All About Photo Announces the Award-Winning Images from 'Travels'

The results for AAP Magazine #45: Travels are in, and we’re thrilled to unveil the 25 winning photographers whose exceptional images captured the spirit of exploration and the beauty of our planet. This competition drew thousands of submissions from around the globe, with entries showcasing awe-inspiring landscapes, captivating wildlife, and compelling cultural moments. Representing 13 countries across four continents, the winners highlight the richness and diversity of travel photography.

For this edition, AAP Magazine sought photographs that transport viewers to extraordinary places, whether familiar or rarely seen. The winning images range from serene European countrysides to vibrant cityscapes, heartwarming portraits, and dramatic wildlife encounters. These stunning works offer a window into the endless wonders of our world and the unique stories that unfold across it.

Each month, AAP Magazine provides a platform for passionate photographers to share their vision with a global audience. The Travels edition is a celebration of both professional and amateur photographers who continue to inspire with their creativity, dedication, and talent.

Explore the full Winners’ Gallery online and discover how these photographers bring the art of travel to life. Congratulations to the winners of AAP Magazine #45: Travels!

The Winner of AAP Magazine 45 Travels is Peter Ydeen (United States) with the series 'Waiting for Palms'

This is a photograph taken near Rissani, Morocco which shows a woman alone with her baby wrapped in cloth and on her back, all in the stark and dramatic setting typical of the area.

Waiting for Palms:
Urban Landscape photography is usually associated with photographers such as Eggleston and Tice and evokes images of the North American suburbia and small towns. The celebration of the beauty of the mundane however, exists everywhere.

Peter Ydeen recently completed a series of Urban Landscape photos in the two corners of North Africa; along the Nile River in Egypt, from Cairo to Aswan; and in central Morocco from Essaouira through the Atlas Mountains to the Saharan Drâa-Tafilalet regions.

The landscape varied from the stark and vivid minimal geometry found in both less populated areas Morocco as well as southern Egypt to the hazy and chaotic atmospheres of Cairo, Marrakech and Fez. It is a world that values an alluring privacy. The drab colors of the urban landscape are transformed into an elegant imposition of engineered spaces with the pastel hues of the buildings and spaces acting as stages for the intimate worlds of the people who themselves are elements in their stages. Here is both a mystery and dream set in colors of misunderstood beauty.

This is a mini series of about 100 photographs taken in the fall of 2016 to the spring of 2017 which tries to emphasize the elegance of these two corners of North Africa.
peterydeen.com
@peterydeen
All about Peter Ydeen


The Second Place Winner is Thaddäus Biberauer (Austria) with the series 'Around the Globe'

The series isn’t finished yet as there are still many images I need to work on. Most of the photos were taken between 2023 and 2024 while I was traveling extensively, exploring Europe in my van and visiting places beyond by plane. Experiencing new countries, cultures, and landscapes challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, adapt my techniques, and photograph scenes far different from what I’m used to.

From natural landscapes to bustling cities, I was constantly seeking to create stunning images while immersing myself in the beauty of the world. I’m incredibly grateful for these opportunities, which have enriched both my photography and my life. These experiences and the images I captured will always hold a special place in my heart.
hozzography.com
@hozzography
All about Thaddäus Biberauer


The Third Place Winner is Liam Man (United Kingdom) with the series 'Icebreaker'

As a moonrise burns across the horizon, lights dance above the Old Man of Storr, in Scotland. Lights mounted to drones cut through the darkness, revealing the icy landscape. Blizzards howled through much of the night, leaving minutes to execute the photograph before the moon became too bright. As the storm passed, the icy crystals suspended in the air refracted the moonlight, shifting it a fiery orange.

Icebreaker
Icebreaker is a solo, self-funded project using aerial light-painting to highlight our cryosphere's beauty while revealing the profound impacts of climate change. Glaciers are currently losing 267 billion metric tons of ice annually, a loss accelerating at an alarming rate. This threatens not only some of Earth's most stunning landscapes, but also economies and ecosystems dependent on these frozen reservoirs. With 2025 declared the United Nations International Year of Glacier's Preservation, a unified global response has never been more urgent. Icebreaker portrays glaciers as living entities; once resilient, now vulnerable. A testament to their beauty and a rallying cry to protect these frozen leviathans before they become extinct.
www.theliamman.com
@theliamman
All about Liam Man


Merit Award Gallery
Steve Dinberg (United States)

The sense of adventure that comes with exploring new places and meeting new people is what keeps me interested in street photography. A fellow photographer once told me, “There are two reasons people travel: the first is to see something new, the other is to experience something old.”
I have always been a passionate photographer. I look for that decisive moment, and I am constantly in search of that special magical light, interesting faces that reveal personal history, hands that tell a story, and amazing eyes that convey emotion, but most of all, I try to capture that moment of interaction. I instinctively look for the colors, shapes, and textures in a defined area. As a lifelong traveler, I look for a street, alleyway, or even the face of a person that conveys meaning to their surroundings.
www.dinbergphotography.com
@dinbergphotography
All about Steve Dinberg


Jaejoon Ha (South Korea)

The winter in Korea in 2024 is colder and colder than ever. I hope that all Korean citizens will return to their daily lives in 2025.
@jb.0611
All about Jaejoon Ha


Marios Forsos (Greece)

Following the collapse of the ISIL state, rogue bands of ISIS fighters and warlords have streamed into northern Mali, effectively taking over almost half the country and imposing their own particular version of law and government. In response, the Malian government has withdrawn to the south, abandoning the people of the north and centre to their fate, leaving them without support, education, access to markets and many more. During the past 7 years, the people have had to discover new - or old - ways of surviving, with a lot of them reverting to subsistence farming, foraging and bartering, including collecting driftwood and sand from the Niger to sell as building materials and firewood. With no teachers or schools available, wandering religious scholars have taken it upon themselves to go from village to village and exchange education for food and shelter. Without any equipment or other resources, they use the Qu’ran as the only textbook and wooden slates along with pieces of charcoal as writing implements. Classes are held wherever possible, from abandoned warehouses to shady street corners where everyone is welcome.
www.mariosforsos.com
@marios.forsos.photography
All about Marios Forsos


Andrea Peruzzi (Italy)

After the recitation of scriptures and prayers, a monk steps into the temple's entrance pagoda, his form bathed in the ethereal glow of the setting sun. This is a life shaped by deep devotion, constant meditation, and a tireless pursuit of self-improvement. Every moment is a step on the journey to enlightenment, transcending the limitations of the self, where the ultimate aspiration is the serene realization of Nirvana.
www.andreaperuzziphotos.com
@andreaperuzzi_photos


David Dhaen (Belgium)

Just random images i took in one of the most beautiful areas of this amazing country.
@david.dhaen.wtp


Debbie McCulliss (United States?)

A large group of Adelie penguins are gathering on a snowy hill in Antarctica to prepare to hunt deep in the ocean for krill and small fish. The stunning monochromatic landscape of ice-covered glaciers in the distance creates a stark contrast between the dark penguins and the white snow and ice.
Adelie penguins are the most southerly distributed of all Antarctic penguins and are true Antarctic inhabitants. Hunting in groups helps protect them from predators like leopard seals.
www.debbiemccullissphotography.com
All about Debbie McCulliss


Muhammad Amdad Hossain (Bangladesh)

A winter morning turns busy as villagers head out to work in the heart of Rangpur, Bangladesh. An intriguing snap, it captures the spirit of rural life: people going to work either on bicycles, cow carts, or on foot, moving with a rhythm that is ageless. Agriculture, the livelihood of 90% of the people, has knitted the people and their land together. This photograph celebrates the resilience, tradition, and vibrant spirit of a village waking to the promise of a new day.
amdadphoto.com
@amdad.photo
All about Muhammad Amdad Hossain


Syed Mahabubul Kader (Bangladesh)

A group of workers unload paddy straw from a truck. Paddy straw, a by-product of rice farming, has various uses, including cattle feed and fuel.
@syedmahabubulkader


Marvin Anani (United States)

his is a long exposure of a Ferris wheel at the National Harbor in Washington D.C. I remember looking at the people moving about on that pier and thinking Is anybody else thinking about this as a cool giant lollipop? A tripod and a few minutes later, I had this photograph and several others. A decisive moment that stood there for a long enough time, allowing me to make one of my favorite images.
www.marvinanani.com
@marvin.jpg_
All about Marvin Anani


Alessandro Malaguti (Italy)

In the Nepalese villages perched on the high Himalayan mountains on the border with Tibet, time seems to have stopped. People live the day dedicating themselves to prayer, their livelihood and the cultivation of the fields. The rhythm of life is stress-free, the hours are marked only by sunlight following the simple flow of nature.
www.alessandromalaguti.com
@alessandro_malaguti77


Alessandro Zanoni (Italy)

This series of images is taken from a large work of documentation regarding the city of Tokyo that is still in progress. These images may be included in a forthcoming editorial publication that should see the light by 2025. The title - provisional - of the work is Skin Of The City. The five images proposed concern as many places of consumption of food and drink, typical Izakaya, Yakitori and Yakuniko.
www.alessandrozanoni.com
@alezano
All about Alessandro Zanoni


Brice Gelot (France)

Straight out the hood is a long term documentary look at the dark and unseen side of the street, from rough areas to poor neighbourhoods...
www.nsd5150.com
@bricegelot
All about Brice Gelot


William Nourse (United States)

In September 2024, I and five other photographers embarked on a sailing expedition through the relatively untraveled fjords of South Greenland. Setting out from Narsarsuaq, we explored Tasermiut Fjord and Prins Christian Sund for 10 unforgettable days. We camped on the shore under the Aurora, hiked into glacial valleys and experienced impossibly calm waters with mirror-like reflections, a photographer's paradise. South Greenland is where the Vikings first settled and traveling by boat gave some sense of what they must have experienced when they first visited this area including glaciers falling into the sea and sheer granite faces that stretch thousands of feet into the air.
www.willnourse.photography
@willnoursephotography
All about William Nourse


Nora Skerlecz (Hungary)

An elderly Lisu couple sits in their humble living room in Yunnan, China, surrounded by the warmth of their home and the echoes of their heritage. Their expressions and traditional attire reflect the resilience and rich cultural identity of the Lisu minority, offering a glimpse into a way of life deeply rooted in family and tradition.
@norascanophoto


Matt Coughlin (United States)

Marambo, a silverback gorilla, and his Muhoza gorilla family in the mountains of Rwanda. These aware, intelligent creatures met us on the mountain ridge. The photos take advantage of full spectrum light (visible, IR, UV) to render the lush green forest in intense pinks and reds.
www.mattcphoto.com
@mattcoughlinstudio
All about Matt Coughlin


Thibault Gerbaldi (France)

As a traveler, I’m drawn to people—their faces, their stories, their everyday lives. Through my lens, I capture fleeting moments. These encounters breathe life into my journey, reminding me that the heart of travel lies in the connections we make along the way.
www.tgcrossroads.com
@tg_crossroads
All about Thibault Gerbaldi


Chris Ha (Canada)

This collection of aerial photographs celebrates the beauty of tradition in Vietnam, showcasing the daily lives of workers who carry forward time-honored crafts and practices. United by the iconic conical hats that symbolize Vietnamese culture, each image captures a unique story of dedication and artistry.
From the rhythmic rows of tea harvesters to the vibrant fields of incense sticks, the sprawling fishing nets, the textured salt flats, and the earthy vessels used for fermenting soy sauce, this body of work offers a glimpse into the labor and legacy of Vietnam’s people. Shot from above, the perspective emphasizes not only the intricate patterns and stunning geometry of these scenes but also the human connection that binds them.
This series serves as a tribute to the resilience and creativity of the workers whose traditions shape the identity of Vietnam, reminding us of the harmony between culture, craft, and community.
@hipster
All about Chris Ha


Chiara Felmini (Italy)

A whole day spent in a Mundari camp allows you to observe the lifestyle of these nomadic shepherds, but it does not pretend to arrive at understanding. Everything takes place between light and dust, smoke and ash, but above all fire, in all its meanings. The Mundari, tall and muscular, feed mainly on milk and yogurt. They use cow urine, rich in ammonia, as an antiseptic and to lighten their hair. The dung is burned and the fine peach-colored ash is also used as an antiseptic and as a sunscreen. At the same time, the Mundari take great care of their animals, massaging them even twice a day and sprinkling them with manure ash to protect them from insects. The symbiosis between these shepherds and their animals, the care for them that passes through massages with ash mixed with urine rubbed together with force and patience, even twice a day, are aspects that amaze our Western eyes.
chiarafelmini.myportfolio.com
@chiarafelmini
All about Chiara Felmini


Stuart Chape (Australia)

A series of images of the glacial Tasman and Godley River systems in the mountains of the South Island of New Zealand taken from a light aircraft.
bluethumb.com.au/stuart-chape


France Leclerc (United States)

A charreada is a traditional Mexican rodeo-like event that is deeply rooted in Mexican culture. The competitors called “charros” demonstrate impressive and daring maneuvers, showcasing their incredible skill with ropes. As part of the event, women and young girls, known as the “charras”, parade on horseback, dressed in colorful Adelita outfits. These dresses are named after a legendary female fighter from the Mexican Revolution. This image highlights the stylishness of both the charros and charras, while also capturing the significance of the horse in this cultural event. Olé!
franceleclerc.com
@franceleclerc
All about France Leclerc


Prescott Lassman (United States)

Ireland is a complex and ancient land. These photographs are from my recent trips attempting to capture some of the mysterious beauty of the Emerald Isle.
@lassman_lenswork
All about Prescott Lassman


Silvio Augusto Rusmigo (Cyprus)

I was invited to document a unique project: the creation of Cyprus’s first bouldering guidebook. This grassroots effort, led by climbers from Cyprus and abroad, is mapping the island’s untouched climbing potential, starting with over 700 lines in Akamas. Experiencing this sport for the first time, I witnessed more than climbing—it was about adventure, community, and love for a rugged, contested landscape. Through my images, I sought to reflect this vision of Akamas as not just a natural treasure but a symbol of what sustainable exploration could achieve for Cyprus.
www.silviorusmigo.com
@silviorusmigo