Be Transported by Smithsonian Magazine’s 10th Annual Photo Contest Finalists

Each year, Smithsonian invites photographers from around the world, professional and otherwise, to submit images that capture great beauty and evoke wonder across five specific categories — The Natural World, People, Travel, Americana and Altered Images. Of the 37,600 submissions, the 50 final images memorialise moments that are both astounding and mundane, but consistently beautiful. A shot of policemen running through the national congress in Brasilia competes with the everyday, yet equally poignant, image of a Texan snow cone stand at dusk.

For sharing the best of their photo trail, contestants get the chance to secure some substantial coin, as well as the satisfaction of knowing they've captured a truly Kodak moment. Although the winning submissions are ultimately decided by the Smithsonian’s editor, in an appeal to democratic sensibilities, a Reader's Choice Award will be announced after tallying up online votes, which are open until late March. Naturally, only Concrete Playground has the authority to decide who the real winners are, as selected largely based on their ability to momentarily transport us to a parallel universe in which it is not a Monday morning in front of a humming computer. Scroll down to visually kiss the sky.

The Natural World

A pair of menacing bald eagles share a meal, as captured by Don Holland of Tennessee, bringing Hitchcock-inspired nightmares to mind.

The Natural World

David Morrow's Milky Way, as shot in a Washington national park, is even better than the chocolate variety.

People

Ilain Fain's portrait of three young girls inside a Greek Orthodox church in Nazareth suggests that childhood boredom is a universal phenomenon.

People

A young baby sleeps protected by the gaze of his watchful mother on a Congolese night in Paolo Patruno's photograph.

Americana

Ron Henderson's unaltered photograph of the mascot for underwear brand Fruit of the Loom captured on location in the Californian desert proves that sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

Americana

Times Square gets patriotic in Doug Van de Zande's image of technicolour shadows.

Travel

Afraid of losing the moment, Raul Amaru Linares yielded his camera instinctively when he spotted these musicians arriving pre-performance at a bull ring in Ecuador.

Travel

Playing with finger paints takes on a new meaning for this little boy in Indranil Sengupta's depiction of India's "tiger dance" festival.

Altered Image

The wrath of mother nature humbles in Tim Wright's image depicting the aftermath of a tornado in Iowa.

Altered Image

Pramod Shakya captures a building as it comes to life in Xi'an Jiaotong University.

Images and story via Smithsonian.