DES MOINES, Iowa—Keep Iowa Beautiful is thrilled to announce the start of the 14th Photography Contest, an annual contest aimed at raising awareness of Iowa’s natural and environmental beauty.
The two-phase contest begins now, with the entry deadline on December 16, 2023. Each of the five categories will be awarded $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $50 for third place.
“The annual photo contest gives local photographers a chance to contribute to the visual story of Iowa,” said Andy Frantz, Executive Director of Keep Iowa Beautiful. “There are five categories to enter your favorite photo of what makes you proud to be an Iowan and captures the beauty and spirit of Iowa. Beyond just displaying Iowa’s scenic charm, this competition also spotlights the pool of homegrown talent spanning our entire state.”
In January, the five first-place winners will be featured on Keep Iowa Beautiful’s social media for public voting to select the Public Favorite Photo. The winner will receive an additional $100.
The Robert D. Ray Best of Show Awards, determined by a distinguished panel, will also be announced at that time. The Robert D. Ray Best of Show award amounts are $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $100 for third place.
The five categories are:
Iowa Landscape
Capture Iowa’s beauty through depictions of Iowa’s landscape, including but not limited to: farm fields, rolling hills, and wooded forests.
Iowa Water
Feature Iowa’s beautiful water systems with depictions of Iowa rivers, streams, ponds and lakes.
Iowa Cities
Iowa’s urban centers are hubs of history, culture, and beauty. This category features depictions of Iowa’s cities, street scenes, and urban landmarks.
Iowans in Action
This category aims to capture the spirit of Iowa through depictions of the people that live, work, and play in Iowa. All means of action that can be captured: biking, running, fishing, hunting and hiking are but a few.
Iowa Wildlife
Iowa is home to a variety of beautiful critters. This category aims to showcase Iowa’s beauty through depictions of Iowa’s wildlife animals: mammals, fish, birds, bugs and more!
A $5 fee is required for each photo entered. Contest rules and entry guidelines can be found on the Keep Iowa Beautiful website: https://keepiowabeautiful.org/photography-contest
Robert D. Ray Best of Show Third Place Winner
(contributed press release, Keep Iowa Beautiful)
