Sponsored - The following content is created on behalf of The Nature Conservancy in Arizona and does not reflect the opinions of Gray Media or its editorial staff. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy in Arizona, visit nature.org/Arizona.
Seeking photos that showcase Arizona’s natural beauty and wildlife
PHOENIX (The Nature Conservancy in Arizona) -- You’ve undoubtedly heard the saying, “A picture is worth 1,000 words.” Well, for one young photographer, a picture could be worth as much as $5,000. That’s the top prize in the 2025 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest.
The Nature Conservancy in Arizona (TNC Arizona) and “Arizona Highways” have teamed up to host the contest for more than a decade. Now, together with Arizona’s Family, they are inviting students ages 13-18 to enter their favorite photos that highlight nature in Arizona.
Students can submit up to two high-resolution photos of Arizona nature or wildlife at ArizonaHighways.com until midnight on March 31.
The top 10 photos will get a total of $10,250 in prizes.
- First place: $5,000
- Second place: $2,500
- Third place: $1,000
- 7 honorable mentions: $250
The reason for the contest is simple. TNC Arizona and “Arizona Highways” want to encourage teens to connect with our beautiful state. What better way to do that than by capturing a moment in time for all to see?
“For more than 10 years, we’ve been proud to partner with our friends at The Nature Conservancy in Arizona on this wonderful photo contest,” Robert Stieve, the editor of “Arizona Highways” said ahead of last year’s contest. “Our mission is to get people off the couch, and this contest goes to the heart of that. It helps get a younger generation into the great outdoors. But it’s more than just taking a walk in the woods. Photography provides a purpose for these kids — it makes them think about what they’re seeing and experiencing. And even if their photos don’t finish in the top 10, they’re already winners for having had the experience of being outside.”
This contest is about more than “point and shoot” or merely snapping a pretty picture. The judges are looking for creativity. The challenge for students is to convey the unique character of their subject, whether it is a macro look at an insect or a flower, a medium-range scenic shot or animal portrait, or a panoramic vista in black and white. The best photos invoke an emotion. That doesn’t happen by accident.
In fact, 2023 honorable mention winner Aidan Yu, who had another photo in the top 10 last year, waited in the dirt for hours to capture his photo titled “The Great Roadrunner.” Second-place winner Malia Means grabbed her camera at the last second to capture “Towering Rocks Peeking Through Low Clouds.”
Past entrants have set a high bar with their exceptional work. What once started as a contest in Tucson has grown into a statewide effort. Last year, 400 talented Arizona teens entered nearly 700 photos shot all over our beautiful state. That’s about double the entries from 2023!
Jessica Finnie won the 2024 contest with her photo “Reprimand.”
“Over the years, our Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest has blossomed, showcasing the immense talent of student photographers across our state,” says TNC Arizona State Director Daniel Stellar. “‘Arizona Highways,’ a founding partner, has been instrumental in its success while also offering professional feedback and guidance to the promising photographers. The contest provides a meaningful experience for the students, and each year, the caliber of photos continues to impress!”
“Arizona Highways” is well known for its stellar award-winning photography featuring all things Arizona. It’s showcased in a yearly calendar, an online Photo of the Day Archive, numerous books, and, of course, the magazine. The ongoing dedication of “Arizona Highways” to showing Arizona in all her glory makes its partnership with The Nature Conservancy in Arizona a natural fit.
Teen photographer Aidan Yu and “Arizona Highways” editor Robert Stieve met with Susan Casper ahead of the 2024 contest
Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy is the world’s largest environmental protection organization. In 1966, the Arizona Chapter of The Nature Conservancy was established with the purchase of the first Arizona preserve, Patagonia-Sonoita Creek. Since then, the chapter has worked locally, with global reach, to tackle the dual threats of climate change and biodiversity loss through collaborative partnerships aimed at conserving Arizona’s water, forests, lands, and wildlife habitats. Those efforts help highlight what makes Arizona such a spectacular place, and the goal is to keep it that way for generations to come.
Photography captures a real moment in time. It’s an art that preserves memories, connects us with others, and documents history as the world around us changes at an ever-increasing rate.
Photography is a way to share our experiences and shed light on things that might need to change to preserve and protect what we have – like nature – before it’s too late. It builds social awareness. In the case of climate change, photography illustrates our impact on nature. shows us what we’re doing well and where we need to do better.
But it’s not just its effects on others that make photography important, even necessary. Nature photography, in particular, helps the photographer embrace adventure. It opens their eyes to both places and experiences and teaches them to look at the world from different perspectives and in different ways. The same subject can be shot in an infinite number of ways. If you put five photographers in a single location and ask them for a single image, each person’s photo will be unique. Like any other art, it’s a form of self-expression.
Finally, photography is a universal language, allowing us to communicate without words. Showing is always more effective than telling, and photography inherently does that. It breaks language and cultural barriers.
To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s work in Arizona, please visit nature.org/Arizona.
Enter this year’s Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest!
Highlights from past winners
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