/ 2025 / Nature / Earth

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Jacob Eernisse, United States
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/jacob_eernisse?igsh=bHF0bHlrbHIwOW1u&utm_source=qr

This photo captures a Tanzanian porter resting on a large rock after a long day of carrying heavy packs up Mt. Kilimanjaro. In the background, Uhuru Peak—the highest point in Africa—rises prominently through the clouds.
I captured this shot at the halfway point of my Kilimanjaro expedition this past winter. Taken at just over 4,000 meters in elevation, with another 2,000 meters still to climb, the moment evokes both a sense of achievement and tranquility. It reflects the contrast between human resilience and the vast grandeur of nature, even in the face of the challenges still ahead.