A street entertainer waits for tourists in Havana, Cuba on October 2009. (Photo by Desmond Boylan/Reuters)

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)

Disguised revellers parade on the occasion of the Cortege during the Carnival in Basel, Switzerland, February 17, 2016. (Photo by Georgios Kefalas/EPA)

American singer-songwriter Chlöe Bailey in the second decade of July 2023 enjoys her first Carnival in a barely there costume. (Photo by chloebailey/Instagram)

Young siblings in costume fully embrace the Notting Hill carnival atmosphere in London, England on August 28, 2023. (Photo by Nico Froehlich/The Guardian)

Participants in the Notting Hill Carnival celebration are seen in west London over he Summer Bank Holiday weekend on August 28, 2023. The Notting Hill Carnival is Europe's largest street festival, which celebrates Caribbean culture, is expected to attract over 1 million revellers on bank holiday monday. (Photo by Tayfun Salci/ZUMA Press Wire/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Participant Noa performs in a drag queen competition during carnival festivities in Las Palmas, on the Spanish Canary Island of Gran Canaria, February 27, 2017. (Photo by Borja Suarez/Reuters)

In this handout image provided by Carnival Australia, captain of the Queen Mary 2 Christopher Rynd poses on the desk of the Queen Mary 2 on February 8, 2012 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Morgan/Carnival Australia via Getty Images)