The following six contest categories are drawn from subjects of special interest to Smithsonian.com:
- Natural World: Animals, plants and landscapes; geological or climatological features; and scientific processes and endeavors.
- Travel: Locales, peoples or activities in the United States and abroad that convey a sense of place.
- People: Portraits and photos of groups or individuals.
- 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.
- Altered Images: Photographs manipulated for artistic purposes by applying digital and/or traditional special effects.
- Mobile: Any photograph taken with a mobile device (phone or tablet).
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 2020. 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 2020.
Fees: Free
Prizes: Eight prizes will be awarded, as follows:
Grand Prize: $2,500, plus a trip sponsored by Travel category sponsor The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, its parent or affiliate companies as well as their immediate families (children, parents, siblings and spouses) and others living in their households, are not eligible for any prize. The Smithsonian will determine winners' eligibility in its sole discretion.
Copyrights & usage rights: You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant the Smithsonian Institution (and those authorized by the Smithsonian) a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any Smithsonian Institution purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion of the magazine and its website, exhibition, and commercial products, including but not limited to Smithsonian Institution publications. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. The Smithsonian Institution will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.
Theme: Nature, Landscape, Travel, People, Other
Deadline: November 30th, 2019
