As our Travel image of the Month competition begins to mature, the overall quality of the shots that have been submitted continues to increase, making our judges job in selecting a winner all the more challenging as the months tick away. 

Although there were only a few images submitted in the first couple of weeks, our contributors from across the globe were not shy to share their images as we moved towards the end of the month, and it was good to see the return of photographers to the competition who, because of the times we currently live in and who have  had understandably other priorities, that now feel they have the time to share with us some of their excellent work. 

 Denis Anguige - 'Early Morning Mist'

The ways in which 'a sense of place' has been interpreted this month has been especially interesting. With travel to different parts of the world currently more difficult than ever, our colleagues have been reaching into their past collections with great effect, with wonderful landscapes, portraits and sharply captured moments, all catching the eye.

Some of the images have been deeply thought provoking as well, with shots taken by James Machon of a basketball court near Chernobyl and Barbara Fleming's image of the mist shrouded entrance to a monastery drawing you in.
 

But the final choice of winner came from two shots chosen by our judge Richard Lewis ARPS, who explained the challenge that the two shots posed. 

                         

"After much deliberation and agonising, I went for Closed for the Night over The Blue Hour.

The latter captured a sense of Arctic Chill very well, emphasised by the warm glow of the lights from the cabins.

[But] 'Closed for the Night' captures exactly the feeling of a small town gas station in the middle of nowhere in the American west. Sunset is nicely caught, it's well exposed and nicely framed. And the colours contribute to a very satisfactory and calm image.