Does Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest allow AI-generated images?

Only in a designated category. Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest permits AI-generated images solely in a specific AI category; entries in other categories must be camera-made.

How much does it cost to enter Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest?

Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest is free to enter.

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Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest

The Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest is one of the largest free-to-enter US photo contests, with categories such as Wildlife, Travel, People, Artistic Images and Drone/Aerial. The 23rd contest closed on 1 December 2025 and its winners were announced in spring 2026, with Jacqueline Burke's egret photograph 'The Punk Rockers' taking the grand prize from more than 17,000 submissions. Smithsonian announced that the 24th annual contest would open for entries in September 2026, following the usual calendar with a deadline at the start of December and winners the following spring. The category-dependent AI policy is unusual: AI is banned in documentary-style categories but manipulation is permitted in Artistic Images.

AI: category-only

Deadline: —
Entry fee: Free entrySee all free photo contests 2026

Official site Read full rules

Authenticity policy

AI policy

Images generated or manipulated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) are not permitted. The addition and subtraction of objects is not permitted except in the Artistic Images category.
Source: https://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/rules/

RAW files

Not specified

Editing rules

The Smithsonian rules ban AI-generated and AI-manipulated images across most categories. The 'Artistic Images' category is a deliberate exception: images can be manipulated in any method, either through editing software or other techniques. Judges may move overtly manipulated photos from documentary categories to Artistic Images, or disqualify them.

Verified on November 7, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest allow AI-generated images?: Only in a designated category. Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest permits AI-generated images solely in a specific AI category; entries in other categories must be camera-made.
How much does it cost to enter Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest?: Smithsonian Magazine 24th Annual Photo Contest is free to enter.

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