Intricate infrared portraits and landscapes of Africa win Travel Photographer of the Year 2024


The Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) 2024 awards have revealed this year’s most stunning travel photography. Like every year, the winners have taken us on a breathtaking journey across the globe. From awe-inspiring landscapes to intimate portraits, these photographs are not just images – they’re beautifully told stories.
For the second consecutive year, the prestigious overall title went to a female photographer, with Piper Mackay from the USA crowned Travel Photographer of the Year 2024. Piper’s evocative black-and-white images, captured using an infrared camera, celebrate the beauty of African women and wildlife in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. Her portraits of indigenous women brim with dignity and grace, while her atmospheric shots of giraffes evoke the magic of the savanna. Reflecting on her win, Piper shared, “This award completes my life’s passion and work across Africa for more than two decades. There is no higher honor!”
Chris Coe, the TPOTY founder, praised Piper’s work: “Her images have an immediate impact, but their intricate detail and atmosphere are also highly engaging. It’s a masterclass in simplicity and storytelling.”
















Rising young stars in travel photography
This year’s Young Travel Photographer of the Year title went to Raymond Zhang, a talented 14-year-old from China. His winning portfolio features a steam train and its drivers, photographed with remarkable authenticity and flair.








Seventeen-year-old Maksymilian Paczkowski from Poland, the Young TPOTY winner in the 15–18 category, wowed judges with birdlife images from his home country.




Meanwhile, Australian Leonardo Murray, aged only 12, captured the Young TPOTY 14 & Under category with his mesmerizing photos of the Namib Desert’s dunes.




Special mention also goes to runner-up Jamie Smart from England, who is only nine years old! Her intricate series of gannets at Bempton Cliffs showed a maturity well beyond her years.








Portfolio winners
The portfolio categories showcased a broad range of themes across four categories. Mexican photographer Maricruz Sainz de Aja won the Faces, People, Cultures portfolio with atmospheric portraits of Papua New Guinean tribespeople. In Planet Earth: Landscapes, Climate, and Water, Israeli photographer Roie Galitz captured the haunting beauty of Svalbard’s ice cap, while Aleš Krivec from Slovenia won the Monochrome category with stunning shots of shepherds’ cottages in the Dolomites. The Wildlife, Nature & Underwater category was awarded to British photographer Jenny Stock for her intimate images of American crocodiles in Cuba.
















Single shot and People’s Choice winners
The contest recognizes the best single shot within a portfolio. This year, the first place in the Faces, People, Cultures category belonged to Partha Pratim Roy from India. “You can feel the power in this image,” the judges commented. “A dynamic moment beautifully captured.”


In Planet Earth – Landscapes, Climate & Water, the single image from a portfolio that really stood out was the one from Alain Schroeder from Belgium.


Travel in Monochrome single image that won the first place was taken by Linda Wride from UK. This atmospheric image “sucks you into the potter’s world,” as the judges described it.


In Wildlife, Nature & Underwater, the first place was awarded to Joshua Holko from Australia.


The single image part of the contest also features four categories: Cities, Towns, Streets; Escape, Festivals & Celebrations, and Women in World Culture. There’s also People’s Choice Award, decided by nearly 20,000 public votes. This year, Mauro de Bettio from Italy was the chosen one, whose heartwarming image depicted the bond between an endangered pangolin and its rescuer in Nigeria.










New horizons for amateur photographers
The newly introduced Rising Talent category recognized emerging photographers from around the world. Winners included Sofia Brogi from Italy and Kevin Hoare from the USA, among others. They will receive mentoring from TPOTY judges and hone their skills even further.




















If you’re as captivated by these photos and you’re in the UK, the TPOTY exhibition kicks off at Banbury Museum and Galleries on March 29 and will run until July 7. And if you’re not in the UK – exhibits in the UAE and China will follow. You can also view all the winning images and runner-ups on the TPOTY website and enjoy this virtual photographic journey even more.
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