Magnus Holm, from Denmark, stands six feet three inches tall. He has a mound of floppy blonde hair and a grin that can disarm the devil. It’s the latter that enables him to mask his size and draw his subjects in to capture memorable moments for his camera.

I first saw his photography when I was judging the 2013 College Photographer of the Year (CPOY) contest at the University of Missouri. His photographic style and unique stories were hard to miss, raising his work above his contemporaries. Magnus’s portfolio placed first. National Geographic magazine sponsors the contest and the winner receives an internship at the magazine—our only still photography internship.

After Magnus spent a few weeks in the office taking