From a beautiful image of the Tuscan countryside to a heart-breaking aerial shot of elephants wandering across a rubbish dump, and from a flamboyant owl to 'dancing' trees, these winning and commended images in the 2023 international Travel Photographer of the Year awards (TPOTY) show the highs and lows of life on this planet.
Amateur and professional photographers from more than 150 countries submitted more than 20,000 images in TPOTY 2023.
The winning and commended entries, the judges say, 'form a truly outstanding collection of contemporary travel photography'.
For the second year in a row, a Slovenian photographer has taken the overall honours. The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023, AndreJa Ravnak, follows in the footsteps of her fellow countryman Matjaz Krivic, who took the title in 2022.
AndreJa Ravnak commented: 'Becoming Travel Photographer of the Year is a huge recognition. From my personal experience, I know it's not easy to judge photography. Images are not measurable, so being a judge is a complex task and responsibility. I would like to thank the panel of judges for recognising my work.'
Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel's pick of the bunch, with an image from winner AndreJa at the very bottom. Which one is your favourite?
This epic 360-degree panoramic drone shot by French photographer Armand Sarlangue shows the path of glacial waters from the Skaftafellsjokull glacier in Iceland. The picture impressed the judges enough to win the 'landscape and environment portfolio' category
Every day in the Wild is Life Sanctuary in Harare, Zimbabwe, Mateo and Marimba the pangolin walk together in search of termites and ants, with Marimba transported in Mateo's backpack. This heartwarming picture of the pair was taken by Briton Sam Turley, who was runner-up in the 'nature, wildlife and conservation portfolio' category. The talented photographer said: 'Marimba, a ground pangolin, was around a year old when her mother was poached for her scales. Marimba was simply too young to fend for herself and so the decision was made to take her to the Wild is Life sanctuary, where she met her full-time carer, Mateo. Pangolins are notoriously difficult to look after in captivity, requiring particular and personal care. Mateo’s gentle nature seemed like a perfect fit, and a remarkable relationship was born'
LEFT: Canadian photographer Donna Feledichuk was given a special mention in the 'best single image in a wildlife and conservation portfolio' category for this amazing image of an owl in Alberta taking up a flamboyant defensive pose as a hawk passed by. RIGHT: This image by Arthur Cech, from France, shows that he has photography skills far beyond his years - he's just 15. The image of a monkey grooming session was taken in Ifrane National Park in Morocco and helped Arthur become joint runner-up in the 15-18 category
This image by Donna Feledichuk shows a fox cub in Alberta leaping over a log in a cute picture that was given commended status in the 'nature, wildlife and conservation portfolio' category
This 'special mention' image was taken by Brit Andy Parkinson and shows, he revealed, a yellow armadillo mid-air as it hurries down a pathway at a secluded lodge in the Southern Pantanal wetlands in Brazil
This spellbinding image earned 17-year-old American Lilly Zhang the gold medal in the 15-18 category. The picture was taken in Exton, Pennsylvania, with Lilly commenting: 'It was a crisp autumn morning, and I went to Marsh Creek State Park in Exton hoping to see the mist suspended on the water with the fall colors reflecting on the surface. To my surprise, I also saw a great heron perched on a rock by the shore. It was just amazingly beautiful'
Behold one of the photographs that snared AndreJa Ravnak from Slovenia the 'overall winner' crown. She took this mesmerising picture near Pienza in Tuscany, Italy, in early spring, commenting: 'Due to the cold nights, the landscape is often shrouded in beautiful mists on clear mornings'