nationalgeographicphotocontest

National Geographic just announced the 2015 winners for its prestigious photo contest. Over 13,000 entries were received from around the world, and just 13 photos were chosen from that number for special recognition.

The grand prize winner this year was photographer James Smart of Melbourne, Australia, who won $10,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C. for the photo above, titled "DIRT."

Winning the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest is a pretty incredible feeling. Being disqualified 72-hours later for a minor editing decision... that one doesn't feel quite as good. But that's what happened to photographer Harry Fisch who, for a few glorious days, was living every Travel Photographer's dream -- shortly followed by their worst nightmare.