Niger

Merit Prize: Ljuba Lassala, Los Angeles, CaliforniaNikon Coolpix Digital Camera and a Bogen National Geographic Prize PackageLiuba Lassala took this picture during a trip to Niger, where she was working with TurtleWill, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in Ethiopia, Mali, and Niger. One day the group came across a herd of cattle at a well. "I was amazed by these huge horns all in a row," she says. Lassala, who is just 20 years old, recently finished a visual journalism degree at the Brooks Institute. She'd love to take another trip to Africa. (Nikon D200 digital camera, Nikon 17-55 mm zoom lens at 24mm, exposure at 1/2000 second, f/7.1, ISO 200) Bogen prize package includes National Geographic Tundra Monopod; National Geographic Tundra Tripod with 3-way head; and an Earth Explorer Medium Shoulder Bag.This year's 19th annual photo contest received over 27,000 entries, up some 12,000 from last year. Start polishing your skills early with one of Traveler's photo seminars and look for the announcement of our next contest in May 2008.