Everybody likes a good ol’ National Geographic photo contest. The magazine attracts the finest photographers and by the same token, the magazine attracts those with a taste for the finest photography. Thousands upon thousands of people enter National Geographic’s photo contests and, as you might suspect, there are plenty of great photo entries that don’t win the contest. Luckily for all of us photo-appreciators, National Geographic highlights some of their favorite shots as the contest goes on. And even more luckily for us, The Atlantic’s In Focus gathered 45 of their favorite entries thus far for our viewing pleasure. Featuring impressive photos in full size, you can check out the In Focus round-up from the contest here on The Atlantic’s website.
National Geographic photo contest open through the end of November
Attention photographers: there’s a National Geographic photo contest open until November 30th. The esteemed magazine is famous for spectacular photography and simultaneously famous for spectacular photo contests. The most recent photo contest is themed People, Places, and Nature. Judged by National Geographic photographers, the grand prize winner will received $10,000 as well as a trip to the National Geographic headquarters in Washington D.C. The photos will be judged on both creativity and photographic quality. National Geographic requests that the entries reflect real life, captured as it was at the moment in time that the photo was taken. If you have a great shot, enter it! (The subtext being… why not?).
Find more information on the contest here on the National Geographic website.
Win $10,000 in the 2010 National Geographic Photo Contest
National Geographic has launched their 2010 Photography Contest, giving one lucky shutterbug the chance to take home a prize that includes $10,000 in cash and a trip to Washington DC to attend the annual National Geographic Photography Seminar in January, 2011. But that’s not all, as the winning photograph will also be published in an upcoming issue of National Geographic magazine, which is a dream come true for many amateur and professional photographers.
Entries are being accepted in the categories of People, Places, and Nature, and all submissions must be in a digital format and uploaded from the contest’s homepage. You can enter as many photos as you would like, but there is an entry fee of $15 per image. The contest ends on November 30, 2010, so get to work on sorting through those photos.
In a few weeks time, the best submissions to date will begin to appear in web galleries online, and we’ll all be allowed to browse them and vote for our favorites. Some of the best entries will also be made into wallpapers that can be used as desktop backgrounds and some will be converted into online jigsaw puzzles as well.
For an idea of what you’re up against in this contest, check out a gallery of the best entries from last year by clicking here and then see who the overall winners were by clicking here. After perusing those galleries, I can see I have my work cut out for me.
National Geographic Traveler World in Focus Contest winners
I just opened the link to the Intelligent Traveler from December 28 and was treated to this awesome photo that made Mark Unrau the first place winner of this year’s National Geographic Traveler’s World in Focus Contest. (Click on photo for larger view.)
Unrau is not a photographer by profession. According to the blurb about him at National Geographic Traveler’s Web site, he works in mining in Canada. But, heavens! The guy certainly knows how to capture a perfect image. The prize is a sweet deal. He gets to choose between an 11-day trip to Artic Norway or a 10-day trip to the Galápagos Islands. Personally, I’d head south.
Click here for the link to the other photos and for an explanation of how Unrau made the shot and where he took it. The other photographs are similarly explained. I like reading about the people and their traveling as much as I like looking at the photographs.
The next contest is being announced in May 2008. If you want to hone your photography skills, National Geographic Traveler has photo seminars that are being offered in various cities. There are several options over the next few months. Click here for information.
National Geographic Traveler’s Photo Contest: Deadline is August 21
As you know, National Geographic is, like, the pinnacle of travel photography, or really, of photography in general. So why should you enter Traveler’s annual photography contest, with World In Focus? All I can say is: Why not? As added incentive, the first prize is your choice of either a trip to Arctic Norway or the Galapagos Islands. So go on, submit an entry. It’s only $12 if you’re an amateur, and as I know from the Gadling photo pool, our readers have some amazing images to offer. So if you’re ready to enter, visit the World in Focus website.
Last year’s contest (as always) produced some breath-taking images, and I for one can’t wait to see what comes out this year.