Focus in on Smithsonian magazine’s 7th Annual Photo Contest
Grab your camera and your artistic inspiration, as Smithsonian magazine’s 7th Annual Photo Contest is currently underway. From now until December 1, the magazine will accept photographs in five categories: The Natural World, Americana, Altered Images, Travel and People.
“We’re looking for imagination and creativity,” says Jesse Rhodes, editorial assistant and project manager for the contest. “We look for images that are visually attractive but unique in their own way.”
The magazine began the contest in 2003 as an opportunity for its readership to interact with the magazine. “It gives the readers an opportunity to show us the places they’ve been and the people they’ve met,” Rhodes says. “It lets them show us their creativity.” Since the contest’s inception six years ago, the Smithsonian editors have received more than 89,000 photographs. Last year alone, the magazine deliberated over 17,000 entries.
Even if you’re not an aspiring photographer, you can still play an active role in the magazine’s contest as a guest judge. Once the 50 finalists have been selected as of February 28, 2010, the magazine will invite readers to vote online for one readers’ choice winner.
In addition, the magazine will select five category winners and one grand-prize winner. Each of the category winners and the readers’ choice winner will receive $500. The grand-prize winner will receive a four-day Smithsonian Journeys Grand Canyon Weekend Adventure for two. All winning and finalist photos will be published in a summer issue of Smithsonian magazine.
For more information, go to photocontest.smithsonianmag.com. Follow Smithsonian Student Travel on Facebook and Twitter to see past winners of the Smithsonian Photo Contest every Friday!