The winners of the 5th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest have been announced. In the July issue of Smithsonian magazine and on the Web at Smithsonian.com, six photographs in five categories were chosen by Smithsonian editors, with one Readers’ Choice selected by Smithsonian.com visitors. Abhijit Dey from Barrackpore, India, received the Grand Prize (a Smithsonian Journeys trip for two) for the photograph, A tribal birth in India. Smithsonian received nearly 7,000 entries in six categories.

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Smithsonian Magazine’s Photo Contest Winners

Show Us the World – Through Many Lenses

Washington, D.C. (July 7, 2008)–From a birth celebration in India to the winning run on a baseball diamond in California, the top entries from the 5th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest reflect decidedly international points of view, with a wide variety of content and style. In the July issue of Smithsonian magazine and on the Web at Smithsonian.com, six photographs in five categories were chosen by Smithsonian editors, with one Readers’ Choice selected by Smithsonian.com visitors, readers and photography enthusiasts.

Smithsonian received nearly 7,000 entries in six categories: The Natural World, People, Travel, Americana, Altered Images and Readers’ Choice. Recreational photographers from 50 states and 82 countries submitted their work and the winners reflect the geographical and aesthetic diversity of the contest as a whole.

Abhijit Dey from Barrackpore, India, received the Grand Prize (a Smithsonian Journeys trip for two) for the photograph, A tribal birth in India.  In the image, an infant receives a blessing from female relatives and neighbors in the West Bengal village of Purulia. Other winners and finalists can be viewed at Smithsonian.com/PhotoContest.

Other winners include:
·      The Natural World – Thomas Vignaud from Marseille, France, for his astonishing perspective of the underwater world.
·      People – Hal Schneider from San Diego, California, for his image of four boys watching a ceremonial dance in West Africa’s Burkina Faso.
·      Americana – Lance Wills from North Charleston, South Carolina, for his unique snapshot of the Washington Monument at night.
·      Altered Images – Anupam Pal from Kanpur, India, for his creative way of promoting the necessity of clean water throughout the world.
·      Reader’s Choice – Rhonda Weiderhaft from Santa Ana, California, for her photo capturing the thrill of Little League baseball.
·      Travel – Indranil Sengupta from Hooghly, India, for an image of women praying for prosperity in the shadow of the Taj Mahal.

“I am exceptionally taken by this year’s photo contest winners,” said Carey Winfrey, Smithsonian Editor-in-Chief.  “The variety and diversity of the photographs, and the people who captured them, reflect upon the Smithsonian commitment to providing access to the people, places and culture of our diverse world.”

“Eyes on the World: Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest,” an exhibition of the winning images, will be on display at the Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. through January 15, 2009.

Smithsonian.com’s 6th Annual Photo Contest is now open for submissions at Smithsonian.com/photocontest. Beginning August 1, Smithsonian judges will post the best of the incoming entries online, in a new, ongoing photo gallery feature called “Picture This.” 

The 5th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest was open to amateur photographers ages 18 and over who had captured a stunning image within the past three years. A gallery devoted to the winning images as well as the finalist photographs is available for viewing on Smithsonian.com. 

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