We are proud to announce the winners of this year’s America the Beautiful Photo Contest! Our 2023 contest saw over 800 submissions from over 300 different photographers of every skill level. The People’s Choice category, which was a public vote, saw over 1,400 people participating and casting votes for their favorites, making this year’s contest one of the most popular yet.

Photos were placed into nine unique categories based on their context and composition:

• Animals
• Beaches
• Highways
• Mountains
• Parks & Open Spaces
• People
• Trees
• Rivers & Lakes
• Cities

Our panel of judges selected their favorite photos from each category based on the following criteria:

• Representation of scenic beauty
• Originality
• Technical excellence
• Composition
• Overall impact
• Minimal altering and manipulation
• Artistic merit
• Minimal altering and manipulation

The finalists for each category were then reviewed and ranked based on the same criteria, and the point totals revealed Best in Class  for each category along with two runners-up. The nine Best in Class photos were then reviewed and assessed one final time to identify a Best in Show winner and two Best in Show runners-up.

Animals

Best in Class

First Runner-Up

“Great Egret standing on a log on a hot foggy morning framed by Cypress trees and Spanish Moss.”

Second Runner-Up

“This photo was taken out my car window early one morning during September in Yellowstone National Park. At this time of year, the elk are in rut. The male elk round up their ladies and often fight other males for the ladies. The male seen here is rounding up his herd and defending his ladies from the advances of other male elk.”

Beaches

Best in Class

“This photo was taken during King Tide at Cape Disappointment. This was in early November so the weather was very windy, cold, rainy, and sunny. It had everything but snow that day. It is absolutely exhilarating to watch the waves get bigger and stronger. It was an amazing experience.”

First Runner-Up

“Sunset at Jekyll Island in Georgia is not to be missed. The driftwood beach there has such a changing character that you can visit multiple times and never have the same scene to appreciate. On this particular image, I used a neutral density filter to increase the shutter speed to 15 seconds. This smoothed out the water, and also allowed more even lighting to be captured on the tree, which surprised me. The sun was setting behind me, and the belt of Venus is displaying prominently off in the distance to the east. It was a magical moment, and one that I will cherish forever.”

Second Runner-Up

“From high atop a grassy bluff in Ecola State Park, the gorgeous Oregon coastline shines like a dream, sparkling in the fresh morning sun. The Pacific Ocean rolls amongst the sea stacks and sandy shoreline in an endless expanse offering breathtaking views all the way to the ridge of coastal mountains, painting the perfect picture of heaven on earth.”

Highways

Best in Class

“This photo was taken along Rt. 42 in Door County WI. The road is heading E in this photo from Gills Rock to Northport Ferry Terminal. It is an iconic and well photographed place. It has often been said that Jens Jensen, the noted nature architect, influenced this design. While that may or may not be trued, the curves do make one slow down and admire the view. This photo was taken on an October morning as the leaves glowed from the rising sun.”

First Runner-Up

“On my road trips all over the USA, I love to capture the scenery which sometimes is located right along our roads. This is Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. A very unique and geologically beautiful place. The colors of the rock and the mountains are like a beautiful sunset.”

Second Runner-Up

“A winter road by the Kenosha County Park in Wisconsin.”

Mountains

Best in Class

“We were camping and photographing Yosemite in December. This beautiful sunset was at the Tunnel View location right after a snow storm. We didn’t think we would get a sunset, but then the clouds broke just enough to capture this magical image with the mist flowing through the valley floor.”

First Runner-Up

“This image takes place in Denali National Park, Kantishna, AK. I spent four days there and was lucky enough to capture some beautiful images as many people do not even get to see the largest mountain of the United States. This is Wonder Lake with reflections of the Denali mountain range. Calm, serene and tranquil.”

Second Runner-Up

“The Grand Tetons are always spectacular, but they were really showing off on this visit. It was early fall, with beautiful colors and fresh snow in the mountains. The clouds just before sunset provided a setting that was just about perfect for this shot. It’s an inspirational place for me.”

Parks & Open Spaces

Best in Class

First Runner-Up

“Each year in Washington, D.C., around the fall equinox, the sun rises directly east over the U.S. Capitol Building and in alignment with the National Mall. It’s a great time to capture classic views of our nation’s capital, especially when you have clear skies along the horizon. I wasn’t so sure I’d have those conditions last September when I took this photograph. Bands of clouds lingered just before daybreak. With a little bit of luck though, they lifted their cotton candy curtain just in time to usher in the sun, making for a memorable start to fall season!”

Second Runner-Up

“Photo was captured on a walk through the paths inside the park during fall season of 2021.”

People

Best in Class

First Runner-Up

“Getting Ready to Surf was taken at the East Coast Grom Tour held in Va Beach every year. I’ve been shooting this event since the beginning and watching the kids grow and their surfing skills progress is absolutely awesome.”

Second Runner-Up

“The image was taken in a park in Savanna Georgia in 2005. I used a Canon EOS Digital Rebel f/5 1/200 sec. ISO 200. The musician was playing his guitar with a sign for tips. He was playing “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor when I noticed him.”

Trees

Best in Class

“A warm spring morning with light haze and partly cloudy skies and a uniquely shaped Cypress tree budding out with new growth.”

First Runner-Up

“This is a photo of the famous Angel Oak Tree located on St. John’s Island just outside of Charleston, SC. The tree itself is 65 feet high with a circumference of over 25 feet. It is massive and awe inspiring. I love photographing trees and have taken photos of thousands but this tree definitely stands out as one of the most beautiful and impressive trees I have ever encountered.”

Second Runner-Up

“This photo was literally taken from the side of the road, Franklin County Rt 60. For those of us who live in the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks, this is a common sight on an August morning. It’s our first prelude to Fall!”

Rivers & Lakes

Best in Class

“The afternoon of March 28, 2023 was an exceptionally nice spring day in the Pacific Northwest in western Washington. Aware of the potential for capturing the setting sun with the Deception Pass Bridge in the foreground, I proceeded to Whidbey Island and Cornet Bay Road, where I was fortunate to capture exactly what I was hoping for. At 7:25pm, the sun had settled below the bridge and was on the verge of disappearing behind Deception Island, a part of the Deception Pass State Park. Connecting Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island, the bridge was opened in July of 1935, and to this day remains the only road access to the island, home of the city of Oak Harbor and Naval Air Station Whidbey.”

First Runner-Up

“This photo was taken from Picture Lake in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest several years ago. The mirror-like reflection of Mount Shuksan in the lake of tranquil water is one of the most iconic and photographed mountain scenes in North America. When Mount Shuksan is entirely covered with snow, its reflection of the lake creates a surreal and breathtaking natural beauty.”

Second Runner-Up

“We were camping and visiting slot canyons in North Antelope Valley, Arizona. Tried to photograph Horeshoe Bend the day before, but it was cloudy. On the way back to our campsite this night, we stopped to photograph Horseshoe Bend at sunset and was treated to this spectacular view.”

Cities

Best in Class

“Kerry Park in Seattle, WA is a place I had seen pictured numerous times in representations of the city. But on my trip to the Pacific Northwest, I wanted my own photographic version to capture. We were blessed with having a wonderful sunset, with a heat dome keeping the clouds light and fairly clear off in the distance. The snow on Mount Rainier is reflecting the pink hues of sunset from many miles away. Kerry Park is a perfect place to enjoy the beauty of the city against the mountains.”

First Runner-Up

“I captured this image on a magical hazy, warm fall day at Allegheny Commons Park in Pittsburgh PA … a beautiful park rich in history, the Gingko leaves were freshly fallen & felt like flower petals under bare feet. Never expecting to catch the train, I had already shot a dozen photos then hearing a rumbling sound, turned to see the train heading down the track. Blessed with perfect quick settings & exposure I lifted my tripod above a high fence to capture this just in time!”

Second Runner-Up

“This photo of the “American Falls” was taken a few years and it was late in October. The weather that year was so unpredictable, it felt like a perfect summer day. I was fortunate enough to capture everything in this photo “as is” all the colors were perfect and natural.”

People’s Choice

Best in Class

“The photo was taken standing on the shore of Sailboat Cove, on Cheney Reservoir, Cheney State Park, Cheney, KS. Sunsets viewed from that spot on a clear evening never disappoint!”

First Runner-Up

“I was going on a Instigator Diving charter with one of my close friends the day this photo taken. We were 11 miles off the coast of emerald Isle in North Carolina. We were diving the shipwreck of the Suloide which is a German tanker ship that sank in 1943. The ship measures 338 ft long and is under around 70 ft of water. As I was diving I happened to see a lone Star fish on a part of the wreck that was poking out from the ocean floor. I knew once I saw the beautiful starfish surrounded by the flourishing reef life that it was a special photo I had to take.”

Second Runner-Up

“The photo captures a scene of peaceful beauty at dawn in Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park. A herd of bison is grazing peacefully in a meadow, their silhouettes illuminated by the golden light of the rising sun. The air is crisp and still, and the only sound is the gentle munching of the bison as they graze.

The overall impression of the photo is one of serenity and peace. It is a reminder of the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving wild places like Yellowstone National Park.”

Best in Show

Winner

First Runner-Up

Second Runner-Up

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s America the Beautiful Photo Contest!