2020 wasn’t exactly the best of years, not by a long shot, and not for anyone! That being said, even with the difficulties and challenges, people still tried to be creative (and safe), and as such, there are still some incredible images that were captured around the world during that time. With that, the Travel Photographer of the Year competition endured and has released its list of winning images from the over 25,000 entries from 147 Countries.

From majestic landscapes, intimate animal and bird portraits and intriguing night-time views beneath the ocean’s surface to harrowing reportage of life under siege in Syria and glimpses of cultures across the world, the winning images in the 2020 global Travel Photographer of the Year awards (TPOTY) present a fascinating view of life on our planet, at a time in which travel is so difficult – if not impossible – for so many of us. The COVID pandemic inevitably had an impact, with some entrants submitting images taken close to home during the lockdown, while others photographed countries in which they had unexpectedly found themselves stranded as temporary long-term residents.

The global spread of the awards – about to embark on their 19th year – can be seen in the fact that almost 25,000 images were submitted from photographers in 147 countries, with Vladimir Alekseev becoming TPOTY’s first-ever Russian overall winner. The winning shots – which can all be viewed in the online Winners’ Gallery on tpoty.com – will go on display in Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London, from 12 May to 10 June and in other TPOTY exhibitions, including Chester Cathedral, during 2021.

The overall winner of the year went to a photographer from Russia, Vladimir Alekseev with an incredible set of images mixing landscapes, wildlife, and people. His images and the other winners were selected by a judging panel for showcasing the diversity of skill he (and the others) possessed.

The competition does both full portfolio and single-image submissions, with the top awards going to the photographer who submits the best portfolio. View some of Vladimir’s winning images below;

For the indigenous people of the Far North, deer are wealth. This includes food, housing, clothing, and transportation. And children, from a very young age, know how to drive reindeer on special sleds called narta.
For the indigenous people of the Far North, deer are wealth. This includes food, housing, clothing, and transportation. And children, from a very young age, know how to drive reindeer on special sleds called narta.
Northern Lights at the reindeer herders' camp. The peoples of the far north are accustomed to the Northern Lights. But this time, when I took this shot, the local resident began to look with interest, probably trying to understand why it interested me so much.
Northern Lights at the reindeer herders' camp. The peoples of the far north are accustomed to the Northern Lights. But this time, when I took this shot, the local resident began to look with interest, probably trying to understand why it interested me so much.
Travel photography does not always capture a landscape or a reportage. Very often it captures a macro world. These are elements of what surrounds you. Little joys in life that we don't pay attention to at home.
Travel photography does not always capture a landscape or a reportage. Very often it captures a macro world. These are elements of what surrounds you. Little joys in life that we don't pay attention to at home.
Once on my expedition to Spitsbergen, there was a blizzard. Everything around was equally white. And suddenly I spotted this Arctic fox. He almost merged with the environment. Only his eyes and nose betrayed him.
Once on my expedition to Spitsbergen, there was a blizzard. Everything around was equally white. And suddenly I spotted this Arctic fox. He almost merged with the environment. Only his eyes and nose betrayed him.

Vladimir Alekseev’s vibrant images are a glorious mixture of landscapes, wildlife, and people, showcasing the diversity of skill possessed by the Russian photographer, and making him a very worthy recipient of the title Travel Photographer of the Year 2020.

The Rest of the Winners by Category

  • Overall Winner: Travel Photographer of the Year 2020 – Vladimir Alekseev, Russia
  • Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2020 – Indigo Larmour, Ireland (age 12)
  • Young Travel Photographer of the Year: Winner, 15-18 yrs – Ben Skaar, USA (age 17)
  • Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2020: Winner, 14 yrs & under – Miguel Sánchez García, Spain (age 11)
  • Winner: Landscapes & Earth Elements – Alessandro Carboni, Italy
  • Winner: Nature, Sealife, Wildlife – Marco Steiner, Austria
  • Winner: People of the World – Mouneb Taim, Syria
  • Winner: Travel Folio – Jordi Cohen, Spain
  • Winner: Close to Home – Pier Luigi Dodi, Italy
  • Winner: Colours of Life – Peter Walmsley, UK
  • Winner, Islands – David Newton, UK
  • Winner: Solitude – Mark Anthony Agtay, Philippines
  • Winner: iTravelled: Azim Khan Ronnie, Bangladesh
  • Winner: People’s Choice – Jorge Bacelar, Portugal
  • Winner, Travel Shorts (video): Jonathan Stokes, UK

12-year-old Indigo Larmour from Ireland achieved the not inconsiderable feat of winning Young Travel Photographer of the Year for the second year running, with a beautifully composed, atmospheric black and white portfolio from the streets of Lahore, Pakistan. The 17-year-old American Ben Skaar was well rewarded for the nights spent in his car and the subsequent early mornings in order to capture the magnificence of the autumn foliage in New Hampshire – he won Young Travel Photographer of the Year 15-18. And Miguel Sánchez García, age 11, became the first Spaniard to win Young Travel Photographer of Year 14 and Under.

11 YTPOTY 2020 Win3 ILarmour
The Masjid Wazir Khan is open to worshippers from sunrise and sometimes people will hang around to chat with the caretaker who proudly guards this mosque, which is widely regarded to be one of the most beautiful in Pakistan, with its ornate archways leading from the main building out to the prayer yard.

An unusual and beautiful portfolio of trees in a blizzard, a very rare event in his native Sardinia, secured first place in the Landscapes and Earth Elements category for Alessandro Carboni, while James Smart’s image of a ‘drill bit’ tornado touching down in Colorado won the Best Single Image award in this category.
Austrian Marco Steiner won Nature, Sealife, Wildlife with images of sea creatures taken during blackwater dives, and the underwater theme continued with the Best Single Image – Greek photographer Pavlos Evangelidis’ shot of bright yellow pilot fish keeping company with a lemon shark.

This photo of a Diamond Squid (thysanoteuthis rhombus) was taken during a blackwater dive in the open ocean late at night in very rough conditions in a depth of about 15-20m. To my knowledge this is the very first photo of a diamond squid taken in the Maldives. The rough ocean, strong currents and a school of silvertip sharks darting around made it hard to take photos on that dive.
This photo of a Diamond Squid (thysanoteuthis rhombus) was taken during a blackwater dive in the open ocean late at night in very rough conditions in a depth of about 15-20m. To my knowledge this is the very first photo of a diamond squid taken in the Maldives. The rough ocean, strong currents and a school of silvertip sharks darting around made it hard to take photos on that dive.
Don’t worry, the fish are fine! They’re pilot fish – or, to be precise in this case, Golden Trevallies. They help the shark navigate and keep clean in exchange for scraps and protection.
Don’t worry, the fish are fine! They’re pilot fish – or, to be precise in this case, Golden Trevallies. They help the shark navigate and keep clean in exchange for scraps and protection.

The People of the World category was won by a remarkable young photographer. Born in Syria in 2001, Mouneb Taim started working as a photographer while still a child living under siege, sending his work to international agencies. His images of the devastation wrought on the inhabitants of Douma have immense power and tell a very important story. The award for Best Single Image went to Belgian photographer Eddy Verloes for his photograph of Orthodox Jews taking their daily exercise on the beach during lockdown.

March 27, 2019: On the occasion of the International Day of Theater, puppeteer Walid Rashed performs his puppet acts for children. Since 2013, theatre artist Walid has been touring refugee camps and devastated neighbourhoods to perform puppet acts and shadow play for Syrian children.
March 27, 2019: On the occasion of the International Day of Theater, puppeteer Walid Rashed performs his puppet acts for children. Since 2013, theatre artist Walid has been touring refugee camps and devastated neighbourhoods to perform puppet acts and shadow play for Syrian children.
This is part of my series Losing Our Minds, that was taken at the beginning of the COVID crisis in 2020: a bizarre, but extremely fascinating period. This is a photo of ultra-Orthodox Jews who were enjoying their freedom in an unorthodox way in the storm (of their lives) and escaping the lockdown.
This is part of my series Losing Our Minds, that was taken at the beginning of the COVID crisis in 2020: a bizarre, but extremely fascinating period. This is a photo of ultra-Orthodox Jews who were enjoying their freedom in an unorthodox way in the storm (of their lives) and escaping the lockdown.

Spanish photographer Jordi Cohen won the eight-image Travel portfolio category with a somber black and white portfolio depicting human life and culture in India, Israel, Haiti, Romania, and Spain while, in complete contrast was Best Single Image winner Paul Sansome’s whimsical and colorful shot from Hanoi, Vietnam.

100 Travel 2020 Win1 JCohen
Portrait of a boy during a Kalaripayattu training, a martial art originating in southern India.

In the single image categories, Italian Pier Luigi Dodi won the lockdown-inspired Close to Home category with an intimate portrait of a woman blowing bubbles for her young son – our small life in bubbles, and the British photographer Peter Walmsley won Colours of Life with a vibrant view of a flower market in Bangalore, India. Another British photographer – David Newton – won the Islands category with an aerial image from Taiwan, and another drone shot – Mark Anthony Agtay’s picture of a beach in his native Philippines – won the Solitude category. Azim Khan Ronnie from Bangladesh won the SmartShot iTravelled category with his image of people at prayer in a vast mosque in Dhaka. Finally, Portuguese veterinarian Jorge Bacelar won the public vote – the People’s Choice award – with his tender portrait of a farmer with a goat.

Abílio da Fonseca, better known as ‘Abílio Carteirista’, has always been a farmer in Murtosa. Now over 80 years old, he spends much of his time in the stable taking care of his animals.
Abílio da Fonseca, better known as ‘Abílio Carteirista’, has always been a farmer in Murtosa. Now over 80 years old, he spends much of his time in the stable taking care of his animals.
It was the beginning of autumn and one of the last days on which to take the advantage of being out in the park for some hours. My friend Giulia and her son were playing with soap bubbles.
It was the beginning of autumn and one of the last days on which to take the advantage of being out in the park for some hours. My friend Giulia and her son were playing with soap bubbles.
You think you’ve visited busy markets before? You haven’t until you’ve visited Bengaluru. The flower market is absolutely chaotic! Dive in and you will be carried along with the flow of customers. Photographs in the middle of this melee are hard to achieve, but think a little laterally (well, upwards) and you can climb a couple of stories and get this bird’s eye view of the scrum below.
You think you’ve visited busy markets before? You haven’t until you’ve visited Bengaluru. The flower market is absolutely chaotic! Dive in and you will be carried along with the flow of customers. Photographs in the middle of this melee are hard to achieve, but think a little laterally (well, upwards) and you can climb a couple of stories and get this bird’s eye view of the scrum below.
An outcrop of rock, battered by the waves, forms its own tiny island just off the coast of Taiwan.
An outcrop of rock, battered by the waves, forms its own tiny island just off the coast of Taiwan.
We were relaxing and observing the tide when the sunrise lit up the shore in a beautiful way.
We were relaxing and observing the tide when the sunrise lit up the shore in a beautiful way.
Thousands of people come together to pray over several floors of one of the biggest mosques in the world. Around 40,000 people were visiting the mosque - decorated in beautiful teal and gold - for weekly prayers. The national Mosque of Bangladesh, known as Baitul Mukarram, is one of the 10 biggest mosques in the world and can hold up to 100,000 people including the outside courtyards.
Thousands of people come together to pray over several floors of one of the biggest mosques in the world. Around 40,000 people were visiting the mosque - decorated in beautiful teal and gold - for weekly prayers. The national Mosque of Bangladesh, known as Baitul Mukarram, is one of the 10 biggest mosques in the world and can hold up to 100,000 people including the outside courtyards.

This year Travel Photographer of the Year also included a video category, for films up to two minutes in length. The British photographer Jonathan Stokes won this category with a brooding depiction of the wild Welsh landscape.

It was the beginning of autumn and one of the last days on which to take the advantage of being out in the park for some hours. My friend Giulia and her son were playing with soap bubbles.
It was the beginning of autumn and one of the last days on which to take the advantage of being out in the park for some hours. My friend Giulia and her son were playing with soap bubbles.
You think you’ve visited busy markets before? You haven’t until you’ve visited Bengaluru. The flower market is absolutely chaotic! Dive in and you will be carried along with the flow of customers. Photographs in the middle of this melee are hard to achieve, but think a little laterally (well, upwards) and you can climb a couple of stories and get this bird’s eye view of the scrum below.
You think you’ve visited busy markets before? You haven’t until you’ve visited Bengaluru. The flower market is absolutely chaotic! Dive in and you will be carried along with the flow of customers. Photographs in the middle of this melee are hard to achieve, but think a little laterally (well, upwards) and you can climb a couple of stories and get this bird’s eye view of the scrum below.
An outcrop of rock, battered by the waves, forms its own tiny island just off the coast of Taiwan.
An outcrop of rock, battered by the waves, forms its own tiny island just off the coast of Taiwan.
We were relaxing and observing the tide when the sunrise lit up the shore in a beautiful way.
We were relaxing and observing the tide when the sunrise lit up the shore in a beautiful way.
Thousands of people come together to pray over several floors of one of the biggest mosques in the world. Around 40,000 people were visiting the mosque - decorated in beautiful teal and gold - for weekly prayers. The national Mosque of Bangladesh, known as Baitul Mukarram, is one of the 10 biggest mosques in the world and can hold up to 100,000 people including the outside courtyards.
Thousands of people come together to pray over several floors of one of the biggest mosques in the world. Around 40,000 people were visiting the mosque - decorated in beautiful teal and gold - for weekly prayers. The national Mosque of Bangladesh, known as Baitul Mukarram, is one of the 10 biggest mosques in the world and can hold up to 100,000 people including the outside courtyards.
Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve is located in the north of Jiangxi Province. Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China and provides a seasonal home for more than 100 species of migratory birds, including 11 endangered species.
Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve is located in the north of Jiangxi Province. Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China and provides a seasonal home for more than 100 species of migratory birds, including 11 endangered species.
This is not a tiny captain of a spaceship. The small fish is feeding on plankton, gathered by a salp (pelagic tunicate). The photo was taken at night in the open sea. Unique underwater species come from the deep blue, attracted by the light of a drifting underwater torch.
This is not a tiny captain of a spaceship. The small fish is feeding on plankton, gathered by a salp (pelagic tunicate). The photo was taken at night in the open sea. Unique underwater species come from the deep blue, attracted by the light of a drifting underwater torch.
Having found wombats to be generally elusive on my travels in Australia, and in Tasmania in particular, I was excited to find them easier photographic prey in Cradle Mountain National Park. Moreover, I can hardly describe how excited I was to find several with ‘joeys.’ It was quite a surprise the first time to see the mother nibbling on grass in the front while the joey sampled a few morsels out the back.
Having found wombats to be generally elusive on my travels in Australia, and in Tasmania in particular, I was excited to find them easier photographic prey in Cradle Mountain National Park. Moreover, I can hardly describe how excited I was to find several with ‘joeys.’ It was quite a surprise the first time to see the mother nibbling on grass in the front while the joey sampled a few morsels out the back.
TPOTY 2020 Winners
TPOTY 2020 Winners
There are many salmon spawning in the lake under the Kamchatka volcano in July and August every year, which is the most delicious food for brown bears. Although we would think it is looking at the volcano, this oddly human-like figure is actually looking for fish in the lake.
There are many salmon spawning in the lake under the Kamchatka volcano in July and August every year, which is the most delicious food for brown bears. Although we would think it is looking at the volcano, this oddly human-like figure is actually looking for fish in the lake.
This is a macro picture of the thick that covers Lake Akkajaure in winter. As it is a dam lake, in winter the water level drops and the ice layer breaks on the high bottom of the lake, resulting in some incredible ‘graphics’.
This is a macro picture of the thick that covers Lake Akkajaure in winter. As it is a dam lake, in winter the water level drops and the ice layer breaks on the high bottom of the lake, resulting in some incredible ‘graphics’.
Going to this place is always a gamble. It's located on Kalsoy, a small island connected by a ferry only a few times per day. Such special light is possible only during winter, so I had to face the extreme nordic weather. It was windy, freezing and graupel was falling intermittently hurting my face.
Going to this place is always a gamble. It's located on Kalsoy, a small island connected by a ferry only a few times per day. Such special light is possible only during winter, so I had to face the extreme nordic weather. It was windy, freezing and graupel was falling intermittently hurting my face.
I had to exercise extreme patience to achieve this shot at a very busy junction in Hanoi where traffic from left, right and behind me would constantly block the desired image I spent an hour before, as I had hoped, just a single bike drove past part of the world’s longest mosaic mural producing an image that I call ‘Green Energy’.
I had to exercise extreme patience to achieve this shot at a very busy junction in Hanoi where traffic from left, right and behind me would constantly block the desired image I spent an hour before, as I had hoped, just a single bike drove past part of the world’s longest mosaic mural producing an image that I call ‘Green Energy’.
The idea of building the house in the middle of the river was born in 1968. Nowadays the River House is a holiday place for a group of friends.
The idea of building the house in the middle of the river was born in 1968. Nowadays the River House is a holiday place for a group of friends.

Across the various categories, photographers won prizes including cash bursaries, Fujifilm X-T4 cameras with lenses, high-end outdoor clothing from Páramo, an international photography adventure with Chris Weston Photography, personalized leather portfolio books or iFolios from Plastic Sandwich, Photo Iconic photo tuition, Genesis Imaging exhibition prints, LEE Filter kits and membership of the Royal Photographic Society.

TPOTY founder Chris Coe said:

“Travel photography in a global pandemic, with numerous travel bans, has been challenging to say the least, but travel photographers are a resourceful breed, as the latest set of winners is a testament to. Interestingly, when our worlds feel like they’ve shrunk, the list of nationalities winning TPOTY and its categories has grown, with our first overall winner from Russia and other winning entries from Syria, Egypt and the Philippines for the first time, taking the total number of nationalities who have featured amongst our winners over the years to 45.

Travel Photographer of the Year, Vladimir Alekseev (Russia), had three portfolios shortlisted so, as in previous years where this has happened, the judges selected eight images to represent his stunning photography. Our young winner, Indigo Larmour, has retained her 2019 title and it is exciting to see how such a talented 12-year old’s photography is progressing.

Our first winner from Syria, Mouneb Taim, has a very special story to tell, both about his photography and his life. I’m sure some will say his images aren’t travel photography but they tell a tragic story of a destination and a culture which has featured strongly in photographs since the very early days of the great adventurers’ travel and travel photography to its now decimated cultural sites and landscapes.

These winners are spectacular in their beauty, range, drama, elegance and, in some cases, poignancy. In tough times they will bring a warmth and joy to many and confirm that there is skill, insight, vision and art in travel photography.”

Because there are just too many images in this competition, we’ve only shared a handful of the winning images here. To see the full list of portfolio and single image winners, please visit the full gallery on the official 2020 Travel Photography of the Year website here.