North American Nature Photography Association

The 2024 National Wildlife^® Photo Contest!

National Wildlife magazine’s 54th annual photo contest is closed (1/15/25- 4/6/25). All entries support the conservation mission of the National Wildlife Federation, which is dedicated to saving wildlife species and habitats. Amateur and professional photographers alike are encouraged to share their best images of wildlife and wild lands, from around the world and their own backyards. Good luck!

You can submit images in any of these nine categories:

     • Birds
     • Mammals
     • Baby Animals (young of any species)
     • Other Wildlife (underwater life, reptiles, amphibians, insects, spiders, macro and more)
     • Landscapes & Plants (from broad vistas to single blooms)
     • People in Nature (responsibly enjoying wildlife or the outdoors)
     • Mobile (entries taken with phones or tablets)
     • Portfolio (up to 10 images built around a common theme related to nature or conservation)
     • Young Nature Photographers (ages 13 to 17)

The grand prize winner will be honored with the National Wildlife Nature’s Witness Award and receive $5,000. The winner of the portfolio category will receive $750. In each of the eight additional categories, first place wins $500, and second place wins $250. Photo contest entrants are also eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Anyone 13 years of age or older can get in on the fun and vote! Winners will be announced in a press release, featured on NWF social media channels and published in print and/or online.

Now entering its 54th year, the prestigious National Wildlife Photo Contest celebrates wildlife, habitats and the natural world, with an emphasis on conservation and ethical photography honoring the well-being of animals in the wild. 

Modest entry fees support the National Wildlife Federation’s conservation work and your photos inspire our millions of members and supporters to care about wildlife and to act on its behalf.

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Endangered Species Coalition – Chalk Art Competition 

ESC normally has some art related events each year related to Endangered Species Day. . Endangered Species Day in the third Friday in May (every year) and Prairie Hills Audubon Society and other western SD groups will host a face-to-face celebration or Zoom meeting.

 Each year they have a chalk art competition – where folks draw endangered species in chalk on sidewalks or elsewhere. For 2025  competition’s details – https://www.endangered.org/endangered-species-chalk-art-event/

We give you data below on other Coalitions art events from  2022, but they had a competition also in 2023. They did not have this competition in 2025 that we are aware of.

 Saving Endangered Species Youth Art Contest
The Endangered Species Coalition (ESC) announcements of their Art events/contests,

MARCH 1ST SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

https://www.endangered.org/campaigns/endangered-species-day/saving-endangered-species-youth-art-contest/

Black Hills Photography Club

periodically has photo contests at their monthly meetings on themes related to nature & also periodically sponsors field trips to photograph together outside. The next competition is on trees with entries due on October 8th, 2021. Check out URL links below.

https://www.blackhillsphotographyclub.com/events/competition-a-day-in-the-life-photos-due-9jzys-4ls28

https://www.blackhillsphotographyclub.com/

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Festival in the Park, Spearfish, SD: July 18-20, 2025

The Festival in the Park is one of the largest outdoor summer arts and music festivals in the upper Midwest. The Matthews Opera House & Arts Center of Spearfish, SD, organizes this popular festival. It serves as the largest fundraiser for our non-profit organization each year. The proceeds benefit arts outreach in our community and beyond.

Spearfish City Park on Canyon Street

Over 25,000 people attend the festival, held every third weekend in July. The 2025 festival features 185 fine art and craft vendors with an emphasis on handmade and original products.  

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iNaturalist.org

iNaturalist is a joint initiative of the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. On this web site folks can share their photos of species with others. Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. The sponsors share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data.

All you have to do is observe & submit.- visit – https://www.inaturalist.org/

They also have “bio-blitzes. Here is a list of BioBlitzes, but most on the list, are past in 2023. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/calendar

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