Call for the Smithsonian Magazine 23rd Annual Photo Contest is Open!
The 23rd Annual Photo Contest by Smithsonian magazine is a prestigious photography competition held every year. Over the last 20 years, readers have submitted more than 470,000 images to Smithsonian’s annual photo contest. These photos have transported us to the far corners of Earth, captured spectacular, split-second moments and introduced us to fascinating people and unique landscapes. Browse breathtaking images captured by photographers from nearly every country in the world. Search by location and topic, and explore photographer portfolios for inspiration.
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The following six contest categories are drawn from subjects of special interest to Smithsonian magazine:
1. Wildlife: Animals and plants in the great outdoors that give you a sense of wonder about the natural world.
2. Travel: Locales, peoples or activities in the United States and abroad that convey a sense of place.
3. People: Portraits and photos of groups or individuals.
4. The American Experience at 250: In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, we’re looking for the stories, events, objects and places that connect the American people to their 250 years of history and 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.
5. Artistic Images: Visuals that use photography as a creative and imaginative platform to express an idea or concept. These images can be manipulated in any method, either through photo editing software or other techniques.
6. Drone/Aerial: Any photograph captured using an unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone. Images shot from planes/helicopters are also accepted.
To be eligible for any category, a photograph must have been shot by the entrant since January 1, 2023. This date applies to all images in a composite. The contestant certifies that he/she is the sole creator and copyright owner of the submitted photograph.
Cropped photos are eligible in all categories. Minor adjustments, including the removal of sensor dust or scratches on scans of negatives, dodging and burning, sharpening, contrast, toning, slight color adjustment and conversion to grayscale, are acceptable for all categories. The addition and subtraction of objects is not permitted except in the Artistic Images category. Images generated or manipulated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) are not permitted. When photographing the work of others, it must be as an object in its environment and not a full-frame close-up of another person’s creation
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Photo entries will be judged based on creativity, quality, originality, responsiveness to the prompt and overall impact. 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 2026. 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 2026. These dates may be subject to change.
Benefits
- Eight prizes will be awarded, as follows. One cash prize per person; winners may receive additional non-cash prizes:
- Grand Prize: $2,500.
- Category Winners: The winners of each of the six categories will receive $500.
- Readers’ Choice: The winner of the online Readers’ Choice award will receive $500.
- The Smithsonian may select photos for highlights on its website or display in a publicly accessible contest archive.
Eligibilities
- Open to photographers who are 18 years old or older
- Individuals affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and their immediate families are not eligible for any prize.
- The photograph that will be submitted must have been shot by the entrant since January 1, 2023
Application Process
- Applicants are required to submit photographs and requested information online through the “apply link” given below after creating an account.
- Applicants will be able to submit up to 15 photographs per category for a contest total of 90 submissions. Photographs must be submitted in .jpeg, .jpg, or .gif format, edited for web in sRGB color space, at least 2,000 pixels wide and no larger than 10 MB. A separate form must be completed for each photo submitted.
- Photographs submitted through the mail are not accepted. They also do not accept more than one contestant per e-mail address.
- High-quality scans of non-digital photographs are acceptable. Digital photographs should be taken at the highest resolution possible.
Application Deadline: December 1, 2025
Application ClosedOfficial link
