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By Billy Pope
Special to The Selma Times-Journal

The 2025 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest will begin accepting entries at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 3. The contest is a joint project between the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and the Alabama Tourism Department. The deadline to enter is October 31.

The 2025 photo contest will focus on traditional photography techniques and the use of hand-held cameras. No cellphone, smartphone, game camera, or drone photography will be chosen as winning photos for nine of the 10 categories. Smartphone and tablet photos will be accepted in the Young Photographers category.

The photo contest is open to state residents and visitors alike, but qualifying photos must have been taken in Alabama in the past two years. Any amateur photographer not employed by ADCNR is encouraged to enter.

A total of 10 photos per person may be entered in the following categories. You may enter all 10 in one category or among several categories.

2025 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest Categories: Alabama state parks, birds, bugs and butterflies, cold-blooded critters, nature-based recreation, scenic, shoots and roots, Sweet Home Alabama, wildlife, young photographers (ages 17 and under).

First, second, third and one honorable mention will be awarded in each category. Winning images will be featured on-line and in a traveling exhibit at various venues across the state during 2025. If your organization or venue is interested in hosting the 2025 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest Exhibit, please contact Kenny Johnson with ADCNR’s Communications and Marketing Section at kenny.johnson@dcnr.alabama.gov.

The 2024 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest Exhibit is currently on display at the Oak Mountain State Park Interpretive Center in Pelham, until Sept. 4. To view the complete exhibit schedule, visit www.outdooralabama.com/photo-exhibit.

Art teachers are encouraged to incorporate participation in the Young Photographers category into their art instruction this fall.

For complete 2025 category descriptions and contest rules, visit www.outdooralabama.com/photocontest.

ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Learn more at www.outdooralabama.com.