Michelle Lawford, The Shaman's Wife (PEOPLE 2026)

As a guest living in the family teepee, I shared my days with the Shaman's wife and came to appreciate the harshness of a nomad's life in the remote Taiga of Northern Mongolia. The photo was taken inside the teepee which is in total darkness when the flap is closed. I opened the flap just slightly, to allow a small amount of light in. With only 30 families remaining, the Dhuka, "people with reindeer", are the last culture to ride reindeer as they move their teepees with the seasons.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.