Judges lauded the photo for its lush color, lighting and texture, and for being a poignant image of intergenerational current and human warmth.

Gorgeous Winners From All Around the World

Cliffe’s arresting picture was selected from six strong category winners that encompassed people, wildlife, landscape, food, city life and portfolio. Among the winning submissions were an alluring geothermal pool in Iceland that looks like a giant eye, a dramatic moment between a Bonelli’s eagle and fox in Spain, a family-run eatery in Tibet and stunning scenery from Italy and Canada.

The competition's 18 finalists showed off a combination of creativity and technical prowess, showcasing a vast array of different cultures, terrains and wildlife from across the world.

Get Inspired to Travel (or Something) With These 20 Gorgeous Photos

This year’s entries were hailed by organizers as some of the strongest in the festival’s history. The chosen photographs are not just beautiful images, they represent stories and subjects that are emotional, controversial, thought-provoking, exceptional and unique, and they give us a look at an interesting world through the eyes of talented photographers. These images set a new standard in travel photography by showing breathtaking moments that ignite the viewer’s curiosity and admiration.