#smithsonianphoto

[smithsonianmag]

Photo: Firewalking

Photographer caption: Firewalking is the act of walking barefoot over burning charcoal. In Ha Giang, a mountain province in northern Vietnam bordered by China, the Pa Then ethnic group observes this practice to wish for prosperity in the new year.

Photo by Binh Duong (Hanoi, Vietnam); Ha Giang, Vietnam

This image is one of 10 finalists in the Travel category of the 14th Annual Smithsonian.com Photo Contest. See all 70 finalists here and vote for our Readers’ Choice winner! Voting ends TONIGHT at 11:59 PM ET. We'll announce the Readers’ Choice award alongside our Grand Prize and category winners tomorrow, March 28. When we announce the winners, we’ll also be launching our 15th Annual Photo Contest, so start taking your prize-winning photographs now! 

[smithsonianmag]

Announcing the WINNERS of the 14th Annual Smithsonian.com Photo Contest! This photo of women praying inside Indonesia’s Istiqlal Mosque during Ramadan by Pradeep Raja Kannaiah was one of more than 48,000 entries submitted by photographers in 146 countries and territories. It takes home our Grand Prize! See all of the winners and finalists here.

Our 15th Annual Photo Contest is now OPEN! We are looking for standout photography in the following categories: The American Experience, Natural World, Travel, People, Altered Images and Mobile. 

[smithsonianmag]

Photo of the Day: Improvisation

Photo by Jim Mneymneh (Rosemere, Canada); Montreal, Canada

This photo is a finalist in the Altered Images category of our 14th Annual Photo Contest. This year, we received more than 48,000 submissions, submitted by photographers from 146 countries and territories. See all 70 finalists and vote for the Readers’ Choice Winner!