2025 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest

A white horse chases a brown horse at top speed through a green and scrubby setting, getting close enough to bite. By Jessica Finnie

2024 First Place photograph by Jessica Finnie

The Nature Conservancy in Arizona, in partnership with Arizona Highways and Arizona's Family,

presents the

12th 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 1-31, 2025,  and the top 10 winners will be announced on a virtual awards ceremony on April 17th, 2025. All contestants will receive a Zoom invitation by email.

See last year’s winners here.

Prizes:
First place - $5,000
Second place - $2,500
Third place - $1,000
7 Honorable Mentions - $250 each

Please view OFFICIAL RULES before submitting entries. 

Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, Arizona's Family TV and Arizona Highways
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We will begin accepting submissions on March 1st, 2025.

GALLERY

Displaying 181 - 192 of 466
Photo by Garrett Fry | This lizard died, and the ants found it. Sad to see such a pretty animal die, but cool to watch the decomposition process in action!

Photo by Garrett Fry

This lizard died, and the ants found it. Sad to see such a pretty animal die, but cool to watch the decomposition process in action!

Location: Tucson, AZ

Photo by Garrett Fry | Saguaro cactus closeup. The evening light was really pretty so I took a quick walk around my neighborhood and took this shot.

Photo by Garrett Fry

Saguaro cactus closeup. The evening light was really pretty so I took a quick walk around my neighborhood and took this shot.

Location: Tucson, AZ

Photo by Rhys Blair |

Photo by Rhys Blair

Location: Tanque Verde, AZ

Photo by Braden Bridges | Ground Squirrels like to stay in their burrows when possible danger is nearby, but when there isn't, they love to run and interact with others. This ground Squirrel in particular ran around many times with its friend, while occasionally watching from its burrows for possible threats.

Photo by Braden Bridges

Ground Squirrels like to stay in their burrows when possible danger is nearby, but when there isn't, they love to run and interact with others. This ground Squirrel in particular ran around many times with its friend, while occasionally watching from its burrows for possible threats.

Location: Tucson

Photo by Rhys Blair | I took this from my roof on a beautiful November night. Clouds were rolling in to make the perfect sunset photo.

Photo by Rhys Blair

I took this from my roof on a beautiful November night. Clouds were rolling in to make the perfect sunset photo.

Location: Tanque Verde, AZ

Photo by Reagan Jensen | This photo captures a road leading into rugged mountains full of color, suggesting something exciting and wild right around the corner.

Photo by Reagan Jensen

This photo captures a road leading into rugged mountains full of color, suggesting something exciting and wild right around the corner.

Location: Bush Highway

Photo by Reagan Jensen | Prickly pear cacti among bright flowers and tall grass; a perfect representation of harmony between opposites.

Photo by Reagan Jensen

Prickly pear cacti among bright flowers and tall grass; a perfect representation of harmony between opposites.

Location: Bush Highway

Photo by Jessica Finnie | This photograph captures a Great Egret raising its wings while perched on a snag tree with a Great Blue Heron resting below. The egret’s limbs and the gnarled tree appear intertwined against the backdrop of the desert environment. While Great Egrets are typically found in marshes and wetlands, this egret is poised in the harsh, arid environment of the Arizona desert.

Photo by Jessica Finnie

This photograph captures a Great Egret raising its wings while perched on a snag tree with a Great Blue Heron resting below. The egret’s limbs and the gnarled tree appear intertwined against the backdrop of the desert environment. While Great Egrets are typically found in marshes and wetlands, this egret is poised in the harsh, arid environment of the Arizona desert.

Location: Saguaro Lake, Arizona

Photo by Sara Swaroop | A photo that showcases a little house on the horizon, framed by some very green Arizona plants

Photo by Sara Swaroop

A photo that showcases a little house on the horizon, framed by some very green Arizona plants

Location: Star Valley, Arizona

Photo by Lacie Price | Bee collecting pollen from a flower.

Photo by Lacie Price

Bee collecting pollen from a flower.

Location: Pinetop

Photo by Sara Swaroop | A landscape shot that captures what the city of Tucson, Arizona looks like from a mountaintop on a sunny day

Photo by Sara Swaroop

A landscape shot that captures what the city of Tucson, Arizona looks like from a mountaintop on a sunny day

Location: Tucson, Arizona

Photo by Karina Ciric | A gorgeous view of Sedona, shown from the overlook of Cathedral Rock. Bursts of light shine through the clouds, illuminating the vegetation and rock formations.

Photo by Karina Ciric

A gorgeous view of Sedona, shown from the overlook of Cathedral Rock. Bursts of light shine through the clouds, illuminating the vegetation and rock formations.

Location: Sedona, Arizona