What are the hallmarks of a winning image in Smithsonian magazine’s photo contest? Technical quality, clarity and composition, but also a flair for the unexpected and the ability to capture a picture-perfect moment.

The five contest categories are drawn from those subjects of special interest to the Smithsonian magazine:

Americana—Events, objects or activities connecting the American people to their history or their cultural heritage.

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

People—Individuals from all walks of life.

Altered Images—Photographs manipulated for artistic purposes by applying digital and/or traditional special effects (i.e. colorizing, toning, collage, photo composites, HDR, etc.).

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

Judging will be conducted by the editors of Smithsonian. Winning photographs and selected finalists will be published in a summer 2012 issue of Smithsonian. Decisions of the judges will be final.

On a weekly basis, Smithsonian judges will post the best of the incoming entries on our web site in the Editors’ Picks section.

Five category winners will be selected, one for each category. The grand prize winner will be chosen from 50 finalists.
The 50 finalists will be notified of their status by February 28, 2012 and will appear on the web site on March 1, 2012.