As a kid, I loved to stare at the beautiful pictures in National Geographic, and let my mind wander to far off places as I read the articles and learned about different peoples, cultures, animals, you name it. The photographers at National Geographic all do a stellar job.

Now is your chance to enter a photo contest with some really great prizes, but frankly the prestige of winning a National Geographic photo contest far outweighs any of the prizes.

The International Photography Contest 2009 aims to showcase the best pictures depicting people, places, and nature from around the globe. Unfortunately there is a $12 fee to enter, but if you’re a good photographer it is worth taking a shot (pun intended!) at winning! Good luck.