Photo Contest

Everglades Photo Contest

 

2024 Photo Contest Runner-Up
Golden Glades Trails: Mangroves

By Even Wexler

 

Click on the year to view the winning photos:

• 2024 photo contest - A Traveler's Trails

• 2023 photo contest - The Healing Power of Nature

• 2022 photo contest - Dynamic Diversity

• 2021 photo contest - Everglades in Motion

• 2020 photo contest - A Living Landscape

2025 Theme: One Everglades, Many Stories

“There are no other Everglades in the world.”
– Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Everglades National Park is a place like no other, where nature and history converge to evoke creativity. Inspired by the words of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, we are pleased to present the theme for this year’s photo contest: One Everglades, Many Stories. Whether your photos highlight the park’s unique landscapes, reflect its singular cultural heritage, or capture a meaningful moment from your own experience, we invite you to share the Everglades story that only your camera can capture.

Prize

The winners of the park’s photo contest will be selected from all eligible entries, with one Grand Prize winner, one Runner-Up, and several Honorable Mentions. These winners will be announced on the park’s social media channels and featured on the park's official photo contest webpage. Additionally, the Grand Prize winner’s image will be showcased as the main banner on the park’s official website, while the Runner-Up’s photo will be displayed across several other key locations on the park's website.

How to Enter

• Entries will be accepted from November 17 to December 14, 2025.
• Entries will only be accepted via Instagram using the hashtag #EvergladesPhotoContest2025 to enter.
• Posts should also tag @evergladesnps and include a caption that addresses this year's theme.
• The contest winner will be announced in early December on our social media platforms — Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
• Review and follow Contest Rules below.

 

Contest Rules

1. Photos must be taken within the boundary of Everglades National Park.
2. The contest is open to all. Entrants under 18 years of age require the permission of a parent or guardian. By entering the contest, entrants under 18 years of age indicate that they have obtained the permission of a parent or guardian.
3. Entries should show best practices for visiting national parks and public lands. Photographers and visitors are not allowed to harass wildlife or pick vegetation at any time. Touching or baiting wildlife is a form of harassment. Images containing illegal or prohibited activities will be disqualified. It is the entrant's responsibility for knowing and following park regulations. Photos must be family friendly.
4. Photos must be the original, unaltered work of the entrant. The spirit of the contest is to capture a moment that has been experienced. No alteration or manipulation of photographs is permitted beyond standard optimization—minor adjustments to color, contrast, brightness; removal of dust and scratches; black and white conversions; slight cropping. To ensure compliance with the alteration and manipulations rules, for those photos that are finalists the park has the right to request the photographer provide the file that was recorded by the camera. The park retains the right to disqualify photos that, in their sole discretion, have been noticeably and/or excessively altered.
5. Do not use Instagram to edit your image. Use of editing features in the Instagram app may disqualify entries.
6. Entries with watermarks are not permitted.
7. Entries should not contain recognizable images of people's faces.
8. To qualify for the top prize, photos must be 6MP (six megapixels – 3072 x 2048px) or larger. Photos smaller than 6MP are permitted, but will only be awarded honorable mentions if selected.
9. By submitting, the entrant agrees that they are the sole copyright owner of the image. By submitting an entry the entrant (in case of minors, the minor's parent/legal guardians) grants the National Park Service, or its authorized representatives and contractors, the right to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, distribute or display and use these materials in whole or in part, for government and non-government purposes, in any manner or media (whether now existing or created in the future), in perpetuity, and in all languages throughout the world. Use of this material shall include, but not be limited to, audiovisual programs; museum exhibits; websites; publications; product artwork; and project publicity. Additionally, entrants waive the right to inspect or approve any use of the material and any right to royalties or other compensation arising or related to the use of the material. The entrant holds harmless, releases, and forever discharges the National Park Service from all claims, demands, and causes of action which I, my heirs, representatives, executors, administrators, or any other persons acting on my behalf or on behalf of my estate have or may have by reason of this authorization. The entrant agrees to indemnify and hold the Government harmless for any and all losses, claims, expenses, suits, costs, demands and damages or liabilities on account of personal injury, death, or property damages of any nature whatsoever and by whomsoever made, arising out of the activities associated with the project in which I am taking park.
10. Participants may enter as many images as they wish.
11. If selected as a winning image, the entrant must be able to provide the highest resolution version of the image possible via email.
12. Photos posted to Instagram before November 17, 2025 will be disqualified. If you want to enter a photo taken before the contest open date, you must upload the photo as a new post on Instagram.

 

Contact

For questions or more information, e-mail us.