Finalists pitched us their photos, hoping to be the ones chosen to go on assignment with National Geographic Travel Way Judges had an incredibly tough decision to make.

Each finalist has different strengths, and now our photographers were looking forward to their feedback.

I hope that they can learn something from me.

But I know that from other experiences like this that I end up learning as much and being inspired as much by them as they are by me.

Welcome back.

Hi.

It's just the culmination of that idea that you don't have to be just one thing.

You don't have to be just a doctor or just a woman or just a mom can wear many hats, and you can explore all of these different things about yourself that you didn't know.

It could be just more than a hobby.

I wanted to start by saying that you have in your work, has a very big, generous heart, and it comes through in all of the pictures.

But when we separated and marked our scores, your score was not the highest score for you to go forward.

As a photographer, you do have more to learn.

But you had easily the highest score in the uplifted quest.

These intimate, amazing moments, you know, really, really powerful.

Thank you.

And that's because of who you are.

What you have is the most important part in time, as you master your craft, that's gonna open doors to tell in other kinds of stories, but never walk away from your heart.

You have a gift.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

I'm not I'm not actually sad.

I didn't win.

It was I was not expecting Thio, but, like, what is news to me is just what you said.

And that's really it really means a lot to me.

So thank you.

But obviously, I'm gonna have to keep my day job so that I can support my photography.

Haven't I'm just really grateful for this entire experience.

This has been fantastic.

Even though they didn't win that competition, you can't worry about the past.

All you can do is think about the present and the future, and let's go from there.

I always have a camera in my hand and I'm gonna keep having a camera in my hand.

Hi.

If I were to win.

I would call my family first and tell them because they're all kind of waiting to hear.

And they're also excited for me.

I don't win.

I'll probably text my family way felt that you were such a imaginative, playful, creative photographer and that that was really important for you and that you really understood that That was your voice way that you explore composition that came through in all of the work that you did.

Thank you.

The other photographers.

I've seen their work online and e really have a lot of respect for what they've done.

And then the stakes of winning or losing is pretty.

Hi, How you doing?

Good.

Good, obviously, really wanna win.

So that's another lawyer of nerves.

We were all unanimously impressed with the thoughtful way and deliberate way you described each of the quest.

But how that comes through in all of your photography, you have already the beginning of mastery over your camera.

E think these air some of your greatest strength.

One of your strengths is how you use color, and it kind of reflects the vibrancy of how you're seeing the world.

At the same time you lean on that strength.

At some point, you need to step back a little bit.

If it's an editorial space, maybe those colors are a little bit too vibrant.

Way got to talk about some weaknesses to.

Of course, with your work, it sometimes feels a bit confined.

What we'd love to see you do is take some risks to sort of open up, show us something that only you could have seen.

Do you have a long road ahead?

And you have so much potential.

It was a really difficult decision for us.

Very little light between each of you.

And we were very careful about how we made our marks and our scores.

That said way added up the scores.

And, yeah, you were the winner.

Because of this, we'd like to send you on an assignment with National Geographic travel E don't know what to say.

Yeah, I'm shaking.

So yeah, that means well, I I'm really excited to see what you're doing way.

Are you so much way tallied all the scores and you were a very, very close second among the three.

That right?

Yeah, But what we're really excited about is to see where you go, thistles Bend.

More importantly, your story is gonna be told.

Yeah, I hope it opens lots of doors.

And I'm just really grateful for the whole experience.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Actually, one thing we do want to continue working with you.

Masa does way were just really moved by your pictures.

So we want to partner with you and really harness your activity.

So I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you back.

Well, I definitely feel like a winner.

Just this whole experience has been so incredible.

Getting out of bed each morning and going on these quests really made me feel like I was validated like a legitimate photographer.

This is just the beginning.

So, Sam, it's been quite the journey.

But your journey is just beginning, and we want you to continue that journey in a Moscow 6.

30.

Thanom.

Thank you, guys.

Um, yeah.

I don't think I could was too much.

Just come through.

Yeah.

Thank you so much.

I don't think it's, like fully sunk in, cause it's like a lot of different emotions for sure.

It's really validating.

I guess you know some of the choices I've made in the past of, like, leaving and going away for a year on pursuing photography instead of something else.

Um, my parents, They'll be the first people toe.

No.

When I bought me a camera, I don't think they knew what I was getting into or what they're getting into.

And they first thought that little point and shoot.

Yeah, I'm just so, so thankful for this.

I really think I'm gonna try and take what I've gotten from this experience and apply it going forward in my photography and the work that I dio I love being on shoots this whole energy that goes into it and being on assignment is going to be pretty amazing.

I just loved every bit of it.

Yeah.