Photographers from over 150 countries submitted 9,289 photos that fell into three categories: people, places, and nature. This year’s category winners all had one thing in common: They tell a story. Whether they show a migrating wildebeest taking a dramatic plunge or a thermal spa bathed in blue light, these images say something. They are layered and nuanced and invite the viewer to think.

Letting someone know they just won $10,000 and a trip to Nat Geo headquarters to participate in an exclusive photography seminar is always special. But this year was especially fun because our winner, Brian Yen of Hong Kong, has been a member of our Your Shot photo community almost since it