Emily Ratajkowski attends the 2017 Weinstein Company and Netflix Golden Globes after party on January 8, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Broadimage/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)

American actress Kaley Cuoco goofs around for the cameras while looking fashionable filming her upcoming TV show “The Flight Attendant” in Manhattan on February 12, 2020. (Photo by LRNYC/The Mega Agency)

Women jump as they pose for photo in front Patuxay park, ahead of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos September 5, 2016. (Photo by Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters)

A reporter takes pictures of a soldier during the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Kinmen, Taiwan, September 7, 2015. Rustic Kinmen, with a population of less than 129,000, is a half-hour ferry ride to China, but it takes an hour to fly to major Taiwan cities. Just off its shores, glass-walled high-rises wink seductively from the booming mainland port of Xiamen in one of China's most prosperous provinces. (Photo by Pichi Chuang/Reuters)

American fashion model and TV personality Gigi Hadid at Milan Fashion Week: Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 : Versace Party on February 23, 2024. (Photo by Alessandro Bremec/ipa-agency.net/Splash News and Pictures)

Annika Robbins from Georgia carries firearms on her belt during the NRA annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. April 27, 2025. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

American singer Chappell Roan is seen shooting a new music video on July 08, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by BG048/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)