AFC's Nature Photography Contest
We know photographs not only share the beauty of nature, but can help us connect more deeply to the natural world. That’s why we encourage all photographers, nature enthusiasts, biologists, artists, and wildlife admirers to go out into the beautiful landscapes of Southern California and take some images! Anyone over the age of 15, amateur and professional photographers alike, are welcome to apply to our annual Nature Photography Contest.
Stay tuned for announcements about our 2026 contest!
2025 Winners
For our 2025 Contest we were honored to have as our judges:
Andrea Donnellan, Viewer’s Choice winner in 2024 contest and category winner in 2022
Nicholas Hess, exhibiting artist from AFC’s Living in a Wildlife Corridor exhibitÂ
Neal Parekh, Viewer’s Choice winner in 2022 contest and category winner in 2024
From over 160 submissions our judges selected these seven images as our category winners.
After the judges selected these 7 winners, we shared them with the public for a Viewer’s Choice Award. 344 people submitted votes on which category winner was their favorite. All the winning images were displayed at our inaugural Urban Conservation Awards at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Congratulations to the winning photographers and thank you to everyone who shared their photographs with us!
Viewer's Choice & Birds Category Winner
Morning Watch by Elyse Jankowski
Elyse is a wildlife photographer based in Los Angeles. She highlights local and endangered species, with the goal of inspiring viewers to become conservation advocates. You can see more of her work here.
Category Winner: Mammals
Sun Peek by Valeree Catangay
Valeree is a visual artist and sustainability strategist based in Los Angeles. She enjoys wildlife photography, birding, camping, plein air painting, and sharing her love for nature, art, and community through educational workshops and events. You can see more of her work here.
Category Winner: Other Wildlife
Feast by Erin Doyle
A certified California naturalist, Erin began her amateur study of native plants and ecosystems in 2019 after growing a patch of Narrow Leaf Milkweed from seed in her yard. Her photography has since been published in two field guides, and she regularly documents insect life during volunteer days at AFC’s Sunshine Preserve. You can see more of her work here.
Category Winner: Plants
Inner Beauty by Cyndi Bemel
An award-winning photographer and multidisciplinary storyteller across radio, film, and international reportage, Cyndi is drawn to the quiet intensity of the natural world and the human presence within it. You can see more of her work here.
Category Winner: Landscapes
Dinstant Glow by Cyndi Bemel
An award-winning photographer and multidisciplinary storyteller across radio, film, and international reportage, Cyndi is drawn to the quiet intensity of the natural world and the human presence within it. You can see more of her work here.
Category Winner: People in Nature
Freaky Fish by Moses Aubrey
Moses is on a mission to document everything from jumping spiders to slender salamanders to migratory birds. In his series “Have you seen me?” he highlights biodiversity in urban LA and across the US. Currently he is a coordinator at the community science dept at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and loves bringing various communities out to experience nature. You can see more of his work here.
Category Winner: Abstract & Conceptual
Storm Clouds by Jason Moss
Jason is a composer, music producer, creative director, and music supervisor, creating original music for film, television, and advertising. Photography is a life-long passion and he loves crafting images that blur the lines between reality and imagination, using every tool at his disposal (except AI). You can see more of his work here.
2024 Winners
For our 2024 Contest we were honored to have as our judges:
Denis Callet, wildlife and camera trap photographer
Althea Edwards, photographer and artist
Miguel Ordeñana, wildlife biologist, photographer, and environmental educator
From over 150 submissions our judges selected these seven images as our category winners.
After the judges selected these 7 winners, we shared them with the public for a Viewer’s Choice Award. Over 400 people submitted votes on which category winner should be displayed at the 2024 P-22 Day Festival. Congratulations to the winning photographers and thank you to everyone who shared their photographs with us!
Viewer's Choice & Mammals Category Winner
Spring is in the Air by Andrea Donnellan
Andrea enjoys capturing scenery and the wildlife in her backyard and abroad. As a scientist, she has conducted field work all over the world, but she finds California and the Altadena foothills satisfy her interest in both geophysics and photography. You can see more of her work here.
Category Winner: Birds
Curiosity by Katrina Plummer
Katrina loves spending her spare time photographing and admiring the beauty of wildlife. She is also a volunteer at the International Bird Rescue and a member of the Pasadena Audubon Society. You can see more of her work here.
Category Winner: Other Wildlife
Scaling a Tree by Neal Parekh
Neal is a nature and wildlife photographer who seeks to momentarily transport viewers away from busy modern life and reconnect with the wilds. Through his vivid and detailed imagery, he encourages awareness and respect for all creatures that live just outside of our doors. You can see more of his work here.
Category Winner: Plants
Valley Oak by Kat Superfisky
Kat is an urban ecologist, artist/designer and educator who devotes their days, nights and dreams to transforming urban areas into more “symbiotic cities”–places where people, plants, and other animals coexist. You can see more of their work here.
Category Winner: Landscapes
Morning Commute by Michael Perry
Michael first began photographing nature during the pandemic lockdown, and has since taken thousands of pictures, mostly in Griffith Park. His day job is as a film and television writer, a career he has pursued for more than thirty years. You can see more of his work here.
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Category Winner: People in Nature
Daydreams by Nav Tombros
Nav has been based in California for the last 10 years, where he explores and documents the state’s stunning ecology and passes on his love for nature to his two young sons. You can see more of his work here.
Category Winner: Abstract & Conceptual
Symbiosis by Kat Superfisky
Kat is an urban ecologist, artist/designer and educator who devotes their days, nights and dreams to transforming urban areas into more “symbiotic cities”–places where people, plants, and other animals coexist. You can see more of their work here.
2022 Contest
See below for our 2022 Contest Winners. Congratulations to all and thank you to everyone who submitted their photographs and voted for the grand prize!
Viewer's Choice & Birds Category Winner
Falcon Landing by Neal Parekh
Category Winner: Mammals
Wandering Coyote by Neal Parekh
Category Winner: Landscapes & Plants
California Hope by Andrea Donnellan
Category Winner: Other Wildlife
The Lynx and the Spider by Neal Parekh
Category Winner: People in Nature
Lower Arroyo Seco by Christine Hessler
Category Winner: Young Photographers
Solitariness by Paul Agulian
Category Winner: Abstract & Conceptual
Symbiosis by Kat Superfisky
Kat is an urban ecologist, artist/designer and educator who devotes their days, nights and dreams to transforming urban areas into more “symbiotic cities”–places where people, plants, and other animals coexist. You can see more of their work here.