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)

Željava Air Base, situated on the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina under Plješevica Mountain, near the city of Bihać, Bosnia, was the largest underground airport and military air base in the former Yugoslavia, and one of the largest in Europe. (Photo by Thomas Windisch/Exclusivepix Media)

A Muslim woman prays at the Al Meroz hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, August 29, 2016. Predominately Buddhist Thailand has opened its first halal hotel as hopes to attract more Muslim visitors and boost one of the few bright spots in its economy. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

In this handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy, the USS Stout launches a Tomahawk missile in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn March 19, 2011. This was one of approximately 110 cruise missiles fired from U.S. and British ships and submarines targetting about 20 radar and anti-aircraft sites along Libya's Mediterranean coast.

Revelers celebrate the Indian festival of Holi on the deck of the ship Peking at South Street Seaport in Manhattan March 19, 2011 in New York City. The Hindu festival of Holi , also known as the Festival of Colors, marks the arrival of spring where participants throw colored powder and water on one another. Many of the New York participants are Indian-American.

Archie McQuater, 82-year-old clockmaker at Craiglea clocks, adjusts a clock face to British Summer Time (BST) on March 25, 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Clocks will be put forward by one hour at 1:00 AM GMT on Sunday March 27, 2011 officially the start of British Summer Time. British Summer Time will end this year on October 30. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

A three-week-old chihuahua puppy named Tom Thumb poses in a tea cup on April 7, 2009 in Renton, Scotland. The pup, which measures eight inches long, is thought to be one of the smallest dogs born in the UK and is just two inches short of a world record. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

A demonstrator carries a placard reading “One more day of reflection” as she dances with others at Sol Square on May 21, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. A growing number of angry Spaniards have, encouraged by youth groups and social media campaigns, taken possession of the Sol square setting it up with tents and kitchens ahead of Sundays regional and municipal elections held in Spain. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)