23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Gold and Silver

Having speared a small fish, an anhinga bursts through the water’s surface in Brazil’s Pantanal wetland. The evening sun paints its neck in molten gold, perfectly offsetting the silver shimmer of its catch. Dark waters, shaded by overgrowing vegetation, form a deep, contrasting background.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Brazil
Copyright: © Fabian Meckl