2024 Forests in Focus Photo Contest

Images submitted should convey the powerful role these forests play in making our world more beautiful, healthy and prosperous.

Categories

• Forest Landscapes
  • These images could be views of vast wilderness or highlight the intricacies of the forest floor, ultimately showing the wonder of forests. This category definitely focuses on depth: How many aspects or layers of the forest can you capture?
• Big, Beautiful Trees
  • Photos in this category should strive to depict the essence of a big, beautiful tree, displaying the splendor to be found in breathtaking trees. We particularly love towering, old, gnarled ancients — though we’re definitely open to up-and-comers, too.
• Forests and People
  • One of the best parts of forests is that we get to experience them! This category is for stunning photos of humans interacting with forests in rural or urban areas, through recreation or work.
• Forest Wildlife
  • Managing to capture wildlife in action is the mark of a truly skilled and patient photographer. These images depict nature as it lives in the wild and our urban forests. All wildlife submissions must be of animals in the wild. Photos of animals in captivity will not be considered valid entries.
• Cityscapes Splendor
  • This category focuses on images that depict the importance of trees to people in cities. From providing shade to walkers, runners and playground goers to gracing the skylines with touches of nature, these images creatively illustrate where urban meets nature.
• Forest Close-Ups
  • Focusing on the smallest details sometimes reveals a larger truth. Photos in this category concentrate on up-close shots and tight framing to capture the beauty and wonder of our forests in a personal way.
• Nature as Art
  • Sometimes beauty lies in surprising places. Sometimes it takes a certain eye to find it. Creativity is the key to this category, which seeks photographs that depict nature in inventive ways.
• Aspiring Photographers
  • Are you an aspiring photographer in high school? Or do you know one? This category is for the next generation to show that they’re truly ready to take on the world.

Selecting the Winners

• A panel of judges will select one Grand Prize winner, one winner for each of the eight categories and up to four honorable mentions. Also, American Forests will choose four photos to upload to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, where followers will vote on their favorite photos. The photo with the most combined likes after the designated voting period wins the People’s Choice award. Prizes for each selection are below and will also include a one-year subscription to American Forests’ magazine and products from some of our amazing partners.
  • Grand Prize (1)
    • Photo featured on the cover of the summer 2024 issue of American Forests’ award-winning magazine.
    • Photo featured in gallery on americanforests.org.
  • Category Winners (8)
    • Highlighted in photo essay to be published in the summer 2024 American Forests magazine.
    • Photo featured in gallery on americanforests.org
  • Honorable Mention (up to 4)
    • Limited mention in photo essay to be published in the summer 2024 American Forests magazine.
    • Photo featured in gallery on americanforests.org.
  • People’s Choice (1)
    • Photo featured in gallery on americanforests.org.
    • Photo featured in Last Look in the summer 2024 issue of American Forests magazine.

Contest Rules

• The contest is open to amateurs and professionals. Photographers must be the ones to submit the photo(s), to which they own all rights.
• You can submit up to 3 photos per category and 10 in total. Those entering the Aspiring Photographers category can enter 5 photos, which should be based on the other 7 category guidelines. Photos must be in digital format, taken at the highest resolution possible — at least 300 dpi. American Forests employees are not permitted to submit entries.
• All wildlife submissions must be of animals in the wild. Photos of animals in captivity will not be considered valid entries.

For more information, visit American Forests.