Winners and Finalists
We challenged students to submit a photo that conveys what exploration and adventure means to them. We received more than 2,000 images, which together tell a rich story of exploration through the eyes and lenses of high school students across the country. And the subjects spanned the globe—as close as the backyard, and as far as Japan.
Our panel of judges had the challenging task of evaluating the top entries and selecting the winners, and we opened up the vote to you to choose the winner of the People’s Choice Award. Our grand-prize winner will participate in this summer’s Prague Photography Workshop. We congratulate each of our winners and finalists on their outstanding work! Take a look at the winning photos and our gallery of finalists below.
Grand Prize Winner: Kayleigh Y.
They’ll be Comin Round the Mountain
About the image: Here, some eighteen alpinists are venturing off into the mountains, with an amazing panoramic view ahead of them. Follow some lone trails, and they will lead to the edge of a cliff, who are these people? Insane adrenaline junkies? I’m one to talk, however, because while taking these pictures, I thought “I’ll be back, because I’m going to be one of those hikers some day”. The incredible landscapes, the challenge of backpacking across some of the tallest peaks in the Alps, and the respect for such an amazing area draws me in. The air was cold, but fresh and clear, very different than the urban area I’m used to. Beautiful.
Location: Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France
Second Prize Winner: Armaan A.
The Eel Skinner
About the image: When wandering around the Tsukiji fish market (the largest in the world), I would try to talk to the vendors though our guide/translator. We learned that every vendor the market usually only sells one product. In this case, Haruma (the subject of the photo) was a vendor off raw eel. He had been doing his job for 14 years, in the same exact location. He could skin and debone an eel in a mere 10 seconds!
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Third Prize Winner: Ann B.
Summer
About the image: Islands typically have two directions that matter: toward the ocean, and toward the mountain. I headed up the mountain away from the shore, taking whichever roads seemed the steepest. Eventually, I was stopped by a ‘NO TRESPASSING’ sign. The city of Avalon was sprawled at my feet, the harbor dense with boats and the shoreline crowded with people. I could see hundreds of people who would go home that day with hundreds of stories. But from 300 feet above them, my story would be different. Adventure is about taking the roads less travelled, and exploring unique perspectives on common experiences.
Location: Avalon, Catalina Island, California
People’s Choice Award: Ian P.
Look Up!
About the image: This image resonates with my inner adolescent because it is shameless and carefree. I imagine being one of the children dancing in the misty water on that hot summer day in Boston. I imagine feeling wet and sticky, but best of all, free. I can picture looking up and feeling limitless — almost like the water as it jumped and fell back down to the ground. The water had no boundary. My mind would not be worried about the others around me. I would only be focused on having the adventure of a lifetime.
Location: Boston, Massachusetts