“Huli Tribesman” ©Roberto Pazzi. All rights reserved. Finalist, People
“This portrait features a Huli wigman tribesman. The Huli are an Indigenous Melanesian ethnic group who reside in the Hela Province of Papua New Guinea. There are over 250,000 Huli, making them one of the largest cultural groups in Papua New Guinea.”
The 60 finalists of the 21st annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest have been revealed. Selected from more than 30,000 submissions from 128 countries and territories, these finalists are now in the running for the Grand Prize, as well as the Reader's Choice Award. Spread across six categories—Travel, People, American Experience, Natural World, Drone/Aerial, and Artistic—the finalists captured beauty from all corners of the world.
Whether taking portraits of tribesmen in Papua New Guinea or observing a man scaling an enormous palm tree, these photographers were singled out for their technical skill and creativity. Standouts include Olav Thokle‘s image of a cheetah and her four young cubs surveying the landscape and Sritam Kumar Sethy‘s close-up detail of a boy's face covered in yellow powder during Holi.
Scroll down to see more of our favorite finalists, and check out Smithsonian Magazine to see all 60 images. While you are there, don't forget to vote for the Reader's Choice Award. Anyone can cast their vote until March 27, with the overall and category winners, as well as the Reader's Choice winner, being revealed on March 29, 2024.
Here are some of our favorite finalists from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest.
“Burning of the Tower of Babel” © Maria Plotnikova. All rights reserved. Finalist, Drone/Aerial
“Residents celebrate the festival of Maslenitsa in Nikola-Lenivets park, in Russia's Kaluga region.”
“The Family” © Olav Thokle. All rights reserved. Finalist, Natural World
“The cheetah Nashipae and her four three-month-old cubs.”
“Surrounded by Yellow” © Sritam Kumar Sethy. All rights reserved. Finalist, Artistic
“This is a macro shot of a boy's eye caked in yellow powder during the Indian festival of Holi. I saw this boy's face while roaming around and was drawn to it. I asked to take a picture of his eye, and he was very cooperative. The picture shows the real emotions of an individual toward the festival. The culture and tradition behind Holi is an ultimate triumph of good over evil.”
The 60 finalists were selected from over 30,000 photographs.
“The Fast and the Furriest” © Deena Sveinsson. All rights reserved. Finalist, American Experience
“On a cool and dry December day in Grand Teton National Park, these three young bull moose were playing and romping as young bull moose do. They were the smaller bulls of the bunch, and that day, many other photographers were chasing the larger and more mature bulls in the area. I made a choice not to follow my friends, hoping for a rarer photo opportunity if the moose did indeed come to the water’s edge or perhaps got into the water. I did not know what these young bull moose would do, but I had high hopes and made a gamble. After waiting for hours, I finally saw my opportunity as they walked briskly toward the water’s edge, entered the water, and started playing like children. I slowly and deliberately got into the water with my camera and squatted down low, and my muck boots, coat, and pants got completely soaked and covered in mud. But I got this photo, one of my favorites ever from this area.”
“Among Us” © Tony Van Le. All rights reserved. Finalist, American Experience
“Unseen heroes walk among us every day. These unsung people may not possess superhuman abilities, but they change lives in meaningful ways, embodying strength, compassion, and resilience. This bus-riding Spider-Man serves as a reminder that heroism can emerge from unexpected places.”
“Toddy Palm Climber” © Kyaw Zay Yar Lin. All rights reserved. Finalist, Travel
“In this rural scene, a man is climbing a toddy palm tree to get palm wine. He is climbing with good balance and trying not to fall.”
“The Dance of the Flamingos” © Silke Hullmann. All rights reserved. Finalist, Drone/Aerial
“Thousands of flamingos populate Lake Bogoria and dance on the water. There are always spots that the animals avoid for whatever reason as they form their own patterns.”
The images are up for the overall and category prizes, as well as the Reader's Choice Award.
“Sunset at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto” © Nina Kloss. All rights reserved. Finalist, Travel
“Kiyomizu-dera, also known as the “Temple of the Pure Water Spring,” is a historic Buddhist temple nestled in Kyoto, Japan. With a rich history spanning over 1,250 years, the temple is situated halfway up Mount Otowa, amid Kyoto’s scenic Higashiyama mountain range. Dedicated to Kannon, a deity symbolizing mercy and compassion, Kiyomizu-dera attracts numerous visitors each year. I was lucky that I managed to time my visit to Kyoto with the peak of sakura season. For one week in spring, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the temple extends its opening hours until dark, offering a mesmerizing view of the pagoda and over 1,500 cherry blossoms set against the setting sun.”
“Archie at Club Ebony” © Rory Doyle. All rights reserved. Finalist, People
“Archie Beckworth looks up at the recently remodeled Club Ebony in Indianola, Mississippi. The club was made famous by Indianola hometown hero B.B. King.”
“Baby Alligator Floating in a Pond” © Kent Stuart. All rights reserved. Finalist, Natural World
“This baby alligator was with a few others and a small adult in a roadside pond in the Everglades.”
Voting is now open for the Reader's Choice Award, with all the winners to be revealed on March 29.
“Rose Walk” © Somenath Mukhopadhyay. All rights reserved. Finalist, Travel
“Children are spreading rose petals to dry in the sun. The dried petals will then be used to make condiments often used in preparing sweets and other culinary delicacies.”
“Hug” © Deniz Kalayci. All rights reserved. Finalist, People
“With this photograph, I summarized the events we experienced and our lost two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this moment, a grandmother and her grandson, who had not seen each other for months, reunited through a curtain.”
“Callus Remover” © Robert Berdan. All rights reserved. Finalist, Artistic
“Callus remover smeared on a glass slide and viewed with a polarizing light microscope including a retardation filter.”
“Romanian Kosher Sausage Company” © Jonathan Castillo. All rights reserved. Finalist, American Experience
“This is from my project focusing on immigrant-owned businesses in Chicago. Through portraiture and photographs of interior spaces, this work highlights an essential and often overlooked part of the American economy. My work is a reminder that immigrant-owned businesses are as American as it gets.”
