10:06am | Long beach area-based photographer Ken Renk has been selected as one of 12 Finalists in National Geographic‘s “Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest.” To advance to the next stage, Renk needs help from fellow Long Beach residents.

From now through September 15, the public can vote for their favorite photo in each of the six categories at www.nationalgeographic.com/lithium. The Category Finalist who receives the most votes will be named a Category Winner and be one step closer to earning the grand prize: seeing their photo appear in an Energizer ad in the pages of National Geographic magazine, as well as winning their choice of three inspiration trips at locations across the globe.

Two finalists were selected in each of six thematic categories: animals/wildlife, nature/weather, travel/cultures, family/community, arts/music and action/energy. Renk’s and photos were selected from nearly 6,000 entries by Jim Richardson, 20-year National Geographic photographer and official judge for the “Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest”. Renk’s photo was selected as one of the top in the animals/wildlife category.

“[Renk’s photo of] minnows struggling upstream are transformed into a beguiling image of the complexity of life in the natural world … an image that rewards simple contemplation,” Richardson said of Renk’s photo.

In addition to Renk, two other Southern California photographers, Robert Jensen of Canoga Park and Lawrence Smith of Mission Viejo, have been selected as finalists in the action/energy category and the travel/cultures category, respectively.