National Geographic travel photo contest throws up some real gems

The work submitted to creative competitions can, it’s fair to say, be a bit hit-and-miss. But when you boast the reach and reputation of National Geographic it’s much less of a risky business, and the organisation’s annual photo contest received more than 12,000 entries from 6,615 different photographers. The 11 winners announced yesterday include some absolute belters, ranging from lonely landscapes to powerful portraits and there’s little doubt that they would stand out in any context.