2026 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest

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.
GALLERY
Displaying 49 - 60 of 451Photo 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 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 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