Black swallowtail butterfly hangs from turks cap lily bloom.
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly on Turk's Cap Lily By entering your Ohio photos in this year's contest, you'll be eligible to win both global and local prizes. © Mark Archibald/TNC Photo Contest 2022
Ohio

Photo Contest

Submit your Ohio photos in The Nature Conservancy's Global Photo Contest for a chance to win local prizes.

The contest runs August 30th through September 29th, 2023.

Show Us Your Best Shot

Grab your camera and head outside to capture the beauty of Ohio’s nature! From the picturesque shores of Lake Erie to the rolling hills of the Appalachian region, there’s so much to explore and capture!

Whether you're a resident of Ohio or a visitor captivated by the natural wonders of the Buckeye State, we invite you to showcase your talent, connect with fellow nature enthusiasts and create lasting memories through the art of photography. Join us in celebrating the beauty of Ohio's landscapes, one frame at a time.

The Nature Conservancy Photo Contest is open to photographers ages 18 and older and welcomes entries in various categories, including wildlife, people and nature, and landscapes. In addition to competing for a variety of global prizes, photos taken in Ohio will be automatically eligible to win exciting local prizes and contribute to the conservation of Ohio's natural areas.

The 2023 Photo Contest will be open for submissions from August 30th through September 29th.

Categories for Ohio Prizes

  • Wildlife

    A celebration of Ohio’s mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects and aquatic animals. Images of domestic or captive animals are not permitted.

  • People and Nature

    A person or people in an outdoor setting or the impact of people in nature, such as a building or other human-made construction.

  • Landscape

    Showcases a sense of place and shows the beauty of Ohio’s natural areas. May include people or wildlife but primary focus should be on the landscape.

Prizes and Judges

Small creek winds through lush green forest surrounded by rocky outcroppings.
Ohio The Sphinx Head rock formation found in the cave area of Old Mans Cave. The Hocking Hills is one of the most-geographically diverse regions of Ohio. The area’s Blackhand Sand © Alex Snyder/TNC

Ohio Prizes

Our grand prize winner will receive a $500 cash prize, and category winners will each receive a $250 cash prize along with a TNC gift package.

Winning photos will be featured in a press release, highlighted on nature.org and shared on TNC Ohio's social media. They'll also be published in TNC's Our Ohio Nature biannual print newsletter—which is distributed to more than 30,000 people.

Submissions will also be eligible for global prizes. 

Judges

Aerial view of forest and open meadow at Big Darby Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve in the fall.
Big Darby Headwaters Need some photo inspiration? Grab your camera and head to one of our open nature preserves like Big Darby Creek Headwaters. © David Ike

Still trying to take that perfect shot?

TNC's preserves across Ohio are hotspots for beauty and biodiversity. Visit a preserve today, and you might just capture this year's winning image!

A creek meanders through a forest with tall green trees along its banks.
Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve
This preserve is a mixture of wetlands and forests where springs emerge to form the headwaters of Big Darby Creek. It features a trail with interpretive signage.
Green fern plants and trees surround a walking path.
Brown's Lake Bog
This 100-acre preserve is a bog with its floating sphagnum moss mat, a 7-acre kettle lake and an outstanding example of a glacially formed hill known as a kame.
A view looking across Snow Lake, surrounded by trees with orange, red, yellow and brown fall foliage.
Lucia S. Nash Preserve
The Lucia S. Nash Preserve lies within the Western Allegheny Plateau Ecoregion. A National Natural Landmark, it is the only remaining old-growth white pine boreal bog in Ohio.
View of wetlands covered in various plant species with its shore lined by trees.
Great Egret Marsh Preserve
Great Egret Marsh Preserve, across the road from East Harbor State Park, consists of more than 150 acres of marsh and surrounding upland in Ottawa County on Catawba Island.
A field of purple lupine stretches to a border of trees in the background.
Kitty Todd Nature Preserve
Kitty Todd protects one of the finest remaining examples of Northwest Ohio's Oak Openings Region.
Prairie habitat at Kitty Todd Nature Preserve's Salamander Flats.
Kitty Todd Nature Preserve Salamander Flats
Part of the Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Salamander Flats offers a hike through rare mesic to wet sand prairie habitat in the Oak Openings Region of northwest Ohio.
Landscape view of large wetland at Sandhill Crane Wetlands, with a body of water in the foreground and a forest of trees surrounding the wetland in the distance.
Kitty Todd Preserve Sandhill Crane Wetlands
Part of the Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Sandhill Crane Wetlands is a 280-acre restored native wet prairie habitat in the Oak Openings Region of northwest Ohio.
Summer view of wetland.
Herrick Fen Nature Preserve
Herrick Fen is important for its tamarack fen communities, featuring the only native conifer in Ohio that sheds its needles each year. The preserve provides habitat for over two do
A shallow, still stream with green, tree-lined banks.
Morgan Swamp Preserve
At more 2,000 acres, The Nature Conservancy’s Morgan Swamp Preserve is one of the largest privately protected forested wetlands in Ohio.
Two people paddle a red canoe on a stream.
Grand River Conservation Campus
Nestled within the Morgan Swamp Preserve, the Grand River Conservation Campus is a serene setting of facilities and grounds used for recreation, environmental education and restora
A waterfall in the lush green forest in summer.
Edge of Appalachia Cedar Falls Preserve
The John and Marion Becker Cedar Falls Preserve features rare northern white cedar trees, wildflowers, dramatic cliffs, huge boulders and, of course, Cedar Falls.
Beech trees in forest.
Edge Of Appalachia Wilderness Trail
This trail at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve offers hikers a chance to escape into the woods for some peace and quiet, except for the sounds of local wildlife.
Overlook on the Joan Jones Portman Trail looking out at lush green tree-covered hills under a blue sky.
Joan Jones Portman Trail
The Dr. George Rieveschl Jr. Creek’s Bend Overlook is the first stop in exploring the Edge of Appalachia Preserve, Ohio’s largest privately owned protected natural area.
View of meadow and sunny sky.
Edge Of Appalachia Lynx Prairie Trail
The Nature Conservancy got its start in Ohio with this preserve on the advice of famed botanist E. Lucy Braun. Enjoy a hike on the looped trail through prairies and woodlands.
A tall rocky outcropping with wooden boardwalk and platform overlook juts out of the forest at Edge of Appalachia Preserve.
Edge Of Appalachia Buzzardroost Rock Trail
The Christian & Emma Goetz Buzzardroost Rock trail is the most popular of all trails at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System and leads to some of the best views in Ohio.
Aerial view of protected forest in the summer.
Edge of Appalachia Preserve System
The Edge of Appalachia Preserve System encompasses more than 22,000 acres in beautiful southern Ohio.

Ohio Open Preserves From hiking and kayaking to birdwatching and wildflower spotting, our preserves offer a diversity of outdoor activities that are fun for the whole family.