Travel Photographer of the Year comp announces 2024 winners

30 January 2025

US photographer Piper Mackay has been awarded the title of Travel Photographer of the Year 2024, for a series of 'beautifully and exquisite portraits' portraits of African women and 'atmospheric' giraffes in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, captured with an infrared (IR) camera.

© Piper Mackay / Travel Photographer of the Year 2024 (tpoty.com)

TPOTY founder Chris Coe said: “So many images seen today are over-saturated, over-processed and even AI-generated. A ‘less is more’ approach is often far more effective.

It is therefore refreshing to judge images which demonstrate good camera craft and in-camera creativity – shot full-frame, or close to it, and with very little retouching.”

“They are beautifully composed, celebrating both indigenous women and wildlife on the African savanna.

The use of black and white, with a camera converted to shoot infrared (IR), allows us to absorb the details and atmosphere which good monochrome conveys so well.

Her images have an immediate impact, but the intricate detail and atmosphere captured is also eye-catching and highly engaging.”

Mackay, who now lives in Kenya, said her philosophy has always been ‘Never let the photo dictate your experience, always let the experience dictate the photo.’

"This award completes my life’s passion and work across Africa for more than two decades. There is no higher honour!” she said.

Mackay’s prize includes a £2000 cash bursary from TPOTY, Radiant Photo imaging software and a portfolio review from New York agent Frank Meo. More than 20,000 images were entered in the competition.

Leonardo Murray, Australia (age 12). Winner, Young TPOTY 14 Year and Under.
Location: Namibia
“Namibia sand dunes at sunset.” — Leonardo Murray, Australia (age 12). Winner, Young TPOTY 14 Year and Under. Location: Namibia “Namibia sand dunes at sunset.”

In addition to the major award, a number of Australian photographers were recognised, including 12-year-old Leonardo Murray, who won the Young TPOTY 14 years & Under category for his series of images of dunes in the Namib Desert.

The images were captured while on holiday with his father, a professional photographer.

Joshua Holko, Australia. Winner, Best Single Image in Wildlife, Nature & Underwater Portfolio.
Location: Steppe Region of Eastern Mongolia
“A Pallas cat lies flat in the snow at first light, their method for camouflage. The cat is covered in hoar frost in the freezing -35º Celsius morning temperature in
this region of Mongolia in winter and was likely out hunting all night.” — Joshua Holko, Australia. Winner, Best Single Image in Wildlife, Nature & Underwater Portfolio. Location: Steppe Region of Eastern Mongolia “A Pallas cat lies flat in the snow at first light, their method for camouflage. The cat is covered in hoar frost in the freezing -35º Celsius morning temperature in this region of Mongolia in winter and was likely out hunting all night.”

In addition, Joshua Holko received the Best Single Image award for his image of a Mongolian Pallas Cat covered in hoar frost.

The title of Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2024 was awarded to 14-year-old Chinese photographer Raymond Zhang for his portfolio of an old steam train and its drivers, photographed right in the heart of the action.

In the 15-18 years category, 17-year-old Polish photographer Maksymilian Paczkowski won with a series of birdlife shots shot in Poland.

The winning shots - which can all be viewed in the Winners’ Gallery on tpoty.com - will first go on display at The Banbury Museum and Galleries, Banbury, UK from 29th March to 7th July.

TPOTY will also be showcased at Xposure in the UAE. Another exhibition will follow in Changsha, Hunan Province, China in mid-June.

Individual categories and awards

Mexican photographer Maricruz Sainz de Aja won the Faces, People, Cultures portfolio category with a subtly atmospheric series of low-lit images of Papua New Guinean Wauga tribespeople in the Central Highlands.

Partha Pratim Roy, India. Winner, Best Single Image in Faces, People, Cultures Portfolio
Location: Mount Bromo, Jawa Timur, East Java, Indonesia
“On the windswept sands of Mount Bromo, an Indonesian horseman struggles to control his aggressive, energetic horse. The man, gripping tightly, is thrown to the ground, volcanic dust clinging to his face lined with years of toil. Life here is unyielding, demanding strength and resilience from man and beast alike. For the Tenggerese, this is more than survival—it’s a way of life, etched in their culture. The horseman, undeterred, reflects a people whose enduring spirit thrives even amidst the challenges of this untamed terrain.” — Partha Pratim Roy, India. Winner, Best Single Image in Faces, People, Cultures Portfolio Location: Mount Bromo, Jawa Timur, East Java, Indonesia “On the windswept sands of Mount Bromo, an Indonesian horseman struggles to control his aggressive, energetic horse. The man, gripping tightly, is thrown to the ground, volcanic dust clinging to his face lined with years of toil. Life here is unyielding, demanding strength and resilience from man and beast alike. For the Tenggerese, this is more than survival—it’s a way of life, etched in their culture. The horseman, undeterred, reflects a people whose enduring spirit thrives even amidst the challenges of this untamed terrain.”

Indian photographer Partha Pratim Roy’s dramatic image of an Indonesian horseman trying to control his steed won the Best Single Image award in this category.

Roie Galitz, Israel. Winner, Planet Earth – Landscape, Climate & Water Portfolio
Location: Bråsvellbreen, Svalbard
“More waterfalls carve the landscape of Bråsvellbreen. As ice caps and glaciers melt faster in our polar regions, we will lose so much of this fragile environment to climate change. As these waters flow into the ocean, they accelerate coastal threats worldwide, emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change to protect vulnerable ecosystems and human populations alike.” — Roie Galitz, Israel. Winner, Planet Earth – Landscape, Climate & Water Portfolio Location: Bråsvellbreen, Svalbard “More waterfalls carve the landscape of Bråsvellbreen. As ice caps and glaciers melt faster in our polar regions, we will lose so much of this fragile environment to climate change. As these waters flow into the ocean, they accelerate coastal threats worldwide, emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change to protect vulnerable ecosystems and human populations alike.”

Roie Galitz’s striking landscapes of the Bråsvellbreen ice cap in Svalbard, shot from different viewpoints and perspectives, illustrate both the climate and water elements of the category theme and secured top honours for the Israeli photographer in the Planet Earth Landscape, Climate and Water portfolio category.

Alain Schroeder, Belgium. Winner, Best Single Image in Planet Earth – Landscape, Climate & Water Portfolio
Location: Jeruksari near Pekalongan, Indonesia
“Mutiari, 4 years old, plays with a friend in the flooded streets of Jeruksari. The sea level in Indonesia has risen by an alarming 4mm annually since 1992, a tangible consequence of climate change. Northern coastal cities are the most rapidly and severely affected, compounded by tidal flooding that inundates villages with slow-receding water. Poorly planned urbanization and infrastructure development also contribute to flooding in these low-lying areas.” — Alain Schroeder, Belgium. Winner, Best Single Image in Planet Earth – Landscape, Climate & Water Portfolio Location: Jeruksari near Pekalongan, Indonesia “Mutiari, 4 years old, plays with a friend in the flooded streets of Jeruksari. The sea level in Indonesia has risen by an alarming 4mm annually since 1992, a tangible consequence of climate change. Northern coastal cities are the most rapidly and severely affected, compounded by tidal flooding that inundates villages with slow-receding water. Poorly planned urbanization and infrastructure development also contribute to flooding in these low-lying areas.”

Belgian photographer and former overall TPOTY winner, Alain Schroeder, won the Best Single Image award with a poignant image which reminds us that climate change is here right now, and blighting people’s lives.

Jenny Stock, UK. Winner, Wildlife, Nature & Underwater Portfolio Location: Jardines de la Reina, Cuba “Crocodiles have a very low profile above the water line once they are swimming, in order to keep their presence well hidden from their pray. For a photographer trying to achieve a split shot – half above the water, half below – with a crocodile is quite the challenge. I wanted this powerful beast’s eye to just pop out above the waterline and had to take many photos like this to eventually achieve this image.”

Another British photographer, Jenny Stock, was the judges’ choice to win the Wildlife, Nature & Underwater category, with her fascinating and intimate portfolio of American crocodiles in Cuba.

Mauro De Bettio, Italy. Winner, People's Choice
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
“In the bustling markets of Lagos, Nigeria, a man stands as a beacon of hope, courage, and compassion, proudly balancing a pangolin atop his head—a poignant symbol of resilience. This pangolin was rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, an industry that has made Nigeria a hub for trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights Nigeria as a key exporter of pangolin scales, fueling a multimillion-dollar black market. Locally hunted for food and trafficked internationally for traditional medicine and fashion, pangolins face grave threats. This man’s act underscores the urgent need to protect these gentle creatures, whose survival is increasingly endangered by human greed and exploitation.” — Mauro De Bettio, Italy. Winner, People's Choice Location: Lagos, Nigeria. “In the bustling markets of Lagos, Nigeria, a man stands as a beacon of hope, courage, and compassion, proudly balancing a pangolin atop his head—a poignant symbol of resilience. This pangolin was rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, an industry that has made Nigeria a hub for trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights Nigeria as a key exporter of pangolin scales, fueling a multimillion-dollar black market. Locally hunted for food and trafficked internationally for traditional medicine and fashion, pangolins face grave threats. This man’s act underscores the urgent need to protect these gentle creatures, whose survival is increasingly endangered by human greed and exploitation.”

The People’s Choice award was decided by members of the public voting on the TPOTY website. The winning image, chosen from 19,895 public votes, was by Mauro de Bettio (Italy). It captures the wonderfully close relationship between an endangered pangolin, and its devoted protector, who rescued it from a wildlife market in Nigeria.

You can see many more of the amazing images that win categories and were shortlisted at tpoty.com.