A South Korean marine in action during their regular drill on Yeonpyeong Island, South Korea November 1, 2018. (Photo by Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool via Reuters)

An artists performs on the street during a Myfest festival marking the May Day in the Kreuzberg district in Berlin, Germany on May 1, 2018. (Photo by Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)

Paul Kerr was able to capture this stunning vista of the aurora australis from Canberra, New Zealand on June 1, 2025. (Photo by Paul Kerr/Hold Still Photography)

Artists perform during the opening show directed by German director Volker Hesse, on the opening day of the Gotthard rail tunnel, at the fairground Rynaecht at the northern portal in Erstfeld, Switzerland, Wednesday, June 1, 2016. The construction of the 57 kilometer long tunnel began in 1999, the breakthrough was in 2010. After the official opening on June 1, the commercial operation will start in December 2016. (Photo by Ruben Sprich\Pool Photo via AP Photo)

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)

The Andromeda Galaxy, the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way, can be seen shining above a remote village in Switzerland. The cinematic images convey the beauty of the galaxy gleaming above the picturesque Swiss mountains. Photographer Sandro Casutt took the amazing snaps in different seasons throughout the year, from his home valley of Vals, Switzerland. Here: A view of the sky from the Zervreila Mountain Lagoon in Switzerland. (Photo by Sandro Casutt/Caters News)

Dave Zdanowicz, a prominent landscape photographer from the north of England, here shares his favourite shots from this year. This series brings together photos from January to last month, displaying the fine range of English seasons he has documented. Here: Misty sunrise at Winnat's Pass, Derbyshire on August 26, 2016. (Photo by Dave Zdanowicz/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Dancers of the Czech National Ballet warm up backstage during a performance of “The Nutcracker – A Christmas Carol” at the National Theatre in Prague, Czech Republic, late 16 December 2017. Peter I. Tchaikovsky's “The Nutcracker”, one of his most famous compositions and seasonal ballets, premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 18 December 1872, celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. (Photo by Martin Divisek/EPA/EFE)