Some 17,000 photographers vied for the title of National Geographic's Traveler magazine "Photographer of the Year," and Ynet had the chance to speak to one of the winners.
First place: The Whale Whisperer
Leading the list is Anuar Patjane Floriuk from Mexico with his photo "The Whale Whisperer."
"The photo was taken around Roca Partida in the Revillagigedo Islands, in Mexico," said Anuar Patjane Floriuk. "This is an outstanding and unique place full of pelagic life, so we need to accelerate the incorporation of the islands into UNESCO as a natural heritage site in order to increase the protection of the islands against the prevailing illegal fishing corporations and big-game fishing."
"The photo wasn’t planned," he said. "I was taking pictures near the female whales, when suddenly she began swimming towards the divers. They gave her the space to move and swam away, and I just took a picture of the moment when the composition looked good to me."
Second place: Gravel Workmen
"The gravel-crush working place remains full of dust and sand. Three gravel workmen are looking through the window glass at their working place. Chittagong, Bangladesh."
Third place: Camel Ardah
"Camel Ardah, as it is called in Oman, is one of the traditional styles of camel racing between two camels controlled by expert men. The faster camel is the loser, so they must be running at the same speed level in the same track. The main purpose of Ardah is to show the beauty and strength of the Arabian camels and the riders' skills. Ardah is considered one of the most risky situations, since always the camel's reactions are unpredictable and it may get wild and jump toward the audience."
Fourth place: A Night at Deadvlei
"The night before returning to Windhoek, we spent several hours at Deadvlei. The moon was bright enough to illuminate the sand dunes in the distance, but the skies were still dark enough to clearly see the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds. Deadvlei means 'dead marsh.' The camelthorn trees are believed to be about 900 years old but have not decomposed because the environment is so dry."
Fifth place: Catching a Duck
"Two boys are trying to catch a duck at the stream of the waterfall. Nong Khai Province, Thailand."
Sixth place: Kushti, Indian Wrestling
"Kushti is the traditional form of Indian wrestling. Wearing only a well-adjusted loincloth (langot), wrestlers (pelwhans) enter a pit made of clay, often mixed with salt, lemon, and ghee (clarified butter). At the end of a workout, wrestlers rest against the walls of the arena, covering their heads and bodies with earth to soak up any perspiration and avoid catching cold. This relaxation ceremony is completed with massages to soothe tired muscles and demonstrate mutual respect."
Seventh place: The Power of Few
"The night before this photo, we tried all day to get a good photo of the endangered white rhino. Skulking through the grass carefully, trying to stay 30 feet away to be safe, didn't provide me the photo I was hoping for. In the morning, however, I woke up to all three rhinos were grazing in front of me. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda."
Eighth place: Sauna in the Sky
"A sauna at 2,800 meters high in the heart of Dolomites. Monte Lagazuoi, Cortina, eastern Italian Alps."
Ninth place: Highlanders
"Traditional haymaking in Poland. Many people continue to use the scythe and pitchfork to sort the hay."
Tenth place: Romania land of Fairy Tales
"Romania, land of fairy tales. White frost over Pestera village."