Each summer and fall, entries for our annual photo contest flow into the AMC Outdoors office. As they arrive, I can't help but pick my favorites. These must be the winners, I think. Then I watch as our judges study the entries. The results continue to surprise me. Inevitably their trained eyes focus on images I didn't fully appreciate when they first flashed across my monitor.

A closer look reveals inherently dramatic compositions, creative angles, and subtle technical skills. What, I asked the judges, are some of the keys to standing out from the field?

"Your photo should tell a story or evoke a strong mood," Jerry Monkman says. Ask yourself, "Would [you] be 'wowed' by the photo if someone else had taken it and you had no emotional connection to the event?"

"[A photo] should present the viewer with a fresh perspective," adds Allison Bell. "Beyond being merely pretty, images that expand a photo's story, celebrate the scene, or reveal complexity will engage and impress viewers (and judges)."

Paul Mozell, who has judged 15 of our contests, likes to see something new—different angles, creative compositions—and a little hard work can go a long way toward impressing him. "Charge ahead of the group and shoot [their] faces. Or, scurry up an outcrop and shoot way down as they pass through the canyon below," he suggests. "You'll hike twice as far as your companions, but the extra effort will pay off."

Congratulations to all of our 2010 winners for catching the judges' attention. Our winners received prizes provided by Merrell, Mountain Hardwear, and Outdoor Research. Finally, thank you to our judges for the time and care they put into this contest. Details for the 2011 AMC Photo Contest will be published this summer.