National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest 2015 winners: Stunning pictures revealed

An underwater photograph of divers swimming near a humpback whale has won the 2015 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest grand prize. Whale Whisperer was selected from more than 17,000 entries. The photo was taken near Roca Partida, an island off the western coast of Mexico by Anuar Patjane Floriuk of Tehuacán, Puebla, Mexico. Floriuk wins an eight-day National Geographic photo expedition to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal for two.

Floriuk said: "The photo wasn't planned. I was taking photos near the head of the whale, and all of a sudden she began to swim toward the rest of the diving team. The divers gave the whale and her calf space, and I just clicked at the moment when the flow and composition seemed right."

Faisal Azim of Chittagong, Bangladesh, won second prize for his photo Gravel Workmen. He will receive a six-day National Geographic photo expedition in Yellowstone for two.

The third-place photo, Camel Ardah, was shot by Ahmed Al Toqi of Muscat, Oman. He wins a six-day cruise for two from Schooner American Eagle and Heritage.

This year's contest received more than 17,000 entries from photographers around the world. There were four categories: Travel Portraits, Outdoor Scenes, Sense of Place and Spontaneous Moments. The judges also chose the following seven Merit prize winners (in no particular order).