The winners of the 2022 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest are listed below. As usual, the judges had a very difficult time selecting the winning photos from among the thousands entered. The 2023 contest will be announced later this year.
“The abundant diversity in Alabama’s landscape and native wildlife make it a photographer's paradise,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “From the north Alabama mountains to the state’s Gulf Coast beaches, the winning images in this year’s Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest highlight the natural beauty of our state.”
Sponsors of the 2022 photo contest include the Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officers Association, Alabama State Parks and the Alabama Tourism Department. Each winner will receive a prize pack and be featured in a traveling exhibit throughout 2022. When the traveling exhibit schedule is finalized, it will be posted on outdooralabama.com.
Click here to see the winners!
Categories and Winners
Alabama State Parks
First Place, Adam Colwell, Marina at Joe Wheeler State Park
Second Place, Christopher Baker, Sunset at Cheaha State Park
Third Place, Will Childers, Gulf State Park Pier
Honorable Mention, Robin Taylor, Autumn Morning Below DeSoto Falls in DeSoto State Park
Birds
First Place, Christopher Baker, Great Blue Heron in Madison
Second Place, Jim Denney, Bald Eagle at Lake Martin in Tallapoosa County
Third Place, Ramona Edwards, Hummingbird Silhouette in Huntsville
Honorable Mention, Loralee Manas, Northern Shovelers in Madison
Wildlife
First Place, Elijah Lamb, Bobcat in the Tuskegee National Forest
Second Place, Susan Eison, Fox Kit at Monte Sano State Park
Third Place, Beth Tattersall, Raccoon in Mobile
Honorable Mention, Terry Brandebourg, White-tailed Buck in Lee County
Cold-blooded Critters
First Place, Tucker Heptinstall, Green Anole
Second Place, Amber Hart, Spotted Salamander in Guntersville
Third Place, Tucker Heptinstall, Ringneck Snake
Honorable Mention, Jenna Crovo, Fighting Tricolor Shiners in the Talladega National Forest
Bugs and Butterflies
First Place, Jim Flynn, Bumblebee in Albertville
Second Place, Rick Dowling, Female Blue Dasher in Montgomery
Third Place, Rick Dowling, Long-tailed Skipper in Autauga County
Honorable Mention, Mitford Fontaine, Sr., Red-Footed Cannibalfly
Sweet Home Alabama
First Place, Drew Senter, Spring Hill College in Mobile
Second Place, Gwen Ainsworth, Cooper Riverside Park in Mobile
Third Place, Drew Senter, The Rockery at Bellingrath Gardens
Honorable Mention, Kyle Thornton, Children's Harbor Chapel at Lake Martin
Nature-Based Recreation
First Place, Amata Hinkle, Exploring Caves in Paint Rock Valley
Second Place, Christopher Baker, Sunset Kayaker on Lake Guntersville
Third Place, Hannah Sumner, Hiking Holmes Chapel Falls in the Bankhead National Forest
Honorable Mention, Todd Lester, Jet Skiing Smith Lake
Shoots and Roots
First Place, Gene Tilley, Butterfly Weed in Ethelsville
Second Place, Arthur James Davis, Goldencrest at the Splinter Hill Bog
Third Place, William Barton, Turkey Tail Mushrooms in Daphne
Honorable Mention, Arthur James Davis, Live Oak Sunrise at Mobile Municipal Park
Scenic
First Place, Arthur James Davis, Sunset at the Lake Forest Yacht Club in Daphne
Second Place, Steve Vance, Waterfall in the Sipsey Wilderness
Third Place, Ryan Beverly, Leprechaun Falls in the Bankhead National Forest
Honorable Mention, Brent Eanes, Blue Hour Pier in South Mobile County
Young Photographers
First Place, Morgan Elizabeth Soto (age 17), Carnival Ride in Huntsville
Second Place, Sophia Charlotte Haines (age 14), Pelicans in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta
Third Place, Sophia Charlotte Haines (age 14), Whistling Ducks in Fort Morgan
Honorable Mention, Isabelle Vacik (age 17), Moon
For more information about the Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest, visit outdooralabama.com/photocontest.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
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