The entries for the 2015 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest are in, and the photographs are as stunning as ever. The annual contest asks photographers from all around world to submit photos in four categories: Travel portraits, outdoor scenes, sense of place, and spontaneous moments.
Photographers are allowed to submit as many photos as they'd like for $15 apiece, with no cap on the number one person can enter. The contest, which ends June 30, is still open for entries. Winners will receive a grand prize of an 8-day National Geographic Photo Expedition to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal for two.
Scroll below to see some of the most beautiful photographs submitted to the contest so far:
1. Lighting Up The Night 
"I was out in the Arches National Park to take night pictures, but the clouds moved in. I waited for about two hours in the car and finally the sky cleared and I got this image."
Photograph and caption by Manish Mamtani/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
2. Ocean World
"[Bird's eye view] of a surfer in the famous beach of Praia Mole located in Florianopolis, Brazil. This image has been made with the help of a drone."
Photograph and caption by Chris Schmid/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
3. Frozen In Time
"Ice cave at the Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland."
Photo and caption by Shane Wheel/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
4. Jal Mahal During Sunrise
"Beautiful view of Jal Mahal during sunrise. I wanted to capture the palace and other two water structures also in the frame. Thats why I have used an ultra wide angle lens to capture this frame. Not many tourists visit the place at dawn, so the location is bit peaceful early in the morning. And locals visit the lake in the morning and feed the pigeons and fish in pond. These pigeons keeps flying across the lake once in a while, which I used to fill my frame."
Photo and caption by Ravikanth Kurma/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
5. Colors Of Earth 
"People in Dharavi slum in Mumbai work hard, producing mostly recycled articles and pottery. The posture of these two women at the local pottery store, taking a short break for conversation, [expresses] dignity, while the colors of their saris perfectly blend with the scenery."
Photo and caption by Maja Bednas/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
6. Camping On The Diving Board 
"As technology shrinks the world around us, it becomes more and more difficult to find ourselves truly lost in the outdoors. This makes those particular moments and scenes that much more special. Getting to the Diving Board was quite a challenge, as there is no official trail. For anybody who is prepared, careful, and respectful of nature, the reward is one of the most breathtaking views in all of Yosemite, in my opinion."
Photo and caption by Matthew Saville/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
7. When Conditions Are Right 
"Giant waves converge and jump together along the Na Pali coast of Kauai. An early season northwest swell and the position of the autumn sun made this shot possible, but what really makes it special to me is the bird flying in the corner of the frame. This little moment of life adds balance to the image and reminds me that the mundane often [makes] the spectacular."
Photo and caption by Lee Scott/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
8. Tribal Makeup Artist
"Taken at a Karo Village in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia. The Karo are famous for their body-paint culture and skill. Away from the crowded village square, I found this 'makeup artist' focused on applying makeup on a young woman. Using a Q-tip as a brush he used a Georges Seurat-like pointillism technique! The calm, focused look of the artist is contrasted by the nervous, perspiring client -- perhaps unsure about the results (or my camera)."
Photo and caption by S. Ram/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
9. Last Light on Godafoss, Iceland 
"I had a tripod set up on Godafoss waterfall in Iceland last month. I used a 10 stop ND filter to capture the movement of the water as the sun set in the distance."
Photo and caption by Ed Graham/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
10. White Rhinos 
"The night before this photo, we tried all day to get a good photo of the endangered white rhino. Skulking through the grass, carefully trying to stay 30 feet away to be safe, didn't provide me the photo I was hoping for. In the morning, however, I woke up to all three rhinos grazing in front of me."
Photo and caption by Stefane Berube/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
