MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The winners of the 2021 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest are listed below. As usual, the judges had a very difficult time selecting the winning photos from among the thousands entered. The 2022 contest will be announced later this year.
“The abundant diversity in Alabama’s landscape and native wildlife make it a photographers paradise,” said Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR). “From the north Alabama mountains to the state’s Gulf Coast beaches, the winning images in this year’s Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest highlight the natural beauty of our state.”
Sponsors of the 2021 photo contest include the Alabama Conservation Enforcement Officers Association (ACEOA), Alabama State Parks, and the Alabama Tourism Department. Each winner will receive a prize pack and be featured in a traveling exhibit throughout 2021. First place winners in each category will also receive a $50 gift card from Academy Sports + Outdoors (provided by ACEOA). Second place winners in each category will receive a $25 Alabama State Parks gift card. When the 2021 traveling exhibit schedule is finalized, it will be posted on outdooralabama.com.
Categories and Winners
Alabama State Parks
First Place, Keith Bozeman, Rock Garden Trail at Cheaha State Park
Second Place, Arthur James Davis, Sunset at Meaher State Park
Third Place, Christopher Baker, View of Comet NEOWISE at Lake Guntersville State Park
Honorable Mention, John Marvin Hillsman, III, Gulf State Park Beach Pavilion
Birds
First Place, Matthew Dees, Brown Pelican on the Mobile Causeway
Second Place, Brent Eanes, Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Third Place, Debra Lucas, Northern Harrier
Honorable Mention, Jim Flynn, Bluebirds in Albertville
Wildlife
First Place, Christopher Baker, North American Beaver in Madison
Second Place, Terry D. Brandebourg, Rutting Buck
Third Place, Maranda Mink, Groundhog on Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville
Honorable Mention, Laurie L. Schaerer, Fox Kits on Dauphin Island
Cold-blooded Critters
First Place, Sean C. Grizzle, Barracuda
Second Place, Christopher Baker, Tree Frog in Madison
Third Place, Gwen Ainsworth, Green Anole in Mobile
Honorable Mention, Rick Dowling, Northern Pine Snake in Autauga County
Bugs and Butterflies
First Place, Jim Flynn, Robber Fly in Albertville
Second Place, Jim Flynn, Jumping Spider in Albertville
Third Place, Thomas W. Peterson, Green Lynx Spider and Bee on Zinnia in Daphne
Honorable Mention, Jim Flynn, Dragonflies in Guntersville
Sweet Home Alabama
First Place, Gwen Ainsworth, USS Alabama Battleship and Skyline in Mobile
Second Place, Glenn Wills, Starry Night in Sumter County
Third Place, Beth Cowan Drake, Shrimp Boats in Bayou La Batre
Honorable Mention, Linda P. McCullough, Diner in Gulf Shores
Nature-Based Recreation
First Place, Christopher Baker, Full Moon Fishing at Lake Guntersville
Second Place, Arthur James Davis, Fishermen at Dauphin Island
Third Place, Amata Hinkle, Caving in Paint Rock
Honorable Mention, Glicerio Ralleca, Jr., Hot Air Balloon Festival in Decatur
Shoots and Roots
First Place, Arthur James Davis, Fern with Dew Drops on Dauphin Island
Second Place, Bob Moore, Frost on Blackberry Bush
Third Place, Benjamin Rollings, Live Oak at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Honorable Mention, Arthur James Davis, Spiderwort on Dauphin Island
Scenic
First Place, Keith Bozeman, Canyon Cascade in Bankhead National Forest
Second Place, Jon Whitaker, Star Trails Over Tent in Tuscaloosa
Third Place, Audra Spears, Lightning Over Lake Martin
Honorable Mention, Barry Lee Miller, Sunset on Fort Morgan
Young Photographers
First Place, Sophia Charlotte Haines (age 13), Snowy Plover Chick in Fort Morgan
Second Place, Sophia Charlotte Haines (age 13), Longleaf Pine at Splinter Hill Bog
Third Place, Hannah Beth Long (age 16), Hay in Limestone County
Honorable Mention, Jessica Olivia Fain (age 16), Tate Farms in Meridianville
For more information about the Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest, visit outdooralabama.com/outdoor-alabama-photo-contest.
View the winning photos at www.flickr.com/photos/outdooralabama/albums/72157718137637166.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
