Athanasios Maloukos, whose work as a civil engineer has taken him around the world, was yesterday named overall winner in the British-based Travel Photographer of the Year competition for his images of Holy Week processions in Zamora, Spain, and Sufi rituals in Anatolia, Turkey. Maloukos, who says he aims “to capture the uniqueness of local cultures and the life of the people in the most remote places”, is the first winner of the award from Greece.

Chris Coe, founder of the competition, said that the pictures, shot in low light, demanded “immense skill. Here the hints of movement alongside the frozen elements enhance the atmosphere and drama… This is all achieved in camera without over-processing, and conveys the depth and intensity of each moment.”

Maloukos said that winning was “both an immense honour and a deeply humbling experience… This recognition encourages me to continue working quietly and respectfully, telling stories that explore the depth of belief, ritual and human connection across cultures. In a world of fast images, TPOTY is a powerful reminder of the value of thoughtful, enduring photography.”

The Young Travel Photographer of the Year award has gone to Jamie Smart, who is only 10 and lives near Llandrindod Wells in Wales, for a “highly accomplished” portfolio showing fruit bats, or flying foxes, both being cared for in a wildlife hospital in Beerwah, Queensland, Australia, and flying wild. She was runner-up in the 14-and-under category last year, and — having won numerous competitions since taking her first photographs on a nature walk with her father at the age of six — has already become known as “the Eagle-Eyed Girl”.

Amateur and professional photographers from 160 countries submitted more than 20,000 entries in TPOTY 2025. The winning pictures, which can all be viewed on the competition website, will also be exhibited; dates and venues are to be confirmed.