Thank you to all of our amazing supporters who participated in our second annual Summer Photo Contest!

From sun-soaked landscapes to heart warming shots of wildlife, our talented community of members transported us through their photography. While the contest may have ended, the beauty and nostalgia of these captured moments live on and inspire us to protect our precious natural world.

Explore all of the 2023 photo submissions below.

Congrats to our winners!

Karl Leck

Member Since 2004

“Late in the afternoon, I was in a location with a long view of the rock towers of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. In front of me was a green shrub contrasting the gray mountains and blue sky. When a colorful bird settled in its branches, this landscape scene had a subject, albeit small. It was a wonderful moment of peaceful beauty.”

John Dwyer

Member Since 2017

“This photo was taken in May 2020 at Belmar Park in Lakewood, Colorado, which has a small lake in a park surrounded by a busy urban area. This lake has an island with a few small trees, snags really, that provide nesting areas. Great blue herons are magnificent creatures and one of my favorite birds. I love to watch them standing patiently, yet totally alert, waiting to catch a fish.”

Catherine Knoop

Member Since 1987

“We hiked up through Flathead National Forest in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park, a place we’d always wanted to go—my husband is a naturalist, and I was a science teacher. The photograph captures Stanton Lake at the trail’s end.”

All Entries

Ramphastos brevis, or Toucan in Pedro Vicente Maldonado, Ecuador Submitted By: Rodrigo Vidal
Wildflowers at San Carlos Apache Reservation in AZ Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Margerie Glacier in May 2023, in Glacier Bay, Alaska. Marjorie Glacier is receding due to climate impacts but is still large in size Submitted By: Arthur Knutson
Leg-rowing fisherman at Lake Inle in Myanmar Submitted By: Charles Forslund

Lovely Landscapes

Driving down Route 108 near Laytonsville, MD in Montgomery County's Ag Reserve Submitted By: Donna McDowell
As Montgomery County Ag Reserve residents, we are fortunate to experience nature daily. This is an abstract rendition of the trees I see off the front part of my deck in Maryland. Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Sun wins over rain in Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Forest, WA Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Snow falls on a beautiful winter evening in Denver Submitted By: Carol Carpenter
Window view from inside Rock House, Rock House State Park, Hocking County, OH Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Multicolored trees along a back road in central Vermont Submitted By: Paul Dyer
Grain grown at a historic farm using 18th-century technology Submitted By: Barbara Corson
Margerie Glacier in May 2023, in Glacier Bay, Alaska. Marjorie Glacier is receding due to climate impacts but is still large in size Submitted By: Arthur Knutson
Hiking Iceberg Lake trail in Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Parker Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Sunset over the Glacier National Park Lodge Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Ash Cave State Park, Hocking County, OH Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Dominating the foreground is a vast expanse of a talus field, a chaotic assembly of granitic boulders and rocks of varying sizes—Blackrock Summit within Shenandoah National Park Submitted By: Joshua Howard
Amherst College, Massachusetts Submitted By: Paul Dyer

Wonderous Water Views

Sunrise at Atlantic Dunes Park Submitted By: A. Felber
Raft on Rock Creek in Montana Submitted By: Paul Dyer
Gray Whale Cove State Beach, Half Moon Bay, CA Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Smoke from wildfires filled the sky as the sun set in Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Overlooking the valley in Mammoth Lakes, CA Submitted By: Lorraine Sumner
"Hoonah is a majority Native American Tlingit community of nearly 1,000 people. ""Hoonah"", or Xunaa in Tlingit, means ""lee of the north wind"". Its summer population can swell to 1,300 depending on fishing, boating, hiking, and hunting conditions." Submitted By: Arthur Knutson
Hoh River in Olympic National Park Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Great Falls National Park, Great Falls, VA Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Dawn looking across the Ganges from the Ghats at Varanasi Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Boat dock on Swiftcurrent Lake in Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
The power of water on display at Avalanche Creek Gorge, Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
A frosty morning at Bowman Lake, Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
The beauty of rocks reflecting in the water at Fish Creek Trail, Glacier National Park. Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
This is a macro shot of algae and oxygen bubbles. I had not cleaned by bird bath for a while, and this was the result. A good example of what happens on a larger scale in our ponds. Submitted By: Donna McDowell

Captivating Creatures

This guy greets me every day when I go to get my mail on the main road. He seems interested in his reflection in my car mirrors but also likes the mealworms I feed him. Submitted By: Donna McDowell
This Red Bellied Woodpecker enjoyed the seed we put out during the winter in Etchinson, MD. Submitted By: Donna McDowell
I saw these two Mourning Doves on our fence a short distance from our deck. We have scores of different bird species here in the Montgomery County Ag Reserve Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Mother fox and her kit Submitted By: Cyndee Sharpe
Mama Fox and her three Kits. Foxes have been denning on our property for several years. We're grateful that there is enough space for humans and wildlife Submitted By: Kevin Curtis
Long-billed Curlew in Utah Submitted By: John Dwyer
Cautious lions wary of crocodiles hesitate before crossing a shallow river to join others of their pride in Chobe National Park, Botswana Submitted By: Doranne Jacobson
A female Red-Breasted Merganser in Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
King Cobra in Bali Submitted By: Charles Forslund
A Bighorn Sheep checking out hikers in Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Great Blue Heron nest in Colorado Submitted By: John Dwyer
A Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) photographed in 2009 Submitted By: Jane Robbins
A protected Florida bird, an ahinga, spreads his wings to dry, most likely after an underwater fish catch, Wakulla Springs State Park Submitted By: Carol Carpenter
We were driving the loop at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge when we saw an Eagle perched on a landing provided by Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Submitted By: Donna McDowell
A Great Blue Heron in Delaware State Park. It had just started to rain, but he seemed pretty happy anyway Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Two male Chinstrap penguins sky point and sing out on the Antarctic Peninsula Submitted By: Karl Leck
A graceful giraffe silhouetted against the setting sun in a scene of peace and natural beauty, Chobe National Park, Botswana Submitted By: Doranne Jacobson
A Grizzly getting his morning breakfast of berries in Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
A Colombian Ground Squirrel surveying his territory on Hidden Lake Trail, Glacier National Park Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Female Bullocks Oriole with a hornet in mouth Submitted By: Andrew Clark
A female bluebird watching over her nest, a bluebird box a few feet away. We have managed a bluebird trail here on our 5-acre tract for over 30 years. Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Red Squirrel in Vermont Submitted By: Paul Dyer
I had been shootings photos of Monarchs in my yard when I saw this one on one of my milkweed pods. I was overjoyed to see that the Monarch was standing over a Monarch caterpillar! Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Larva of a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
A curious frog near the shore of a pond near New Hope in spring 2008 Submitted By: Karl Leck
Painted Lady, Pinaleño Mountains in AZ Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Eastern Tiger swallowtail butterfly on apple blossoms in Ohio Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Bees busy in the neighborhood of Diamond Heights in San Francisco Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Baby guanaco nuzzled up to its parents in Patagonia, Chile Submitted By: Karl Leck

Pretty Plants

Some call these weeds, but I call them lovely flowers native to our area. They are Fleabane flowers, native plants of the daisy family Submitted By: Donna McDowell
White slant-line moth on a Mayapple Flower in Hocking Hills, OH Submitted By: Catherine Knoop
Raindrops on a Hosta leaf. Each drop is a separate world of wonder. Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Plantings after an afternoon shower in front of a Washington, DC townhouse
Autumn maple in Ohio Submitted By: Paul Dyer
This is a macro shot of Turkey Tail fungus, said to possess some medicinal properties. It shows that we need to pay close attention to the nature around us. Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Red Ginger blooming in Barrio Menga, Santiago de Cali, Valle del Cauca Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Field of flowers at Rachel Carson Park Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Periwinkles at UC Berkeley Campus, CA Submitted By: Matthew Parker
Macro shot of the inside of a Cosmos flower Submitted By: Donna McDowell
A grafted mango tree in Kenya Submitted By: Denis Mutwiri
Little strawberry gems. By enjoying and eating the smaller or slightly misshapen produce, we are reducing food waste and celebrating food of all sizes! Submitted By: Rebecca Canright
Sugar Maple in autumn Submitted By: Paul Dyer
Cosmos blooming in Maryland Submitted By: Donna McDowell
A rare native Hawaiian plant (Wilkesia gymnoxiphium). Emblematic of many beautiful and captivating plants, we work to save despite being overrun by invasive species and habitat loss here in the islands. Submitted By: Robert Culbertson
A macro shot of a Cosmos flower bud Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Close-up of a blooming Zinnia; macro shots show what we don't notice with the naked eye Submitted By: Donna McDowell
Close-up of pollinators enjoying a milkweed plant Submitted By; Donna McDowell

People & Culture

Working woman, Myanmar Submitted By: Charles Forslund
The Golden Rock in Myanmar Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Yankee Stadium in 2023 Submitted By: Jane Geller
Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Sri Lanka Monks Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Royal Palace in Bangkok Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Young women of Yangon at a local festival in Myanmar Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Interior of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, built in the time of the medieval Golden Age when Islam, Christianity, and Judaism coexisted and flourished in cooperation Submitted By: David Stroud
Luang Prabang – A Buddhist temple (Haw Pha Bang) at the Royal Palace in Laos Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Historic Clinton’s Soda Fountain in Independence, Missouri Submitted By: Jane Geller
Chakhesang Naga tribespeople affirm their traditions at the Hornbill Festival Submitted By: Doranne Jacobson
Water fountain with the Roman Goddess of vineyards and orchards in Missouri Submitted By: Jane Geller
Punakha Dzong in Bhutan Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Women dressed for a tsechu (festival) in Thimphu, Bhutan Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Bhutan Monk at prayer wheels Submitted By: Charles Forslund
Beachside in Belize Submitted By: Jane Geller
Cape Town, South Africa Submitted By: Charles Forslund

Explore Our 2022 Photo Contest Submissions

We launched our annual photo contest in 2022 and received tremendous photos from supporters from across the country! We’re thrilled at the positive response and opportunity to inspire change through visual story telling. Explore the 2022 submissions through the link below!

2022 Photo Contest