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)

Andrey Karr from Western Riders Slacklines at sunset above big waves in Nazare, Portugal on December 27, 2017. (Photo by Aidan Williams/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)

“Leopard Hunting a Stork”. “One-shot capture. I watched the leopard stalking the stork, I only had time to focus at 400mm, no time to change to high speed, I watched the stork, and as soon as it flapped its wings, I shot one shot”. (Photo by Paul Rifkin/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)

A German contestant adjusts his helmet during the “Battle of Nations” in Aigues-Mortes, southern France, Friday, May 10, 2013 where Middle Ages fans attend the historical medieval battle competition. The championship will be attended by 22 national teams, which is twice the number it was last year. The battle lasts until May 12. (Photo by Philippe Farjon/AP Photo)

Vietnamese female commissioned officers of the signal force march during a parade marking their 70th National Day at Ba Dinh square in Hanoi, Vietnam September 2, 2015. (Photo by Reuters/Kham)

Members of La Legion, an elite unit of the Spanish Army, including a goat they use as a pet wait for the start of a military parade as they celebrate a holiday known as “Dia de la Hispanidad” or Hispanic Day in Madrid, Wednesday, October 12, 2016. (Photo by Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP Photo)

Haitians dressed in costumes dance during the Haitian National Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti, 19 February 2017. Locals and foreigners gathered to enjoy the colorful carnival in which parades are full of art, music and dance. (Photo by Bahare Khodabande/EPA)

In this April 13, 2015 file photo, a Thai woman splashes water on people from the back of a truck during the Songkran water festival to celebrate Thai New Year in Bangkok, Thailand.Thailand's military government is putting a dampener on the annual nationwide water fight. Despite Thailand's worst drought in 20 years, the junta says it has no intention of limiting the virtually around-the-clock water throwing that defines the three-day Songkran festival. Instead, it has decided to impose morality measures. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)