Evocative images of dismal – 'dreich' – weather in Scotland made British photographer Craig Easton the overall winner in the 2012 Travel Photographer of the Year Award. Other images in this year's competition showcased landscapes from the Namib desert to icy wilds of Siberia, wildlife, cultures and urban street scenes.

Craig Easton, UK – winner of the Cutty Sark Award for Travel Photographer of the Year 2012. Paris, France. 'French privacy laws now dictate that I had to ensure that no one was recognisable in the images, which led me to the idea of silhouettes against an iconic background. The same legal system meant that I couldn't shoot this at night, as the lighting on the Eiffel Tower is protected by copyright laws'

Alessandra Meniconzi, Switzerland – winner, new talent portfolio (another world). The Nenets are an indigenous tribe living in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug in Siberia, Russia. Here Olya, six years old, collects wood in the forest

Dmitry Miroshnikov, Russia. Hammerhead sharks swim toward a ‘cleaning station’, where small fishes help them to get rid of parasites, Cocos Island, Costa-Rica

Andrew Newey, UK, winner. Mentawai shamans resting after hunting, Siberut Island, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Anka Sliwa, UK, winner. 'This graffito itself composes a very powerful image. I needed a figure that would make the silent scream audible. This casual passer-by seemed perfect'

Marsel van Oosten, Netherlands, winner. Quiver tree, Namib desert, Namibia

Uli Kunz, Germany, runner-up. The king of the Arctic at the edge of an ice floe, Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic

Philip Lee Harvey, UK – winner. Groundnut harvest near Bagan, Burma

Timothy Allen, UK, winner. Children watching an Oxfam team at work, Grand Gedeh, Liberia

Samuel Fisch, US (age 15) – winner of Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2012. Wyoming cowboys corralling horses at sunrise, Jackson Hole, Wyoming