March 29, 2018 at 12:10 pm

The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

by twistedsifter

 

Smithsonian.com has just announced the Winners of its 15th Annual Photo Contest. This year they received over 48,000 submissions from photographers in 155 countries and territories.

From Thong Huu’s Grand Prize-winning shot of breakfast at the weekly market to Oreon Strusinski’s breathtaking photograph of a wave at its peak, these images stood out to the photo editors as the most unique and memorable. Sara Jacoby’s image, “Rare,” received the highest percentage of more than 38,000 reader votes, earning her the Readers’ Choice award.

Contestants submitted photos to the following six categories: Natural World, The American Experience, Travel, People, Altered Images and Mobile.

The 16th Annual Smithsonian.com Photo Contest is now open and will run through November 30, 2018. For more information about the contest, categories, awards and eligibility visit: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/rules/

 

 

 

 

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
“Breakfast at the Weekly Market”

 

grand prize winner thong huu The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Thong Huu. All rights reserved.

 

In northern Vietnam, people come to the weekly market to exchange goods and culture. They usually wake up very early to go to market and have breakfast here.

 

 

READERS’ CHOICE WINNER:
“Rare”

 

readers choice winner sara jacoby The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Sara Jacoby. All rights reserved.

 

This is Maggie. She has two rare chromosome duplications, one of which she’s the only child on record to have. This photo captures not only her vulnerability, but also the magnitude of the science for which we are so grateful. A little girl and her “Gigi” already way too familiar with hospitals and doctors offices than any child should be.

 

 

THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE CATEGORY WINNER:
“Backflip Submission”

 

the american experience category winner dan fenstermacher The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Dan Fenstermacher. All rights reserved.

 

A wrestler does a backflip off the ropes of a wrestling ring in an attempt to defeat an opponent.

 

 

NATURAL WORLD CATEGORY WINNER:
“Pinnacle of Existence”

 

natural world category winner oreon strusinski The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Oreon Strusinski. All rights reserved.

 

Energy travels hundreds of miles across the ocean and comes to a dramatic end when it reaches our shores.

 

 

TRAVEL CATEGORY WINNER:
“Making Incense”

 

travel category winner tran tuan viet The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Tran Tuan Viet. All rights reserved.

 

Decoratively dyed bundles of incense dry in Quang Phu Cau, a commune in Hanoi, Vietnam. In Buddhist countries like Vietnam, incense is an irreplaceable part of traditional festivals and religious ceremonies.

 

 

PEOPLE CATEGORY WINNER:
“Rain”

 

people category winner seyed mohammad sadegh hosseini The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Hosseini. All rights reserved.

 

Niloofar is an Iranian nomad girl living in the Babanajm nomad region south of Shiraz city in Fars Province, Iran.

 

 

ALTERED IMAGES CATEGORY WINNER:
“Stairs”

 

altered images category winner adam c5bcc485dc582o The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Adam Żądło. All rights reserved.

 

There are not many other animals as productive as sheep. They give us wool, milk, meat. Their memoirs are usually short. The pool of names is repeated every two years on our farm. We have already had two Queens, three Theos and four Fables.

 

 

MOBILE CATEGORY WINNER:
“Shadow Highlight”

 

mobile category winner mohammad mohsenifar The 15th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest Winners Gallery

© Mohammad Mohsenifar. All rights reserved.

 

A couple of ladies are passing in front of graffiti.