Sometimes you get lucky, and that winning photo practically takes itself. Other times you have to work for it, angling for the best composition or waiting for perfect lighting. Either way, photographers create art that captures the viewer’s eye.
What we always look for when selecting finalists and then winning images from this contest is, first and foremost, an emotional reaction: Does the picture make us think Wow!? If so, then we look at technical merit such as whether the image is in focus, has a pleasing or surprising composition, or is overprocessed. Blurry, ho-hum, or fake coloring all get an automatic pass. While we appreciate those rare times when every aspect of a scene synchronizes and the photographer is paying attention enough to capture it on the fly, we know the thoughtfulness, time, and attention to detail
it requires more often than not to actualize a superior shot.
CATEGORIES
ALASKAN LIFE
Alaskans and/or their way of life, traditions, culture, or authentic “only in Alaska” moments.
ACTION
Anything in motion—people, animals, sports, nature, or anything else that shows movement.
SCENIC
Photos emphasizing the landscape and scenery of Alaska with or without the human element.
WILDLIFE
Photos of animals native to Alaska (not including images of animals in captivity).
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Bob Chadwick
We wanted to look away but couldn’t. The image begs the question: Did the moose escape or did the young bear get to eat that day? It’s incredibly rare to witness an event like this unfolding, let alone to capture the action with such technical precision. In the end, the image evoked so much raw emotion about the battle for survival for wildlife in Alaska, that it had to be our grand prize winner.
ALASKAN LIFE
1st Place
Jacqueline Bock
An old plane with a grinning pilot in a tie-dyed t-shirt, surrounded by dogs and greeted by one upon landing, is about as Alaskan as it gets. Plus, it makes us smile every time we look at it.
2nd Place
Devan Otton
Captured on a beautiful day out at Salmon Lake, which is about 40 miles outside of Nome, Jadyn (dressed in her blue kuspuk) is teaching her two nieces, Remi on the left and Holland on the right, the important skills of how to properly harvest and identify tundra tea. The Iñupiaq name for tundra tea is called “Ayu.”
3rd Place
Nicole Mortenson
Traditional “yaakw” (canoes) landing at Auke Recreation Area in Juneau. Some of the canoes, paddled by representatives of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian communities, traveled for days to arrive at this location. The event marks the ceremonial start of the biennial Celebration festival, one of the largest cultural gatherings for Indigenous peoples of the region.
HONORABLE MENTION
Celeste Terrebonne
Alaskan residents enjoy a visit with Chena Outdoor Collective’s reindeer, guided through a winter wonderland by the photographer’s 3-year-old child.
ACTION
1st place
Schuyler Alig
Miron Golfman riding his fat bike through the Nelchina Glacier tunnel.
2nd place
Brandon Cole
Shot using an underwater housing for his camera, Brandon Cole photographed his friend fishing in a river teeming with spawning salmon.
3rd place
Melissa J. Meade
Even without a caption, the photo tells us almost everything we need to know, from the joy of the dogs with snow flying off their paws to the fans reaching out to touch hands with the musher.
HONORABLE MENTION
Susan Matukaitis
The aerial view of three hikers dwarfed by the magnificence of the landscape is truly breathtaking.
SCENIC
1st place
Joleen L. Redman
For northern lights shots, we look for pinprick-sharp stars and a focused foreground that shows scale and grounds the image. This capture went above and beyond with the range of colors, formations, and of course, the unexpected and delightful butterfly wings at the center.
2nd place
Jeremy Wood
Exceptional detail, composition, light, and vivid reflection. Postcard perfect.
3rd place
Brian Wright
Serene, layered, and stunning in its simplicity with a sliver of a moon as a bonus.
HONORABLE MENTION
David Sanches
Taken at Creamer’s Field in Fairbanks, the photographer captured the scene with infrared light to create an ethereal landscape.
WILDLIFE
1st place
Amy Harris
An Alaskan brown bear charges through the river, water splashing in her wake, with her eyes locked on the salmon and her young cub on her back.
2nd place
Fatima Duggal
Whale photography is tough, and Duggal nailed the perfect moment with technical precision.
3rd place
Paula Lawlor
Split-second timing captured the eye of both fish and sea lion to tell the story within a singular frame.
HONORABLE MENTION
Pamela Roseveare
We loved so much about this shot: the composition, the eye contact, the landscape. It only lacked greater resolution to move up in the rankings.
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