The winner of an exclusive Global Encounters photography competition delivered by the World Photography Organisation (WPO) and luxury cruise line Celebrity Cruises has been unveiled as Norman Price from Plymouth.

The stunning image of Maras in the Sacred Valley of Peru will be showcased alongside other entries to the competition at a free exhibition in central London. Taking place alongside the annual Sony World Photography Awards in Somerset House, London, the Global Encounters exhibition features images taken by amateur and professional photographers during their travels in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America, the Caribbean and Asia. Over 1,280 entries were received to the competition.

Between 7 and 10 May 2015 the free Global Encounters exhibition will be on show in the Great Arch Hall of Somerset House on Victoria Embankment, London.

Featuring 20 images from skilled photographers around the world, the Global Encounters exhibition will also be launched on the cruise ship, Celebrity Eclipse, on 7 May and will be available to view onboard throughout the summer when the ship tours Europe.

The ship is based in Southampton, and offers cruises throughout the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. During the 2015 summer season over 40,000 keen travellers holidaying on-board the ship will enjoy the exclusive Global Encounters photography exhibition.

Judges of the photography competition - travel adventurer, TV presenter and former picture editor of Tatler, Ben Fogle; Astrid Merget, Creative Director, WPO and Jo Rzymowska, Managing Director, Celebrity Cruises – selected the images they felt best captured the essence of travelling encounters.

The winning image was taken by Price during a tour of South America. Having researched potential areas to photograph between Cuzco and Maras in Peru, Price had the opportunity to travel to Maras, an area where they have been collecting salt since pre-Inca times, and capture the stunning scenery and capture the area in the late afternoon, hence the atmospheric lighting in the picture.  

Jo Rzymowska, managing director, UK and Ireland, Celebrity Cruises comments:

“Taking photos to capture the moments you experience in amazing destinations around the world is one of the wonderful things that our cruises allow people to do. Seeing and enjoying more of the world is what our business is all about and we are thrilled to see the images prove how many people share our passion. We were really impressed with the standard of entries and visitors to the exhibition will be equally stunned. The Global Encounters exhibition makes me want to explore more of the world, and we hope travel lovers are encouraged to seek a new adventure.”

Winner of the prestigious photography competition, Norman Price, has won a place onboard an exclusive Celebrity Cruises 'Taste of Modern Luxury' sailing in Europe this May and a Sony A5000 Compact System Camera, to continue to explore his passion for photography, as well as the accolade of his work exhibited at Somerset House.

For more information on the Celebrity Cruises and WPO partnership, please visit: http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/cruises/global-encounters/.  

The free Global Encounters exhibition opens at 9am on 7 May 2015 and runs until 6pm on 10 May 2015 in the Great Arch Hall of Somerset House in central London. The nearest tube stations to visit the exhibition are Embankment on the Circle, District and Northern lines and Temple on the Circle and District lines.

To find out more the destinations around the world Celebrity Cruises sails to, please visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk. 

About Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Cruises' iconic “X” is the mark of modern luxury, with its cool, contemporary design and warm spaces; dining experiences where the design of the venues is as important as the cuisine; and the amazing service that only Celebrity can provide, all created to provide an unmatchable experience for holidaymakers' precious time. Celebrity Cruises' 11 ships offer modern luxury vacations visiting all seven continents and present immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska and Canada. Celebrity is one of six cruise brands operated by global cruise vacation company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL). About World Photography Organisation (WPO): WPO is a home where photography is celebrated and the art of the photographer is recognised. Working with professional, enthusiast and student photographers alike, the World Photography Organisation provides a global network across the photographic industry to not only to raise the level of conversation around the subject, but to increase awareness and appreciation of this artform. WPO hosts a year-round portfolio of industry and public events including: Sony World Photography Awards, the world's largest photography competition and accompanying global exhibition; the World Photography Student Focus Programme, inspiring and working with the next generation of photographers, and Photo Shanghai, Asia Pacific's premier art fair dedicated to photography. In addition, WPO has a thriving online presence via its website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and addresses the industry's latest issues in its monthly online publication, The Magazine. For more information please visit www.worldphoto.org