23rd Annual Photography Contest
To celebrate National Wildlife Refuges and the beauty of nature, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge invited all photographers to enter the 23rd Annual Nature Photography Contest. All photos must have been captured on federally managed public lands (learn more here). Photos taken on other sites (state managed lands, metroparks, local parks, etc) were not considered.
![]() This year's contest is virtual. Participants could submit up to four entries, with a maximum of 1 entry per category. Judges will review the photos in early September. View the list of 2021 contest winners here.
The People's Choice Award winner will be announced during National Wildlife Refuge Week on October 15, 2022. To view last year's winners below, simply click on the photo and scroll right. Depending on your connection, you may need to refresh to view all photos. |
2023 calendars featuring winners of the 2022 Photo Contest will be available for pre-sale through October 23. Calendars will ship or be made available for pickup in November.
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Birds
1st Place: "Cedar Waxwing", Jeffery Vogelpohl
Seven honorable mentions were selected in the Birds Category. *Click the photos to view larger*
Landscapes and Plants
1st: "Crane Creek Sunrise" by Dave Smith
Four Honorable Mentions were selected in the Landscapes and Plants Category. *Click the photos to view larger*
People Enjoying Nature
1st Place: "Photographing nature at Seney Wildlife Refuge" by Pam Rogers
Three Honorable Mentions were selected in the People Enjoying Nature Category. *Click the photos to view larger*
Wildlife other than Birds
1st Place: "Monarch Migration" by Judy Knipp
Eight Honorable Mentions were selected for the Wildlife Other Than Nature Category. *Click the photos to view larger*
Teen Contest, Ages 13-17
Birds
1st Place
"Mother Swan and Babies" Mia Pesci |
2nd Place
"Cranes" Jayden Kang |
Teen Contest, Ages 13-17
Landscapes & Plants
1st Place
"The Pathway to Nature" by Jayden Kang |
2nd Place
"Swallow Tree" Mia Pesci |
Teen Contest, Ages 13-17
People Enjoying Nature
1st Place
"A Walk in Nature" by Jayden Kang |
Teen Contest, Ages 13-17
Wildlife Other Than Birds
1st Place
"Golden Sun, Golden Wings" by Maya Sarikonda |
2nd Place
"Leopard Frog" by Mia Pesci |
3rd Place
"The Grasshopper" by Jayden Kang |
Youth Contest, Ages 5-12
1st Place: Landscapes and Plants
"Sea Shell on Dry Land" by Daniel Kang |
1st Place: Birds
"Crane Sitting in Green" by Daniel Kang |
1st Place: Wildlife other than Birds
"Froggy" by Daniel Kang |
This photo contest is sponsored by the Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. Questions? Call Aimee at 419-707-7756.