Thursday, Nov 10, 2022

We are excited to announce the winners in this year’s Annual Photo Contest. This year’s photo contest saw more than 300 entries from dozens of photographers. After much deliberation, the photo contest judges selected the winners based on their photographic and ecological qualities. In honor of MNA’s 70^th Anniversary in 2022, and considering the number of quality photos entered, the judges also decided to award three additional winners in a “MNA Sanctuary” category, rather than the typical Overall winner. The winning photographers will be honored with a framed print of their winning photo, and their photo will be featured in future MNA publications.

Congratulations to the following winners, and thank you to all who entered this year! These beautiful photos help us tell the story of why Michigan is so worth protecting and preserving for future generations.

Category: Flora & Fauna

Honorable Mention, “Worker bee on a starflower” by Jenifer Selwa

3^rd Place, Spring Peeper by Ashley Keesling

2^nd Place, blue eyed grass by Lynn Okenka

1^st Place, “Dinner time for barn swallows” by Julie Mitchell

Category: Landscapes

Honorable Mention, “Thin cloud aurora over Lake Superior” by George Bailey

3^rd Place, “Land and water meet” by Justin Hu

2^nd Place, “Tree overlooking Belle River” by Glen Robertson

1^st Place, “Late October forest reflections” by Tanya Iretskaia

Category: People in Nature

Honorable Mention, “A Mackinac Morning” by Jim Bretz

3^rd Place, “Man and woman walking on trail in autumn” by Addie Geissel

2^nd Place, “Swimming in a waterfall” by Halle Funk

1^st Place, “Two paddlers at sunrise” by Jenifer Selwa

Category: MNA Sanctuary

3^rd Place, “Periwinkle Permutations” Bois Blanc Nature Sanctuary by Brandie Dunn

2^nd Place, Submerged spotted turtle, undisclosed MNA sanctuary in Southwest Michigan by Dan Burton

1^st Place, “River frog” Joan Rodman Memorial Plant Preserve by Jodi Louth