Cadets of the Sikh Regimental Center perform Gatka martial stunts during a combined display ahead of a graduation ceremony at the Officers Training Academy, in Chennai on October 28, 2022. (Photo by Arun Sankar/AFP Photo)

Guardian of the Mangroves – Overall Winner. Tanya Houppermans, Cuba. A curious American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) swims right up to Tanya, at Gardens of the Queen (Jardines De La Reina), an archipelago off the coast of Cuba. It has been strictly protected since 1996, and is one of the most untouched marine ecosystems in the world. ‍ “The healthy population of American crocodiles is down to the pristine condition of the mangroves and I wanted to capture close ups of this gentle giant in its natural habitat. I hope this image can illustrate that protecting areas like this is so critical”. (Photo by Tanya Griffin Houppermans/Mangrove Photographer of the Year)

A model poses for a photograph backstage during Moscow Fashion Week in Moscow, Russia, Monday, October 7, 2024. (Photo by Pavel Bednyakov/AP Photo)

Racegoers shelter from the rain as they attend on the second day of the Grand National Festival horse race meeting at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, north-west England, on April 14, 2023. (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP Photo)

Samuel (9), Leah (10) and Matthew Flynn (7), from Baldoyle, Dublin, enjoying the fine weather on Burrow Beach in Sutton, Ireland on June 2, 2023. (Photo by Tom Honan for The Irish Times)

Loreen from Sweden performs after winning the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, Britain on May 14, 2023. (Photo by Phil Noble/Reuters)

A girl splashes water over a boy amidst soaring temperatures at the Shati camp for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City on July 17, 2023. (Photo by Mohammed Abed/AFP Photo)

A man wearing a headgear walks along with his child on a street in Banda Aceh on July 25, 2023. (Photo by Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP Photo)