At its best, photography transports us to another place, telling a story about its people, nature, or landscapes. With a new year ahead of us, we pause to reflect on some of the best travel and nature photography from 2022, as selected by various publications and photo competitions. Enjoy!

National Geographic
"Best Travel Photos of 2022"
These 17 images by National Geographic contributors represent a renewed sense of adventure and "the enduring essence of travel," according to the magazine. Some of our favorites include a panorama of the Inca city of Choquequirao in Peru, an otherworldly look at Patagonia, and the colorful boats of food vendors in Xochimilco, Mexico. 

The Nature Conservancy
"Global Photo Contest Winners 2022"
There are lots of great captures in this gallery, presented by The Nature Conservancy. A lightning strike in Cuba, the abstract landscapes of a glacial river in Iceland, and bioluminescent mushrooms in Australia are some of the standouts.

Audubon Society
"The 2022 Audubon Photography Awards: Top 100"
From almost 10,000 entries, Audubon's Top 100 list of amazing bird photos includes a mid-flight Superb Starling in Tanzania, an ethereal Austral Pygmy-Owl in Chile, and an Ostrich in the rain in Kenya.

Nature inFocus
"Nature inFocus Photography Awards 2022"
Held in conjunction with Asia's premier nature and wildlife festival, these photography awards recognized among its winners a camera-trap shot of a jaguar in Mexico and the long shadow of an elephant in Sri Lanka.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year
"People's Choice Award Finalists 2022"
Developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London, this annual contest has been going since 1965. Voting for the People’s Choice Award is open until February 2, 2023, and featured among this year's finalists are a breeding colony of American Flamingos in the Yucatán's Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, a Southern Crested Guineafowl in South Africa, and a portrait of a Mindo glass frog in Ecuador.