And the winners for this year are:

Several image galleries worth taking a look at represent the winners of two notable “Of The Year” contests.

First up are the ten winning images of the 2006 World in Focus Photo Contest put on by National Geographic Traveler Magazine. These are usually pretty images of places and cultures. FWIW, I was a Merit Award winner in this contest back in the mid-1990’s, and had one more of my images used in their calendar that same year.

The other award winners worth seeing are from the 2006 World Press Photo Contest. These are not always pretty pictures, but quite captivating nonetheless. Fair warning as usual for press photos – some of these are VERY, VERY graphic and disturbing and may not be suitable for young kids or overly sensitve types. Don’t miss the Sports and Nature portfolios toward the end of the winners gallery.

Enjoy.