2026 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest

“Reprieve” by Max Tuttle/Honorable Mention in the 2025 student photo contest, is a photo of a green and purple hummingbird against a dark backdrop.

Photograph by Max Tuttle

The Nature Conservancy in Arizona, in partnership with Arizona Highways Magazine, presents the 13th annual “Adventures in Nature” student photo contest! Students aged 13-18 are invited to enter up to two photos that capture Arizona’s beauty and wildlife for a chance to win cash prizes. The contest is open for submissions between March 1st and March 31st, 2026, and the top 10 winners will be announced on a virtual awards ceremony on April 16th, 2026. All contestants will receive a Zoom invitation by email. See last year’s winners here.

Prizes:
1st place — $5,000
2nd place — $2,500
3rd place — $1,000
7 honorable mentions — $250 each

Please view the updated OFFICIAL RULES before submitting entries.

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The contest will begin accepting submissions on March 1st, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.
Displaying 49 - 60 of 451

Photo by Sebastian Ojeda

This photo depicts a view of the Grand Canyon on a semi-cloudy day, with a soft light filtering through the overcast sky and gently highlighting the canyon’s layered rock formations, alongside an isolated tree. The muted colors and shadows give the scene a calm, contemplative atmosphere, capturing the scale and texture of the landscape without the glare of direct sunlight.

Location: Grand Canyon, Arizona

Photo by Stella Budnik

Morning in my high schools parking lot sky in winter

Location: Chandler

Photo by Andrea Blumenkron

Grand Canyon while the fog is slowly starting to clear away

Location: Grand Canyon

Photo by Katie Smith

Location: Wildlife World Zoo

Photo by audrey lieu

A retro-style Chevrolet sign flickers to life against a warm desert sunset

Location: 1233 E. Camelback Road - Phoenix AZ

Photo by audrey lieu

Sunlight pours into a narrow sandstone canyon

Location: cantalope canyon

Photo by Sage McClure

Ants crawl upon the tops of the pink and white petals of the lantana flowers.

Location: Tucson

Photo by Marcus Swenson

I was hiking through the beautiful Superstition Mountains excited to see the Weavers Needle. I stopped for a brief break and turned around to see how far I’d come when I saw what I thought was a castle. Shooting the scene in Black and White, the rock formations became even more structure like. Each spike like a tower overlooking the field below. The mountains, a castle hidden in shadow, only for those who look carefully.

Location: Gold Canyon

Photo by Katie Smith

While at a feeding giraffe enclosure, I kneeled down to the height of a giraffe and through the fence I took a photo emphasizing the giraffe's eyes, and named it from your view because I captured the look her look right at my camera at her view.

Location: Wild Life World Zoo

Photo by Marcus Swenson

Walking through the Superstition Mountains on a cool morning, as we turned around a bend, I was met with the view of the rocks in Gold Canyon. The sunlight hit from my left side and the shadows from the mountains loomed from the right. Struck by its beauty, I took a moment to take it all in.

Location: Gold Canyon

Photo by Victoria E Fowler

Location: Snowbowl

Photo by Victoria E Fowler

Location: Snowbowl