Photo Contest is on – please submit your images!

Forest floor in a forest with old growth characteristics

Photo by Chanda Littlefield

Written by Chanda Littlefield and Colleen Robinson

The Forest Stewards Guild, with support from The PEW Charitable Trusts, is holding a photo contest from now until September, 2024. You do not have to be a current Guild member to participate. Detailed submission requirements are available on the contest page.

Why: 

Photos play an important role in communicating the value of forests, in the countless ways value is perceived. Photos also help tell our stories of caring for forests, and the results of that care. Old growth forests and their characteristics are an increasingly important focus of forest management for ecosystem resiliency, especially in some of our rarest forests. The Guild, with support from The PEW Charitable Trust, needs your help in collecting these images of the care and meaning you bring to forests every day. Plus, we think photo contests are fun! It’s yet another way to highlight the talents and contributions of our members, partners, and followers.

What to submit:

We’re looking for high-quality photographs from across the United States of compelling forested landscapes (if you follow the Guild from Canada or Mexico and have a submission from your home area, we’ll accept those too). We’d especially like photos with old or mature trees, and/or people engaged in active forest restoration work, such as prescribed burning or tree planting.

Photo of regeneration in an old growth forest

Photo by Peter Hayes

When to submit:

  • Submissions are accepted now through August 31, 2024.
  • Voting will be open in the first half of September.
  • All winners will be announced by early October.

How to submit:

  1. Visit our contest webpage
  2. Read the submission requirements and ensure your entry meets these
  3. Collect and include the information required with your submission
  4. Complete the entry form, upload your photo, and click “enter”
  5. Enter as many times as you like
  6. Please spread the word! Everyone is a winner when our efforts support forests.

Voting:

Guild members will vote among eligible photos entered. These images compete for one of four winning categories, determined by number of votes for photos in qualifying criteria:

  1. Contest 1st place (wins a Guild sweatshirt or t-shirt)
  2. Student photo honorable mention (wins a Guild t-shirt or hat)
  3. Guild member favorite (wins a Guild t-shirt or hat)
  4. Guild staff pick (wins a Guild t-shirt or hat)
Picture of someone hugging a giant sequoia tree

Photo by Colleen Robinson

Next steps for images…

All submitted images have a chance to appear in Forest Stewards Guild emails, e-newsletters, printed publications, and on our website and social media channels over time! We will credit these photos as you outline in your submission. You support the Guild with the gift of these images, as we communicate our work and impact across the landscape.

Questions?

If you have questions about the photo contest, please contact Chanda Littlefield at chanda AT forestguild.org