2019 Contest Winners
Please enjoy these photos that won our 2019 photo contest and congratulations to the winning photographers!
Adventure Photos
“In October and November, it is cold, it is brown, it is dead, it is dull, and we wait. We wait for the cold to overcome this tail end of fall when the leaves have blown away and the branches scrape the overcast sky. We wait for snow and ice, and hope that the ice comes first, because we know, the snow will eventually cover it all.” Taken at Rabbit Slough by Wendy Gorski. 1st place Adventure category 
“Diving near Valdez in a soup of Moon Jellyfish that migrate to Alaska during the summer months. We had managed to get under the main bloom to see how far it stretched. While under it, the shape of the bloom changed like a rolling wave of water crashing on a beach. Was amazing to witness!” This photo by Boone Hodgin won second place in the 2019 Adventure category. 
“I was on the beach at low tide hoping to photograph some bald eagles. The eagles were nowhere to be found but then two women came riding up the beach on their horses. It was a beautiful scene with the horses and riders framed against Mount Iliamna.” This photo by Dawn Wilson won third place in the Adventure category. 
This photo of the Finger Lake Checkpoint taken during the 2019 Iditarod by Taylor Hutchins of Mariposa, CA, was an honorable mention in the Adventure category.
Alaska Life
“I had just sat down at the kitchen table to work on my laptop when I felt a large shadow over my shoulder. A gigantic moose had walked up to the kitchen window and was peeking inside. Startled, I quickly made my way to the other side of the room and was able to capture this curious girl alongside her likeness on the wall. The cat is typically scared of moose, running and hiding under the bed when they come around. For some reason she felt safe this time, and stared right back.” This photo by Anne Marie Moran, taken in her Anchorage home, won first place in the Alaska Life category.
“Because of the almost non-existent nighttime in the summer, we in Alaska often use more of our fireworks on New Year’s than on the Fourth of July. Pictured here is the show put on at the Santa Claus House (complete with a statue of Saint Nick himself).” This photo by Cade Smith won second place in the 2019 Alaska Life category. 
“First timers strolling out of the Kasilof River under the midnight sun.” This photo by Nahanni Cavins of Anchorage won third place in the 2019 Alaska Life category. 
“I woke up one night to the sound of an alert on my phone. I picked it up. It was a notification from my aurora app telling me that the northern lights were out. I peeked out the window and couldn\\\’t believe what I saw. Bright green swirls were dancing in the night sky above, brighter than I had ever seen the aurora before. I quickly grabbed my camera and sped down to the lake on my four wheeler. The lights were straight overhead, whirling around in a bright green ribbon that stretched over the calm waters of Lake Clark.” This photo by Evan Wardell of Upland, IN, received honorable mention in the 2019 Alaska Life category.
Scenic
“Inside Colony Glacier.” This photo by Taylor Hutchins of Mariposa, CA, won first place in the 2019 scenic category.
“My husband and I bought property on Sister Lake about two years ago. We’ve been planning on building a cabin up there, but for now it’s a place for cabin dreaming under the clouds.” This photo by Susan Ess of Palmer, AK, won second place in the 2019 scenic category. 
“Slaughter Gulch Trail classically defines the notion of work for reward. It takes you up the Kenai Mountains to a perch with outstanding views of Cooper Landing, Kenai Lake, and the first flows of the majestic Kenai River. This area represents the Peninsula’s crown jewel and, thankfully, went untouched by this summer’s Swan Lake Fire, which decimated areas along the Sterling Highway just south of where this image was taken.” This photo by Danny Ungrue of Kenai, AK, won third place in the 2019 scenic category.
“Captured this while spending the weekend camping on the Homer spit. Vertical panorama captured with a DJI drone.” Marc Sherman of Anchorage, AK, took this picture. Which received honorable mention in the 2019 scenic category.
Wildlife
“Eagle photobomb: On a day trip I took in Kachemak Bay, the eagles were gathered in the trees when this one adult flew into perfect position in front of the many ‘sitters.’” This photo by Larry Terrell of Texarkana, TX, won first place in the 2019 wildlife category.
“We had been waiting along the bank of the creek—waiting just like the bears for salmon to swim up the creek in hopes of reaching their spawning grounds. This young subadult bear got tired of waiting and decided to cross the creek directly in front of us.” This photo, taken in Lake Clark National Park, by Dawn Wilson of Fort Collins, CO, won second place in the 2019 wildlife category. 
“I saw this Northern Hawk Owl sitting atop a tall spruce tree. I stopped and watched as it scanned the area, turning it’s head this way and that, looking and listening. Suddenly it took off, flying to another spruce tree a couple hundred yards yards away. It only stayed there for a minute or two before flying to yet another treetop. Then it seemed to hone in on something and take off. It headed straight for the ground and pounced on something in the snow and dead grasses. I walked closer, careful not to get to close but curious about what it had caught. I had my camera up so I could get a better look at whatever it had caught when, in an instant the owl turned and took off heading right in my direction. I was ready for the action and caught this raptor as it took off to devour it’s prize elseware. This was such a thrilling experience.” Taken along the Glenn Highway near Eureka Roadhouse by Jamin Hunter Taylor of Eagle River, AK. This photo won third place in the 2019 wildlife category. 
“I went out one evening to Westchester Lagoon shortly after the arrival of the Arctic Terns who had returned to the region to breed. The sun was setting when I found these two “love birds”. The male would fly off and catch a fish and return to the waiting female. If she accepted the gift, the pair were mated. I loved the golden glow of the wings of these elegant birds, and really loved this intimate moment.” This photo by Jamin Hunter Taylor won honorable mention in the 2019 wildlife category.
