2013 National Geographic Student Photo Contest Winners

National Geographic Student Expeditions announced the winners of their photography contest open to high school students around the world. The task was to submit a photograph and caption conveying a sense of exploration or adventure. The winners were selected by a jury of the top National Geographic photographers and photo editors. Lijah Hanley, 17, from Ridgefield, Washington won the grand prize with his photo, "No Boundaries," depicting a stargazing stop in the Columbia River Gorge during a family car ride. Lijah won a trip to the National Geographic Student Expeditions London Photography Workshop this summer, a 12 day experience where he will get an opportunity to work with a National Geographic photographer to further develop his skills. The course will include photo shoots in Oxford, Stonehenge, and the Cotswolds, and will culminate with his work being exhibited in a gallery.

Student photographers can apply to take this course in London, or one of two others offered in Paris and San Francisco this summer. Visit ngstudentexpeditions.com for more information.

Below are the winners and one of our favorite finalists. View the 2013 Student Photo Contest winners and finalists.


GRAND PRIZE WINNER
No Boundaries
Photo and description by Lijah Hanley
There is nothing more thrilling than taking the car out on the road and exploring new places. Unfortunately, being a new driver, my parents have set a lot of boundaries that limit how far I can go. I made it as far as the Columbia River Gorge, and it was a perfect crisp clear night for stargazing. So we removed the top of our car, sat on the roof, and gazed into the endless universe. Exploration is not bound by how far your car can take you, but by how far your imagination can take you into the stars.
Photo Location: The Columbia River Gorge, Washington


SECOND PLACE WINNER
Anticipation
Photo and description by Julianna Brown
Although surfing in these cold Pacific waters is a daily occurrence for them, the moments spent preparing remained quiet and introspective as the setting sun reflected off of the ocean. The sense of anticipation and slight anxiety was tangible, for no matter how often a practice, heading into the turbulent waters of Northern Peru will always remain an adventure.
Photo Location: Huanchaco, Peru

THIRD PLACE WINNER
The Freedom Side
Photo and description by Emily Watson
There is something liberating about wind blowing through your hair. Buddy has knowledge of this simple fact and embraced it one afternoon on the car ride home. Although it was a constrained freedom that only his head could experience, he made the most of his adventure.
Photo Location: Norman, OK


Smoke in the Moonlight
Photo and description by Cheyenne Goetz
Just as a whole new ecosystem of life emerges with the stars, so does an entirely new world of exploration. Nothing seems the same under the moon, and in the realm of night we can discover again the simplest of things, like smoke in the moonlight. Often exploration isn't a grand trip or journey involving dangerous adventures. Often it is seeing everything again, in quite a different light.
Photo Location: Garden Valley, Idaho