What can I win?
First Prize—A 17-day land and cruise holiday for two in India, courtesy of National Geographic Expeditions (888 966 8687), including round-trip, coach-class transportation on American Airlines.

Second Prize—A 10-day Africa Adventurer Safari for two, courtesy of Abercrombie and Kent (800 323 7308), including round-trip, coach-class transportation on American Airlines.

Third Prize—A 6-day Maine Windjammer cruise for two courtesy of North End Shipyard Schooners (800 648 4544), including round-trip coach-class transportation on American Airlines.

Merit Awards (7)—A Canon EOS Rebel G 35-mm camera with 28-80-mm zoom lens and a copy of The National Geographic Photography Field Guide.

What does it take to win the contest?
Experimentation...luck...a good eye. Our rules state, “Entries will be judged on the basis of creativity, photographic quality, and effectiveness in expressing the contest theme.” The theme for the contest is “the moment,” that special instant when you capture serendipity or surprise.

Ask yourself: “How can I look at this subject in a way that no one else has seen it?” Reach to capture the essence of the place by defining a moment. What is happening in the photograph that makes it interesting?

Do I have to travel to faraway places to create a winning photograph?
Not necessarily. Sure, there are places where it’s difficult to take bad photos, but great images could be waiting in your backyard if you compose the picture just right.

What are my chances of winning?
That depends upon how many people enter the contest.

What type of film should I use?
Use whatever brand of color film you prefer. Entries must be color prints or 35-mm transparencies (slides). A tip: Lower film speeds (for example, 100 A.S.A.) usually provide better color and sharpness.

How should I send my entry?
Send a high-quality duplicate slide or a print. It’s not a good idea to send the original negative or slide, because there’s always a chance something could happen to it. If you win, we’ll contact you to retrieve the original.

We also recommend packing your entry in a sturdy cardboard mailer for protection.

When should I enter?
All entries go through the same review process, regardless of when we receive them. They must be postmarked no later than August 15, 2001, for the 2001 contest.

What should I do if I want my photos returned?
Be sure to check the box on your entry form! And please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

What if I live outside the U.S.? Can I enter?
Yes! We encourage everyone in the TRAVELER community, anywhere in the world, to participate in the contest. Please allow extra time for your entry to arrive since international mail can be extraordinarily slow.

How can I send return postage for my entry if I live outside the U.S.?
Purchase international postal coupons for the return postage from your local post office. They will be able to tell you how much postage you need. Then, we’ll exchange the coupons for U.S. postage stamps when we send back your entry.

When is the deadline for entries?
The deadline for entries is August 15, 2001.

When are the winners announced?
We will announce the 2001 winners in the January/February 2002 issue of TRAVELER and at nationalgeographic.com.

Did I win?
All winners will be contacted by the end of September. So if you haven’t been contacted, wait for the January/February issue to see the winning photographs. Or come see them here at nationalgeographic.com.

When will I get my entry back?
If you asked us to return your entry, we’ll hold on to it until we announce the winners. Then we send them back gradually so we don’t overwhelm our mailroom. Expect your entries back in late January or early February 2002.

How do you define a “professional” photographer?
Our bottom line: A professional photographer is someone who earns more than 50 percent of his or her income from photographic sales. If you sell an occasional photograph, but make a living doing something else, feel free to enter.

If you’re still not sure, ask yourself two more questions:

Are you a member of a professional photo organization (such as the National Press Photographers Association)?

Are your photographs published regularly?

DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? Check out this year’s rules.