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)

Sonam Kapoor, Jourdan Dunn and Lil' Kim attend the Ralph & Russo Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016-2017 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 4, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)

A little girl stands next to a painted buffalo during the “Buffalo Painting” contest that is part of the Tich Dien festival in Ha Nam province, Vietnam, 10 February 2019. Artists from all over the country have gathered for the festival which attracts thousand of residents and visitors. Tich Dien festival features the importance of agriculture and the role of farmers in the vietnamese society and contributes to preserving the local cultural values. (Photo by Luong Thai Linh/EPA/EFE)

Alien-themed decorations are seen at the Alien Research Center in Hiko, September 19, 2019. Scores of UFO enthusiasts converged on rural Nevada for a pilgrimage of sorts to the U.S. installation known as Area 51, long rumored to house government secrets about alien life, as law enforcement officials beefed up security around the military base. (Photo by Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

A young girl taking part in a hairdressing contest during the 5th Abilympics Russia vocational skills championship for people with disabilities, at Moscow's VDNKh exhibition centre in Moscow, Russia on November 21, 2019. The competition is aimed at ensuring social adaptation and job opportunities for people with disabilities. (Photo by Valery Sharifulin/TASS)

Models wait backstage ahead of their presentation of creations from the YINMU collection by designer Wei Jiang during the China Fashion Week in Beijing, China, 26 October 2020. The fashion event runs from 24 October to 01 November 2020. (Photo by Wu Hong/EPA/EFE)

People hop in sacks during Khmer New Year celebrations at Chau Say Tevoda temple in Siem Reap province on April 14, 2022. (Photo by Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP Photo)

The colourful process of salt harvesting is captured at the Hon Khoi Salt Fields in Nha Trang, Vietnam in December 2022. (Photo by Hilton Chen/Solent News & Photo Agency)