Photography

Incredible highlights from the Smithsonian Photo Contest finalists

Incredible highlights from the Smithsonian Photo Contest finalists
Finalist, Natural World. "Adelie Penguin on an Iceberg"
Finalist, Natural World. "Adelie Penguin on an Iceberg"
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Finalist, People. "Death of Well". The "wall of death" or "well of death" is a common game now at fairs and carnivals in India, though it first originated in America. Motorcyclists circle the well again and again
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Finalist, People. "Death of Well". The "wall of death" or "well of death" is a common game now at fairs and carnivals in India, though it first originated in America. Motorcyclists circle the well again and again
Finalist, Altered Image. "Moraine Lake". A panoramic picture of Moraine Lake in the Banff National Park, Canada
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Finalist, Altered Image. "Moraine Lake". A panoramic picture of Moraine Lake in the Banff National Park, Canada
Finalist, Travel. "A Fish Seller Displays His Goods". A man poses with his scooter in Hanoi with a delivery of pet fish
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Finalist, Travel. "A Fish Seller Displays His Goods". A man poses with his scooter in Hanoi with a delivery of pet fish
Finalist, Natural World. "Family". A gelada monkey and its son on the edge of a cliff of the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia
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Finalist, Natural World. "Family". A gelada monkey and its son on the edge of a cliff of the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia
Finalist, People. "The Young Dreamers"
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Finalist, People. "The Young Dreamers"
Finalist, Mobile. "Horse Racing"
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Finalist, Mobile. "Horse Racing"
Finalist, Mobile. "Novice in the Rays of a Temple". A young novice walking in the rays of a temple in Bagan, Myanmar, learning about the historical wall-paintings of the temple
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Finalist, Mobile. "Novice in the Rays of a Temple". A young novice walking in the rays of a temple in Bagan, Myanmar, learning about the historical wall-paintings of the temple
Finalist, Mobile. "Vision of America".
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Finalist, Mobile. "Vision of America".
Finalist, American Experience. "Look Down at the Empty Bottom of the Glen Canyon Dam"
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Finalist, American Experience. "Look Down at the Empty Bottom of the Glen Canyon Dam"
Smithsonian Photo Contest. Finalist, American Experience. "Home Survives Direct Hit From Tornado"
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Smithsonian Photo Contest. Finalist, American Experience. "Home Survives Direct Hit From Tornado"
Finalist, Travel. "Larung Gar Buddhist Academy". The world's biggest Tibetan Buddhist institute
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Finalist, Travel. "Larung Gar Buddhist Academy". The world's biggest Tibetan Buddhist institute
Finalist, Travel. "Neuva Venecia". New Venice is a palafito town of the Marsh of Santa Marta, between Cartagena and Santa Marta, main cities of the Colombian Caribbean
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Finalist, Travel. "Neuva Venecia". New Venice is a palafito town of the Marsh of Santa Marta, between Cartagena and Santa Marta, main cities of the Colombian Caribbean
Finalist, Travel. "Two Whales". A humpback whale surfaces in front of a large iceberg that resembles the profile of a sperm whale off the coast of East Greenland, near Tasiilaq
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Finalist, Travel. "Two Whales". A humpback whale surfaces in front of a large iceberg that resembles the profile of a sperm whale off the coast of East Greenland, near Tasiilaq
Finalist, Natural World. "Hot Kiss". A picture of a monkey entering a hot spring in Nagano, Japan
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Finalist, Natural World. "Hot Kiss". A picture of a monkey entering a hot spring in Nagano, Japan
Finalist, Natural World. "Adelie Penguin on an Iceberg"
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Finalist, Natural World. "Adelie Penguin on an Iceberg"
View gallery - 15 images

The finalists in the 17th Smithsonian Photo Contest have been revealed, selected from over 36,000 submissions. Here are our picks from the 60 sensational finalist photographs.

Submissions in this year’s contest span 145 countries and focus on six categories: Natural World, The American Experience, Travel, People, Altered Images, and Mobile. Alongside a Grand Prize winner and category winners selected by The Smithsonian, the general public can choose a Reader’s Choice winner, with voting open until March 30.

Finalist, Travel. "A Fish Seller Displays His Goods". A man poses with his scooter in Hanoi with a delivery of pet fish
Finalist, Travel. "A Fish Seller Displays His Goods". A man poses with his scooter in Hanoi with a delivery of pet fish

Jon Enoch’s A Fish Seller Displays His Goods in the Travel category highlights the stunning skill motorcycle riders in Vietnam have, piling their rides with an incredible array of goods. Enoch says he spent a week in Hanoi chasing down an assortment of riders to capture images such as this.

Smithsonian Photo Contest. Finalist, American Experience. "Home Survives Direct Hit From Tornado"
Smithsonian Photo Contest. Finalist, American Experience. "Home Survives Direct Hit From Tornado"

In the American Experience category, Matt Gillespie’s shot of a lone house after a tornado in Ellerslie, Georgia, is an amazing example of how a natural disaster can randomly spare a single home while destroying everything surrounding it.

Jim Guerard’s impeccably timed shot of a whale surfacing off the coast of Greenland is a spectacular highlight in the Travel shortlist. Guerard noticed the iceberg’s similarity in shape with the whale, and then followed the animal for some time to capture this lovely photograph.

Finalist, Travel. "Two Whales". A humpback whale surfaces in front of a large iceberg that resembles the profile of a sperm whale off the coast of East Greenland, near Tasiilaq
Finalist, Travel. "Two Whales". A humpback whale surfaces in front of a large iceberg that resembles the profile of a sperm whale off the coast of East Greenland, near Tasiilaq

“It was late in the day, and I was a couple of miles offshore photographing icebergs from an open bow boat when we saw a humpback whale surfacing in the distance,” writes Guerard. “We followed the whale for a good 30 minutes before we were finally able to align him surfacing with the iceberg in the background.”

Take a look through our gallery at more highlights from the finalists of the 17th Smithsonian Photo Contest.

Source: Smithsonian Photo Contest

View gallery - 15 images
1 comment
1 comment
-dphiBbydt
The penguin photo seems odd. Would a penguin really waddle out on an ice ridge like that with what looks like certain death each side?