Cat Vinton's images of the lives of central Asian nomads, shown here dismantling the family yurt, won her first prize in the Travel Photographer of the Year competition.

Cat Vinton's images of the lives of central Asian nomads, shown here dismantling the family yurt, won her first prize in the Travel Photographer of the Year competition. Her prize includes the opportunity to photograph the Dalai Lama in India. Amateur and professional photographers from 51 countries competed for the prestigious awards. As well as her evocative studies of nomadic life, Vinton's winning portfolio included a series of highly atmospheric images of the snowy Norwegian landscape. Winning images can be seen at www.tpoty.com and will be on show at the Exposure Gallery, 22-23 Portland Street, London, dates to be confirmed, as well as at an exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham next month. The judging panel included editors of German and British photography magazines and the travel editor of Tatler.

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