National Park Photo Contest Winners – 2019

The best Landscape, Night Skies and Wildlife National Park Photos of 2019

September 9, 2019 Mikaela Ruland

National Park Trips received 2,500 spectacular photo entries to the 9th Annual National Park Photo Contest presented by Tamron. It was a difficult task to choose the winners because of the high quality of entries, but the judges have selected this year’s top photos.

The top photographer in each of three categories is awarded his or her choice of a Tamron lens: Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USDD G2 ($1,399 value), Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 ($1,199 value) or Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 ($1,299 value). Their photos will be featured in National Park Journal magazines hitting newsstands in late fall through summer.

In addition, 30 honorable mention winners will receive certificates and are featured on our national park websites.

As any talented photographer may tell you, the perfect photo is made up of 10% skill, 30% being in the right place at the right time and 60% patience and perseverance. The photographers who won the landscape, night skies and wildlife categories of our 9th Annual National Park Photography Contest sponsored by Tamron know that better than most. Here’s what it took to get their winning shots.

Landscape Winner

Bryan Anderson from Salt Lake City, Utah
Canyonlands National Park – Jeep Light Trail from Schafer Canyon Overlook

Jeep Light Trail from Schafer Canyon Overlook in Canyonlands National Park

Salt Lake City resident Bryan Anderson had visited Canyonlands National Park in the past and been impressed by the dramatic and majestic views of Shafer Trail.

“Driving up the switchbacks, I half expected to see Wiley Coyote chasing the Roadrunner through the scene at any minute,” says Anderson.

When he decided to expand his light painting portfolio, he immediately knew he wanted to head back to the Shafer Trail Overlook. It was getting dark after an evening of shooting, and Anderson was getting ready to pack up for the night when his daughter spotted a lone Jeep coming up the road. He quickly set up the shot and opened his shutter for 22 minutes. The wide scene left no room for error – he knew he’d have one chance to get the shot. When the Jeep stopped a third of the way up for more than 10 minutes, he was sweating it, fearing the long stop would overexpose his shot. Miraculously, it didn’t.

Anderson’s advice to other light painting photographers? Know what you’re doing before you get out into the field. YouTube is your best friend.

Wildlife Winner

Eileen Hartmann from Monmouth, Ore.
Lake Clark National Park – Swimming Brown Bear

Swimming brown bear in Lake Clark National Park

Lake Clark National Park is not a destination for the faint of heart. A land full of turquoise glacial lakes and grizzly bears, a float plane is the only way in. Eileen Hartmann and her husband flew to Lake Clark in the autumn to photograph the bears. A guided boat took them out to Crescent Lake where they watched bears on the beaches. Because the salmon were running, Hartmann saw grizzlies everywhere she looked. They’re used to seeing people on the boats and don’t feel threatened by them. Suddenly, a grizzly spotted a salmon carcass in the water and began swimming towards the boat. Hartmann began firing away. The bear turned and looked at her boat when she was 150-feet away, and that was the winning shot.

“They’re fascinating to watch,” Hartmann says. “The mothers are so good with the cubs and you’d be shocked at how fast they can run.”

Hartmann practices her wildlife photographer in her backyard with her dogs or at the skate park. Knowing how to pan with a moving object is key to getting a sharp wildlife photo.

Night Skies Winner

Juan David from Moose, Wyo.
Grand Teton National Park – Jenny Lake reflects the Tetons and Milky Way

Jenny lake reflects the Tetons and Milky Way in Grand Teton National Park

Juan David is lucky enough to call Grand Teton National Park his backyard. A wounded combat veteran, David turned to photography to help get him outside.

“The camera is healing,” he says. “Photography has been a lifesaver for me.”

David ventures out to the park in the wee hours of the morning often. His photos have been used at the park visitor center to help educate visitors on how light pollution affects bats. His winning photo was taken on his birthday. On the last stop of the night, he got out of his car to try to capture the Milky Way over Jenny Lake. He wasn’t happy with the composition, and there was rustling coming from the bushes. The park can be eerie at night. He almost called it quits, but stayed a few minutes longer, finding a composition he was happy with and clicking the shutter before heading home.

Patience and practice are his advice to burgeoning night photographers. Just keep shooting.

Landscape Honorable Mention

John Pless, Christine Kenyon, Bryan Anderson, Josephine Fox, Rich Martello, Bruce Herwig, Michael Wilson, Seungho Yoo, Lisa Erdberg, Karol Cooper

Winter dawn at Bryce Canyon National Park — Bryce Canyon National Park – Winter Dawn at the Amphitheater

The sun's rays light up the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon — Grand Canyon National Park – The sun’s rays light up the Colorado River

An early morning paddle on Leigh Lake in Grand Teton National Park — Grand Teton National Park – An early morning paddle on Leigh Lake

Blazing sunset in Joshua Tree National Park — Joshua Tree National Park – Blazing sunset

Virgin River swimmers under the Watchman in Zion National Park — Zion National Park – Virgin River swimmers under the Watchman

A grand tree in Yosemite Valley breaks through the winter fog under Half Dome in Yosemite National Park — Yosemite National Park – A grand tree in the valley breaks through winter fog under Half Dome

Sunrise at Valley View in Yosemite National Park — Yosemite National Park – Sunrise at Valley View

Autumn gold on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park — Grand Teton National Park – Autumn gold on the Snake River

Sunset storm at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park — Death Valley National Park – Sunset storm at Badwater Basin

Sunset at Delicate Arch in Arches National Park — Arches National Park – Sundown on Delicate Arch

Wildlife Honorable Mention

Taylor Albright, Chad Coppess, Cassie Moats, Brandi Lyon, Debbie Salvesen, Kurt Leblanc, Gloria Strnad, Xiaoying Shi, Kathleen Ricker

Mountain goat wandering through the wildflowers at Mount Rushmore National Memorial — Mount Rushmore National Memorial – Mountain goat wandering through the wildflowers

Black bear eating flowers in Yellowstone National Park — Yellowstone National Park – Black bear eating flowers

A fox gives a wide yawn in Lake Clark National Park — Lake Clark National Park – A fox gives a wide yawn

A bighorn sheep blends into the colorful landscape of Badlands National Park — Badlands National Park – A bighorn sheep blends into the colorful landscape

A brown bear suddenly charges then makes an outstretched dive onto a school of salmon in Brooks River, Katmai National Park — Katmai National Park – A brown bear suddenly charges then makes an outstretched dive onto a school of salmon in Brooks River

Bison exhaling a thick cloud of steam in Yellowstone National Park — Yellowstone National Park – Bison exhaling a thick cloud of steam

Breaching humpback whale in Glacier Bay National Park — Glacier Bay National Park – Breaching humpback whale

A mountain goat keeps watch in Glacier National Park — Glacier National Park – A mountain goat keeps watch

A bighorn lamb easily navigates the landscape in Badlands National Park — Badlands National Park – A bighorn lamb easily navigates the landscape

Brown bear shakes off the water in Katmai National Park — Katmai National Park – Brown bear shakes off the water

Night Skies Honorable Mention

Jason Mihalick, Alexandra Cotoulas, Andrew Raaber, Randy Yost, Jose Torres, Jatinkumar Thakkar, Christine Kenyon, Moon Kyong, Kathy Durrett, Evan Wardell