Nature Photography both Urban and Wild
Vancouver Audubon Society (VAS), HD Aluminum Prints, and Columbia Credit Union are teaming up to sponsor the 2026 Youth Nature Photo Contest. In this photo contest’s 11 year history, this will be the first time photographs of nature will not be limited to Steigerwald Lake NWR, except in the Steigerwald category. VAS wishes to expand the boundaries where contest photos can be taken and invite a wider diversity of participants. Three of the four categories can be of nature found within the three counties VAS serves (Clark, Klickitat & Skamania).
Youth, ages 8-18 years of age, are invited to submit up to five photos of nature to be judged and be eligible for up to three cash prizes, 12″ by 18″ prints of their photos, and a free family membership to Vancouver Audubon Society (VAS). Photos must have been shot during the time period from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026 and within the boundaries of Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat Counties.
Division Categories and Prizes
Participants can enter a total of 5 JPEG formatted images to any of the following 4 categories:
- Steigerwald Lake NWR Nature – This category is for nature photos taken on trails at Steigerwald Lake NWR. Photos can include wildlife, beautiful landscapes, or people enjoying nature.
- Wildlife, Plants, & Nature – This category showcases native wildlife (birds, mammals, fish, insects, or spiders for example), plants, fungi, and other life found in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties. Photos can be taken in backyards, parks, or wild areas like Ridgefield NWR, Salmon Creek, or Burnt Bridge Creek Greenways.
- People in Nature – This category highlights how people interact with nature. It’s not about portraits of people posing, but capturing candid moments of people enjoying and engaging with the natural world in positive ways. Photos can be taken anywhere people appreciate nature in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties.
- Smartphone Nature – This category is for photos taken with smartphones or tablets of any nature in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties. It includes photos suitable for all the other categories. If the photo was taken at Steigerwald, then the rules of Steigerwald Lake NWR Nature category apply here too.
Winning Photos
Winners will be eligible for a maximum of three (3) cash prizes per contest year including “people’s choice” awards. If a participant wins more than three cash prizes, they will be awarded the three highest in total value, including the prints.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes for each category include a high quality 12×18” metal print of the photos that will be displayed at various locations around Clark County for the remainder of the year. Additional prizes include:
- 1st – $200 cash
- 2nd – $100 cash
- 3rd – $50 cash
- Honorable Mention (2 in each category) – Large print 12×18″ print of photo on professional paper
- People’s choice award in each category – $100. There are no restrictions for how participants muster votes for their photo, except each person is only allowed to vote once. Bring you best social media connection skills!
Entry of a photo and/or acceptance of a prize constitutes consent for the Vancouver Audubon Society to use winners’ names and images for editorial, advertising, promotional literature, publicity, fundraising and website purposes without further compensation, except where prohibited.
Eligible Photographs
All submitted photos must be taken within the boundaries of Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties, and specifically by the youth individual submitting the photograph. No photos will be allowed that are taken in locations where the public is not allowed (for instance, off the trails in Steigerwald). The eligible period that photos can be taken can range from June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. JPEG images submitted can be altered in the following ways in optimizing their presentation:
- They may be cropped and should be at a 3:2 aspect ratio (standard), approximately 2700px by 1800px or larger and 300 dpi.
- Minor adjustments may be made to color, white balance, tone, lighting levels of shadows, highlights, saturation, vibrance, contrast, and sharpness.
- Sensor dust spots may be removed, and noise reduction is allowed.
- Small annoying elements may be digitally removed, but no elements absent in the original can be added.
- Composite photographs (2 or more photos digitally combined), including sky replacements, are not eligible for this contest.
- Borders, signatures, or watermarks are not allowed to be added to the photos. Judging is done anonymously, so no identification should be visible in the photo.
- Originals of the photograph may be requested at any time during the judging, and/or during the preparation for printing the winners for public display.
- Only photos submitted by midnight of May 31, 2026, are eligible.
- Photos taken from drones will not be allowed if the location prohibits them, such as Steigerwald Lake NWR, Ridgefield NWR, and State Parks and natural areas within The Gorge Scenic Area. A drop pin link to the location the photo was taken from is required.
How to Enter
Photos should be submitted at the highest quality/resolution. Each photo you enter must be submitted separately into the category of your choice. You can follow the links to each category:
Your photo will be observed by a volunteer upon your submission, and if allowed, will be made visible in a gallery on the Vancouver Audubon webpage within a short period of time. You may visit the gallery of entries for each category by following the link for submission and going to the gallery.
Winner Notification
Winners will be notified by the submitted email address after approximately two weeks of judging. The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Cascade Park Library community room from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m..
What are judges looking for?
You may find it helpful to see the top three photos from each category in the 2024 contest, what the judges liked about them, and suggestions for taking them to the next level (2025 judge comments will be coming soon). We are all on a journey to improve our photography, so we hope you find this useful. Good luck!
Questions or Concerns?
Please direct your questions or concerns to Ken PItts (kenp@vancouveraudubon.org).
Photo Contest Winners Archive (Click the year to see the winning photos from that year):
2024
2023
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
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