UK).

To view the winners, visit: nationalgeographic.co.uk/photography-competition-2020

For high-res images for use in print/online publications, please download assets from: https://we.tl/t-VNK2Hn8hSd

National Geographic Traveller (UK) has a cover price of £4.95, is available via subscription and on newsstands, and is published 10 times a year. Visit nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel for more information.

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Notes

National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published under licence by APL Media Limited, from National Geographic Partners LLC in Washington, D.C. The travel and lifestyle magazine launched in December 2010 and is packed full of you-are-there photography, authentic travel experiences and inspiring narratives. nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivalled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now it’s committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for its consumers — and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as it does so. NGP returns 27% of its proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. nationalgeographic.com

National Geographic Society is a leading non-profit that invests in bold people and transformative ideas in the fields of exploration, scientific research, storytelling and education. It supports educators to ensure that the next generation is armed with geographic knowledge and global understanding. National Geographic Society aspires to create a community of change, advancing key insights about the planet and probing some of the most pressing scientific questions of our time. Its goal is measurable impact: furthering exploration and educating people around the world to inspire solutions for the greater good. nationalgeographic.org

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