Performers dressed with flower pots on their heads perform during a media preview of the Pacific National Exhibition Fair in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 15, 2024. Marking its 114th year, the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Fair, one of the longest running events in Canada, runs from Aug. 17 to Sept. 2 here this year. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Second Place Winner: “Thunderstorm at False Kiva”. I hiked out to these ruins at night hoping to photograph them with the Milky Way, but instead a thunderstorm rolled through, creating this dramatic image. – Max Seigal. National Geographic Traveler Director of Photography Dan Westergren, one of this year's judges, shares his thoughts on the second place winner: “This photo combines two different scenes into one: the small kiva in a cliff dwelling and the grand vista of Canyonlands National Park across the valley. I really like the two different color palettes – warm inside and purple outside. This two-for-one scene was caused by the lightning storm outside the dwelling, which lit up the landscape like it was a huge electronic flash. Looking at this picture I can imagine what a wonderful sight it must have been for the ancient people who lived here. It doesn't seem too amazing now in our modern world, but might have been mind-blowing for the prehistoric residents”. Location: Utah. (Photo and caption by Max Seigal/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

“Born in London in 1969 Robert has had a passion for photography since the age of 14. After studying photography at Blackpool and Flyde College he undertook and completed a personal project, which went on to be published into a book called ‘One, Images of a Goalkeeping Season’. Robert has been commissioned for editorial and advertising projects by client based throughout Europe and the U.S. and undertakes commissions for many of the top advertising agencies”. – Tim Mitchell

Yann Arthus-Bertrand (born March 13, 1946 in Paris) is a French photographer, journalist, reporter and environmentalist.

“George Clair Tooker, Jr. (August 5, 1920 – March 27, 2011) was a figurative painter whose works are associated with the Magic realism and Social realism movements. He was one of nine recipients of the National Medal of Arts in 2007”. – Wikipedia

Photo: “Government Bureau”, 1956; Metropolitan Museum of Art. Artwork by George Tooker. P.S. All pictures are presented in high resolution.

“Izhevsk Machinebuilding Plant (Russian: Ижевский Mашиностроительный Завод) or IZHMASH (ИЖМАШ) is a weapons and motor vehicle manufacturer based in Izhevsk, founded in 1807 at the decree of Tsar Alexander I, and is now one of the largest corporations in its field. It manufactures the famous Kalashnikov series of assault rifle, along with a host of other Russian arms, including medium cannons, missiles, and guided shells”. – Wikipedia. (Photo by Pismoshnaya.ru, 2012)