![<strong>2nd place Cities category -- "In the age of aviation". </strong>Jassen Todorov was the second prize winner in the <a target="_blank" target="_blank">2019 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest </a>Cities category. "There are four runways at San Francisco's International Airport (SFO)," says the photographer. "This is a rare look at the approach end of runways 28 left and right. I had dreams of documenting the motion at SFO and [arranged] permission to fly directly overhead."](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/190612162322-ng-travel-photo-contest-winner-2nd-cities.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
![<strong>3rd place Cities category </strong><strong>-- </strong><strong>"Streets of Dhaka":</strong> Sandipani Chattopadhyay was the third place of this category of the<a target="_blank" target="_blank"> 2019 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest.</a> "People pray on the street in Dhaka, Bangladesh during Ijtema. Bishwa Ijtema is one of the major Islamic religious gatherings which is [observed] annually in Dhaka and millions of Muslims visit [during this time]," explains the photographer.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/190612163804-ng-travel-photo-contest-winner-3rd-place-cities.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
![<strong>1st prize People category -- "Showtime": </strong>Huaifeng Li's depiction of actors preparing for an evening opera performance in Licheng County, China was the winner of this category of the <a target="_blank" target="_blank">2019 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest.</a> "I spent the whole day with these actors from make-up to [stage]," says the photographer.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/190612161006-ng-travel-photo-contest-winners-1st-people.jpg?q=w_1600,h_900,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
A snowy fishing village in Greenland, a vulture soaring through the sky in Spain, and a trio of actors gearing up for an opera performance in China all make up the award winners in the 2019 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year awards.
Judged by a panel of expert photographers and National Geographic staff, the annual contest received thousands of entries in three different categories: Nature, Cities and People.
Weimin Chu was named Grand Prize winner and also took first place in the Cities category for his stunning image “Greenlandic Winter,” which showcases the colorful fishing village of Upernavik, in northwestern Greenland, covered in snow.
Stiff competition
As for the People category, Huaifeng Li took first place with a beautiful photograph, entitled “Showtime,” of a group of actors getting ready for an opera performance in Licheng County in China’s Shanxi Province.
The freelance photographer says he spent all day with the performers in order to capture the shot.
Meanwhile, Tamara Blazquez Haik scored first place in the Nature category for her image, named “Tender Eyes,” depicting a griffon vulture circling the skies in Monfragüe National Park in Spain.
“How can anyone say vultures bring bad omens when looking at such tenderness in this griffon vulture’s eyes?” she says of her image.
There were nine winners in total, three in each category, as well as two honorable mentions.
Eclectic selection
Chu’s “Greenlandic Winter” was taken during a three-month visit to Greenland, the world’s largest island, earlier this year.
“I love the contrast and mood of this scene,” Chu says of the stand out image.
“Historically, Greenlandic buildings were painted different colors to indicate different functions, from red storefronts to blue fishermen’s homes – a useful distinction when the landscape is blanketed in snow.
“I was busy taking continuous pictures at that time, trying to capture the best moment.”
The freelance photographer received a $7,500 prize as well as a post on National Geographic Travel’s Instagram account, @natgeotravel, while Blazquez Haik and Li will receive $2,500 respectively.