23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest The American Experience
Tag 20
"Tag #20" is a portrait of a young cow caught in the quiet tension between sentience and system. In the world of livestock, animals are often reduced to numbers—tracked, tagged, and processed. This image isolates one moment, one gaze, to challenge that abstraction. The green ear tag, a symbol of control and categorization, contrasts with the softness of the calf’s features and the depth in its eye.
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 05.2025 |
| Date Uploaded: | 10.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Jerusalem, Ohio, United States of America |
| Camera: | Canon EOS 90D |
| Copyright: | © Tiffany Bumgardner |