National Wildlife Photo Contest Category Spotlight: Landscapes and Plant Life

One of our most popular annual events is the National Wildlife Photo Contest.  Now in its 43rd year, the Photo Contest attracts entries from all over the world in seven categories and a separate Youth category for kids ages 13 to 17.

Today’s spotlight is on the “Landscapes and Plant Life” category, which focuses on scenic views and native plants in wild settings.

Last year’s first place winning photograph in this category comes from Spain, where photographer Francisco Mingorance used a long exposure to capture the unusual “star” of sea foam on the shore at night.

The Star of the Silent. Photo by Francisco Mingorance. 2012 National Wildlife Photo Contest entry.
The Star of the Silent. Photo by Francisco Mingorance. 2012 National Wildlife Photo Contest winner.
 The second place winner showed a spectacled caiman gliding through the water surrounded by greenery in Manu National Park, Peru.

Spectacled Cayman. Photo by Michael Tweddle. 2012 National Wildlife Photo Contest winner.
Spectacled Cayman. Photo by Michael Tweddle. 2012 National Wildlife Photo Contest winner.

Honorable mentions included a creative shot of Common Salsify silhouetted against the sun, and the Milky Way wheeling over Devil’s Tower National Monument at night.

Meadow-sweet
A Meadow-sweet in the setting sun. Photo by Zoltán Ritzel. 2012 National Wildlife Photo Contest honorable mention.
Milky Way Over Devil's Tower
The Milky Way over Devil’s Tower in the Moonlight. Photo by Durand Johnson. 2012 National Wildlife Photo Contest honorable mention.
For tips on the best ways to get great photographs of flowers, check out our article How to Create Flower Photos As Vibrant As Your Subject from photographer Rob Sheppard.

Check out this year’s entrants in the Photo Contest here. You can vote for and share your favorites or even enter your own photos.  We’d love to see them!


All photos were entries in the Landscapes and Plant Life category of the National Wildlife Photo Contest. See more photos or sign up for the 43rd Annual National Wildlife Photo Contest >>