The 70 finalists for the 14th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest have recently been announced, and as you're about to see from this stunning selection, the judges are going to have a very difficult time picking a winner.
The competition received 48,000 submissions from photographers across 146 countries and territories, and voting is now open for the Reader's Choice winner. The voting will be closed on March 27, and the winner will be revealed alongside the Grand Prize and category winners the following day. We have chosen 20 of our favorite photos and we think you'll agree that they're all pretty awe-inspiring.
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