Calling all photographers!

The 2024 Natural Resources Foundation Photo Contest goes live on Tuesday, September 17th! Every year, we invite you to share your best photos of nature in Wisconsin with us: the landscapes you’ve explored, the wildlife you’ve spotted, and the outdoor adventures you’ve had. This year, we are switching things up a bit and incorporating 5 different categories for photo submissions. There will be one winner from each category, including the grand prize winner. We are also bringing back the People’s Choice Award where, you guessed it, YOU get to decide the winner. The 2024 Photo Contest categories are:

1) Landscapes
2) Birds
3) Flora & Fungi
4) Insects, Amphibians, & Reptiles
5) People & Other Mammals

In celebration of our new categories, we’re showing off photos from the last few years that fall into this year’s categories. We hope these photos help you feel inspired for the 2024 Photo Contest. Thank you for being a part of our mission and letting us see our work through your lens. Ready, set, snap!

Landscapes

Hiking trail through a well-lit forest

“Wooded trail in the city of Madison” 2023 submission. Photo by Kelly Flugaur-Leavitt

A field covered in frost with a tree in the center and a golden colored winter sky in the background

“Frozen fog over the bluff” 2023 submission. Photo by Jenell Simons

A sun setting on the horizon of a farm field with a silo on the lefthand side of the frame

“Good morning” 2022 submission. Photo by John Laher

Birds

A loon taking off from a lake with mist in the background

“Common loon taking off”” 2023 submission. Photo by Bob McMullen

A grey catbirds perched on a sumac plant with a sumac seed in its mouth

“Grey catbird eating sumac seeds” 2023 submission. Photo by Barb Wardius

Close up of a group of goslings

“Goslings” 2022 submission. Photo by Curt Lundeen

Flora & Fungi

A lone tree in a field at golden hour with pink clouds in the background

“CamRock Oak” 2022 submission. Photo by Jeremy Leder

Close up of a bunch of turkey tail fungus

“Turkey tail fungus” 2020 submission. Photo by Kathleen Henning

A monarch on milkweed

“Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants to provide essential nourishment for their caterpillars to grow.” 2020 submission. Photo by Corrina Janae Jorgensen

Insects, Amphibians, & Reptiles

A small butterfly sitting on a frog's head

“A green frog taking a break on the Cedarburg Bog boardwalk finds themself adorned with a new blue butterfly wig. Peak frog fashion!” 2023 submission. Photo by Lindsey Broadhead

A dragonfly resting on a thin branch above sparkling water of a pond

“Resting dragonfly above the sparkling water of the pond” 2021 submission. Photo by LaMont Kraft

An Eastern Tiger Salamander laying on a pile of wet fall leaves

“Eastern tiger salamander” 2020 submission. Photo by Michael Day

People & Other Mammals

A chipmunk reaching up to grab a plant

“Reach goals” 2023 submission. Photo by Catherine McKenzie

A bobcat standing on a pile of fallen leaves in a forest

“This photo is of a bobcat, taken with my DSLR trail camera on our property. While we rarely ever see them in person we have frequent bobcat activity in our woods that I see on my trail cameras. I was very excited to capture this photo of this very secretive and elusive animal!” 2022 submission. Photo by Andy Raupp

Two children sitting on a bench overlooking the Wisconsin River during autumn

“Sharing a moment together while exploring the Wisconsin River” 2020 submission. Photo by Kathryn Gottwald

Written by Emma Schatz, Digital Communications Coordinator