Dazzling Displays: 8th Annual Photo Contest Winners
Out of more than 50,000 photographs submitted, editors – and readers – picked seven showstoppers
- By Jesse Rhodes
- Smithsonian magazine, August 2011, Subscribe
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Smithsonian Spotlight: Picture Perfect
Watch the full episode to go behind the scenes, and into the minds of the judges, at the Smithsonian magazine photo contest. See what it takes to win a photo contest, from the lens of the photographers to the scrutinizing eyes of the judges.
When a troupe of Indonesian dancers came to Bhopal, India, to perform a balletic adaptation of the Ramayana—the ancient Hindu epic detailing the worldly exploits of the hero Rama, freelance photojournalist Prakash Hatvalne, 54, was ready. “I reached the venue a little early,” he recalls. “As I went into the greenroom and was talking to the [dancers], I saw some of them making final touches to their makeup and costumes.” While one checked herself out in a mirror and another adjusted her eyelashes, Hatvalne pressed the shutter on his Nikon D50 digital camera. Smithsonian judges selected the resulting image as the grand-prize-winning photograph in our 8th annual photo contest. Given a choice between $2,600 in prize money and a vacation from Smithsonian Journeys, the Institution’s travel arm, Hatvalne opted for a trip to the Grand Canyon. He and his wife, Anita, will be traveling from India to Arizona this summer.
This year’s winning photographs invite us to appreciate spontaneous, everyday encounters: a firefly illuminating a blade of grass, a festival celebrant captured mid-leap, a young girl hiding her face in a headscarf or a batter sizing up a pitched baseball. “I wanted to capture a powerful moment, what one can only see hurtle by in a second, now frozen in time,” Christopher Lucka says of his stopped action shot.
This year nearly 12,000 contestants from all over the world submitted more than 52,000 entries in five categories: Altered Images, Americana, the Natural World, People and Travel. In addition to the finalists and winners selected by Smithsonian’s judges, online readers cast votes for their favorite photograph—an egret fanning its feathers. A gallery of all 50 finalist photographs can be found at Smithsonian.com/finalists. Our 9th photo contest is open for entries until December 1, 2011. C’mon, we want you to enter!
Grand Prize Winner »
Readers' Choice Winner »
Altered Images Winner »
Americana Winner »
The Natural World Winner »
People Winner »
Travel Winner »
Among other duties, editorial assistant Jesse Rhodes is responsible for our photo contest.
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Comments (8)
All the photos were so beautiful. The one that held me spellbound was the firefly...how amazing! I would love to have a copy to frame and would purchase it in a heartbeat. Let me know if that is possible. Rainy
Posted by Rainy Lyons on September 6,2011 | 02:46 PM
Delicious desire.
In a learned memory you can find the atmosphere that often appears near a luminous faith.
Francesco Sinibaldi
Posted by Francesco Sinibaldi on August 14,2011 | 09:31 AM
They were very interesting.
Posted by shelby Lawhorn on July 9,2011 | 02:19 PM
I would appreciate it if you could email me the photo in your contest of a woman standing in an art gallery looking at a painting in which she looked as though she belonged herself. Thank you, Beth Edwards
Posted by Beth Edwards on July 8,2011 | 12:04 PM
great!
Posted by Roberto Garcia on July 7,2011 | 06:51 PM
I have a friend who's a wildlife photographer/writer, and I'd like to see him get a chance to be in you magazine. He does great work, and has columns in a couple of newspapers and has done several magazines, etc. What would he need to get a shot in your magazine? Thanks.
Posted by Benny Bennett on June 30,2011 | 05:23 PM
Fabulous photos. Wish you printed them in your magazine. Is it possible to buy a small copy of specific photos?
Posted by Stephanie on June 30,2011 | 03:08 PM
What great winners...fantastic challenging photography...I love your magazine too...
Posted by Dan Whittle on June 30,2011 | 02:47 PM