Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest Begins September 3 – Lowndes Signal

By Billy Pope

Specially for The Lowndes Signal

The 2025 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest will begin accepting entries at 9 a.m. Tuesday, September 3. The contest is a joint project of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and the Alabama Tourism Department. The deadline for entries is October 31.

The 2025 photo competition focuses on traditional photography techniques and the use of handheld cameras. In nine of the ten categories, no photos taken with cell phones, smartphones, game cameras or drones will be selected as winning photos. In the “Young Photographers” category, smartphone and tablet photos are accepted.

The photo contest is open to both residents and visitors to the state, but photos must have been taken in Alabama within the past two years. Any amateur photographer not employed by ADCNR is welcome to enter.

Each person can submit a total of 10 photos in the following categories. All 10 photos can be submitted in one category or in multiple categories.

Categories of the 2025 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest: Alabama State Parks, Birds, Bugs and Butterflies, Cold-Blooded Animals, Outdoor Recreation, Scenic Landscape, Shoots and Roots, Sweet Home Alabama, Wildlife, Young Photographers (under 17 years old).

First, second, third and an honorable mention will be awarded in each category. Winning images will be showcased online and in a traveling exhibit at various locations throughout the state in 2025. If your organization or venue is interested in hosting the 2025 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest exhibit, please contact Kenny Johnson of the ADCNR Communications and Marketing Department at [email protected].

The 2024 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest exhibit is currently on display at the Oak Mountain State Park Interpretive Center in Pelham through September 4. For the full exhibit schedule, visit www.outdooralabama.com/photo-exhibit.

Art teachers are encouraged to incorporate participation in the Young Photographers category into their art classes this fall.

Full category descriptions and competition rules for 2025 can be found at www.outdooralabama.com/photocontest.

ADCNR promotes the responsible stewardship, management and use of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. For more information, visit www.outdooralabama.com.