National Geographic Traveler just announced the 2015 winners of their annual photo contest. The competition, which includes submissions from thousands of images taken from all around the world over the course of 2015, awards the winner an eight-night Costa Rica and Panama Canal photo trip with airfare included for two. Second- and third-place winners receive vacations in Yellowstone National Park and a cruise from Schooner American Eagle and Heritage, respectively. Merit winners get a Nat Geo Masters of Photography course plus a $200 B&H Photo gift certificate.
Scroll through the gallery to check out some of the amazing winning photography.















A mom is very angry with her sonCanva
Gif of two women high-fiving via 
Representative Image: Accents reveal heritage and history.
Representative Image: Even unseen you can learn a lot from an accent. 

Photo of a handwritten letter from Heidi Johnson's Facebook page
Gif of someone repeating "shame" via 
A young girl learning sign languageCanva

A real estate agent talks with a young coupleCanva
A frustrated school teacher takes a breakCanva
A young girl plays around in her messy roomCanva
Image of the floral dress with the risque images circled
Gif of Tim Robinson via