Smithsonian Magazine Announces Winners of 23rd Annual Photo Contest with Global Submissions
The grand prize in the 23rd annual photography competition by Smithsonian Magazine was awarded to Jacqueline Burke for her striking photograph of three egret chicks, characterized by their "unruly, spiked plumage." This captivating image, taken in May 2024 at a rookery in Ocean City, New Jersey, depicts the chicks in a playful squabble. The competition attracted over 17,000 submissions from 108 countries, with participation from 2,815 photographers. Notable winners include Irina Denisova's portrait from Melbourne (October 2025), Arun Kumar Nalimela's Shivaratri scene in Varanasi (February 2025), and Willem Kuijpers' Easter procession in Trapani (April 2023). Christopher Scott Carpenter captured a Navajo Kinaaldá ceremony in New Mexico (August 2024), while Yonglin Sun showcased the Oppo Chang An R&D Center in China (March 2025). The next contest will commence in September.
Key facts
- Jacqueline Burke won grand prize with photo of egret chicks in Ocean City, New Jersey (May 2024)
- Contest received over 17,000 submissions from 108 countries
- 2,815 photographers participated in 23rd annual competition
- Seven category winners plus Reader's Choice award
- 24th annual contest opens for entries in September
- Burke is a 64-year-old veterinarian from Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania
- Image captured at rookery with 50-70 nests of native and migratory birds
- State's Audubon Society hosts events at the Ocean City location
Entities
Artists
- Jacqueline Burke
- Irina Denisova
- Arun Kumar Nalimela
- Willem Kuijpers
- Christopher Scott Carpenter
- Wiktoria West
- Yonglin Sun
- Roberto Pazzi
- DelShay Henio
- Maria Keehan
- Tracy Scott Forson
- Emily Lankiewicz
Institutions
- Smithsonian Magazine
- Audubon Society
- Endangered Wildlife Trust
- African Parks
- We Wild Africa
- Oppo Chang An R&D Center
- DJI
Locations
- Ocean City, New Jersey
- United States
- Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania
- Melbourne, Australia
- Varanasi, India
- Telangana, India
- Sicily, Italy
- Trapani, Italy
- Nahashchʼidí, Navajo Nation, New Mexico
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Dongguan, China
- South Sudan
- Spain