Amber Glenn, of the United States, competes in the women's short program segment at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, Friday, November 1, 2024, in Angers, France. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/AP Photo)

Igor, a 40 year-old Ukranian soldier embraces his wife in front of his military basement in the center of Odessa on March 17, 2022. Odessa, which Ukraine fears could be the next target of Russia's offensive in the south, is the country's main port and is vital for its economy. But the city of one million people close to the Romanian and Moldovan borders also holds a special place in the Russian imagination. (Photo by Bulent Kilic/AFP Photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pose for photographers during their meeting in Vladivostok, Russia, Thursday, April 25, 2019. Putin and Kim are set to have one-on-one meeting at the Far Eastern State University on the Russky Island across a bridge from Vladivostok. The meeting will be followed by broader talks involving officials from both sides. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo/Pool)

Faces of a couple are smeared with colored powder as they celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India, Monday, March 25, 2024. (Photo by Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo)

A plastinated body presented as a pole vaulter is exhibited at the Menschen Museum, Museum of Humans, in Berlin, August 29, 2016. The museum was caught up in a legal dispute with the district office of Berlin-Mitte for years before it was able to meet the requirements made by the court. (Photo by Sophia Kembowski/DPA Photo via Newscom)

A Chinese future bride has her friends playing with her dress during a pre-wedding photoshoot in front of the Eiffel tower in Paris, France, August 28, 2015. As young Chinese become wealthier, they take abroad the tradition of taking their wedding photos days before they are married, rather than on their wedding day. (Photo by Philippe Wojazer/Reuters)

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)

Belarussian rhythmic gymnast Melitina Staniouta takes a selfie as she has her make-up done in Minsk, May 29, 2016. Photos show her training and competing, as well as trying on her official Olympic uniform and getting ready for a photo shoot. (Photo by Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters)