A snapshot of a Mongolian horseman charging out of the morning mist has taken the top prize in National Geographic's contest.
The magazine of its 2016 contest on Monday, with amateur photographer Anthony Lau of Hong Kong taking the grand prize.
"He captured a moment literally frozen in time," National Geographic's senior digital producer Sarah Polger told Â鶹´«Ã½ Channel on Tuesday. "It's a picture that really connected with emotions and brought together so many elements at once."
In his submission, Lau wrote that the temperature had hit -20 C and snow was coming from every direction when he snapped the photograph while travelling through Inner Mongolia.
"Winter Horseman" by Anthony Lau.
"…I saw Inner Mongolia horsemen showing off their skills and commanding the steed from a distance. I quickly grabbed my telephoto lens and captured the moment when one of the horsemen charged out from morning mist," Lau wrote in his submission.
Lau takes home the grand prize -- a seven-day polar bear safari for two at in Manitoba.
Polger said the judges looked through nearly 10,000 submissions in the annual contest, which is now in its 28th year.
She said the judges look for "awe inspiring photography" that transports viewers to a different place.
The second place winner in the "People" category was photographed by Australian Yasmin Mund, who snapped families sleeping on the roofs of their homes during the hot summer in Varanasi, India.
"This is a photograph that makes you stay with the frame," Polger said. "There are so many elements in the picture, that you want to stay and learn more about."
"Rooftop Dreams, Varanasi," by Yasmin Mund.
A photograph of two red foxes racing through a snowy landscape in Hokkaido, Japan took first place in the contest's "Nature" category.
Japanese photographer Hiroki Inoue wrote in his submission: "Around the end of the winter, they meet the season of love; they care for and love each other enough to make us jealous."
"Wherever you go, I will follow you!!" by Hiroki Inoue.
Marrakesh, Morocco was the setting for the first-place photograph in the "Cities" category.
Photographer Takashi Nakagawa of Japan said he captured the picture while taking a break from the city’s crowded streets.
"Ben Youssef" by Takashi Nakagawa.
Each of the contests first-place winners will take home a Sony a6300 camera.
