Bird and the Sunset.

Zen

Temple of Deconditioning

Close with the Tide

River Kaveri

Cage

Attention

Silence

Lund

Contemplation

Destination Unknown

Lonley Wait

Welcoming The Sun

Friends

Freedom

Light Bulb

train that runs from Beijing to Lhasa

Mark Unrau, who works in the Canadian mining industry, has been taking photographs for about ten years. Unrau snapped this image on the train that runs from Beijing to Lhasa, Tibet. The rail line—one of the world's highest railroad routes—had been completed just a month earlier. Many Tibetans feel the train is bad for their people and culture, but the Chinese have hailed it as a major technological achievement and said it will promote tourism. Unrau wanted to document the controversial new train. He took the photograph early in his 26-hour journey. "The woman was sitting in front of me for the duration of the ride," says the photographer, "and was glued to the window staring out at the expansive scenery." So that his subject wouldn't feel uncomfortable, Unrau angled the camera toward the window rather than pointing it directly at her. "That is why she's tucked way into the corner of the image," he explains. (Canon 5D digital camera, 24-105mm L- lens, exposure at 1/125 second at F/9.0, ISO 640)

historic Island Theatre

Every summer, Robert Gates—a professor of English at Syracuse University—spends a week on Martha's Vineyard. Over the years, Gates has taken various photographs of the historic Island Theatre. "This year I wanted a night shot with my new 35mm f/1.4 lens," he says. "I spent about an hour in front of the theater, knowing that I wanted to include the lighted window with the film reel and projector showing. I took photos as people walked by. Then the ticket-taker stepped out of her booth to smoke a cigarette, and I thought that made a better photo. Then the man walked out with the reel in his hand, and I knew I had my shot." Gates studied photography at the University of Iowa School of Art many years ago while he was finishing his Ph.D. in English. He lost interest in photography over time, but then he started shooting seriously again about five years ago and moved from film to digital. "I like to travel," Gates says, "but I really like to find interesting images everywhere." (Canon 5D digital camera, Canon 35mm f/1.4L lens, exposure at 1/90 second at F/2.5, ISO 400) Prize courtesy of

Ecuadorian women in the Andean village

Fernando Rodríguez captured this image of Ecuadorian women in the Andean village of Quilotoa. In one of the town's houses, he met Miguel Ángel Jácome Umaquinga, a Tigua artist who paints small pictures of the area's volcano and lake. "I was photographing Miguel Ángel while he was painting," Rodríguez says, "when I realized that his wife [seated], daughter, and sister were staring at me. I turned my tripod 180 degrees, and I took several photos of the scene." Rodríguez adds: "The huge contrast between the sadness of their faces and the brightness of their clothing were what made me take the photograph." It was around 3:30 in the afternoon when Rodríguez took this image. There wasn't enough natural light from the window, so he needed to use a flash to illuminate the faces of his subjects. Rodríguez has a background in economics, marketing, and advertising, but, he says, "I love traveling and photography, and I always try to combine both passions the best I can." He's traveled in more than 50 countries around the globe, mostly in Europe and Southeast Asia. Rodríguez says his dream project would be to put together a book or an exhibition of portraits of people from around the world. (Nikon D200 digital camera, AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1:2.8 G ED lens, exposure at1/60 second at f/2.8, ISO 100) Prize courtesy of the Schooners American Eagle and Heritage.

Katarzyna Sobocinska, a film student in London, visited Nigeria

Katarzyna Sobocinska, a film student in London, visited Nigeria in February 2007 as part of a crew shooting a short student film. "We spent most of the time in a village called Itekun," she says. "People from the village, especially children, were fascinated by the film set." This girl didn't see Sobocinska at first. "I was waiting for the moment when she'd look at me without yet knowing what I was trying to do. I released the camera button exactly when she noticed me." (Canon EOS400D digital camera, Canon EF 75-300mm zoom lens, exposure at1/160 second at f/5.0, 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.