19th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest until 30 November 2021


Deadline: 30 November 2021. The Smithsonian will select 10 finalists per category, a winner for each category, and a Grand Prize winner from the 60 finalists. The 60 finalists will be notified of their status and appear on our website in March 2021. At that time, the public can vote on our website for the Readers’ Choice winner from among the 60 finalists. The Readers’ Choice winner, Grand Prize winner and category winners will be revealed online in spring 2022.

The following six contest categories are drawn from subjects of special interest to Smithsonian magazine:

1. Natural World: Animals, plants and landscapes; geological or climatological features; and scientific processes and endeavors.

2. Travel: Locales, peoples or activities in the United States and abroad that convey a sense of place.

3. People: Portraits and photos of groups or individuals.

4. The American Experience: Events, objects or activities connecting the American people to their history or their cultural heritage; photographs that tell us what it means to be an American and provide a sense of what it is like to live in this country.

5. Altered Images: Photographs manipulated for artistic purposes by applying digital and/or traditional special effects.

6. Mobile: Any photograph taken with a mobile device (phone or tablet).

Prizes:

Eight prizes will be awarded, as follows:

Grand Prize: $2,500.

Category Winners: The winners of each of the six categories will receive $500.

Readers’ Choice: The winner of the online Readers’ Choice award will receive $500.

Photo Contest Website: https://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/