Enter the 2011 Traveler Photo Contest

The 2011 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest is now underway, and we’ve already received some great submissions, like this photo from Patrice Carlton that captures her up-close-and-personal encounter with a tiger in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

From April 5 to July 11 submit digital entries online in any of these four categories:

Travel Portraits: Locals working, playing, celebrating

Outdoor Scenes: Landscapes, aerials, wildlife, waterscapes

Sense of Place: Pictures that evoke the essence of a place

Spontaneous Moments: Fun, quirky, surprising, and unrehearsed moments

Winning images will be showcased in the November/December 2011 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine. You’ll also have a chance at winning one of our amazing prizes.

Need a little inspiration? Check out the gallery of photos from last year’s winners and follow @NatGeoTraveler on Twitter today from 3:30-5:00pm EST as we tweet travel photography tips during Travelers’ Night In.

Photo: Patrice Carlton, 2011 Traveler Photo Contest entry.