The National Geographic Photo Contest (Sparkles and Shoes)

A Daybreak by Hidetoshi Kikuchi
Shizuoka, Japan

The National Geographic Photo Contest is back! The submission deadline has closed for this year, the winners will be announced next month and with over 7,000 entires from over 150 countries the entries really do vary. As a kid we used to get a hard copy of National Geographic (aka the physical magazine) and the winner would be in the magazine along with the top three runners up from the three categories: people, places and nature. These photos are stunning and are proof that it does not matter whether they are professionals or amateurs, these photos are moments of pure genius.

I honestly do not envy the judges of this contest. On some of my favorite reality TV shows, including Chopped and America’s Next Top Model, the judges always tell the contestants “this is the hardest decision we have had to make” but on Chopped there are maximum of four chefs and on ANTM there are only ever a dozen girls, and that is at the beginning. How are these judges going to pick from over 100 pictures that could very well win the prize? I have no idea but I wish them luck and I will definitely check back next month to see who won, I hope it is one of these photos!

I have included the title the photographer submitted the piece under, their name, and the location the photography was taken. Here are my favorites from the Nature and Places categories – people just might deserve its’ own post!