Keep Iowa Beautiful

Congratulations To Our Photography Contest Winners

For information on the photo contest, please visit the contest details page.

2022-2023

Phase One Winners

First, second, and third place photos were awarded in each category. The winners were determined by a select panel of judges. The five categories were:

  • Iowa Cities
  • Iowa Landscape
  • Iowa Water
  • Iowa Wildlife
  • Iowans in Action

Phase Two Winners

Each of the five categories winners were judged by a panel of distinguished judges for the Robert D. Ray Best of Show Award.

Iowa Cities

1st Place: “Elkader Iowa at Sunrise From Lovers Leap Park”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader
Robert D. Ray Best of Show Third Place Winner
2nd Place: “City of Dubuque in fall from Mississippi River Dock”, Janet Abrahamson of Centerville
3rd Place: “Shattering Silence and the beautiful Des Moines skyline”, Adam McHenry of Windsor Heights
Honorable Mention: “Iowa State Capitol”, Steve Dunn of Des Moines

Iowa Landscapes

1st Place: “Early Morning Fog”, Drue Powers of Red Oak
Robert D. Ray Best of Show Second Place Winner
2nd Place: “Frosty Farmstead”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader
3rd Place: “Farms and rolling hills of Western Iowa”, Todd Cogdill of Ankeny
Honorable Mention: “A Rural Farmland Sunrise”, Arthur Davis of Bay Minette

Iowa Water

1st Place: “Malanaphy Springs”, Dave Austin of Ankeny
2nd Place: “Sunrise Through the Trees”, William Beardsley of Estherville
3rd Place: “Cedar River”, Mark Gromko of Iowa City
Honorable Mention: “River Rally Refection”, Scott Hoag of De Witt

Iowa Wildlife

1st Place: “The Squad”, Jesse Streinz of West Branch
Robert D. Ray Best of Show First Place Winner
2nd Place: “Young Buck in the Sunset”, Benjamin Neff of Beaman
3rd Place: “Bison”, Silas Hanneman of Altoona
Honorable Mention: “Canvasback Eruption”, William Beardsley of Estherville

Iowans in Action

1st Place: “Solo Harvest”, Anji Bennett of Lake View
2nd Place: “Fishermen at Dusk”, William Beardsley of Estherville
3rd Place: “Old Glory at Sunrise on Ragbrai”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader
Honorable Mention: “Color the Wind Kite Festival”, Mark Iwig of Johnston

2021-2022

Iowa Cities

First Place: Sharon Scarff “Snake Alley in Bloom”
Second Place: Drue Powers “Beauty in the Storm”
Third Place: Justin West “Winter Capitol Bridges”
Honorable Mention: Jesse Streinz “Chirstmas Past”

Iowa Landscapes

First Place: Wilford Yoder “Cutting & Stacking Oat Bundles
Second Place: Brian Brian Gibbs “Rainbow over Motor Mill at Sunset”
Third Place: Dave Austin “A Season Begins”
Honorable Mention: Shelley Gerjets “Icy Start

Iowa Water

First Place: Scott Hoag “Port of Dubuque”
Second Place: Josh Meier “Macbride Rainbow”
Third Place: David Smith “Nightfall”
Honorable Mention: Trent Hanselmann “Fall Over the Mississippi”

Iowa Wildlife

First Place: William Beardsley “Take-Off”
Second Place: Tana Tesdall “Curious Fox”
Third Place: Rui Chen “Night Tigher Basking in the Sun”
Honorable Mention: Emily Harper “Buffalo”
Honorable Mention: Jesse Streinz “Flying Low”

Iowans in Action

First Place: William Beardsley “Okoboji Regatta”
Second Place: Lee Navin “Dayton Rodeo”
Third Place: Will Hunter “Singing, dancing, playing, socializing and happiness!”
Honorable Mention: Aaron Miller “Cattle Drive Down a Level B Road in Warren County”

2020-2021

Iowa Cities

First Place: Justin West “Super Moon Iowa Capitol in Winter”
Second Place: Josh Meier “Iowa City Fireworks”
Second Place: Josh Meier “Iowa City Fireworks”
Honorable Mention: Justin Rogers “Yankee Doodle Pops”

Iowa Landscapes

First Place: Dave Austin “Trinity Church Under the Stars”
Second Place: Brian Abeling “Rollercoaster Road in Allamakee County”
Third Place: Justin Rogers “Ridin’ the Storm Out”
Honorable Mention: Scott Hoag “From Dusk to Done”
Honorable Mention: Gary Hamer “Sunrise Rays Enter Dance Hall Cave”

Iowa Water

First Place: Brian Abeling “Horseshoe Bluff”
Second Place: Gregg Alliss “Pine Creek Grist Mill”
Third Place: Mark Iwig “Early Spring Sunrise at Big Creek Lake”
Honorable Mention: Aaron Miller “Des Moines River Under the Milky Way”

Iowa Wildlife

First Place: Eric Williamson “Play Time”
Second Place: Twila Ingham “Three on a Tree”
Third Place: Willard Sharp “Eagle Landing on the Ice of Saylorville Lake”
Honorable Mention: Chris Heyer “Dancing Great Egrets”
Honorable Mention: Larry Dau “Catch of the Day – Mink”

Iowans in Action

1st Place: Wilford Yoder from Iowa City. “Helping Hands Loading Oat Bundles”
2nd Place: Norman Wood from Ottumwa. “Balloon Race Night Glow in Ottumwa”
3rd Place: Greg Punelli from Ankeny. “Fishing at Big Creek”
Honorable Mention: Joyce Meyer from Calmar. “Riding the Bulls”
Honorable Mention: Theresa Trimble from Forest City. “Color the Wind Kite Festival”

2019-2020

Katharine Gail Vogel
1st Place: Katharine Gail Vogel from Marshalltown “Adventure in Loess Hills”
Mark Iwig
2nd Place: Mark Iwig from Johnston “Sunrise at Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge”
3rd Place: Willard Sharp from Madrid “The Milky Way and a Tractor”
Honorable Mention: Mark Iwig-Johnston “Sunset at St. Paul’s Evangelical Church”
Honorable Mention: Aaron Miller-Carlisle “July Sunset Storm and Windmill”

2018-2019

1st Place: Justin Rogers of Ankeny “Boone & Scenic Valley railroad Steam Engine”
Ervin Sabic
2nd Place: Ervin Sabic of Waterloo “The Calm Before the Storm-Downtown Waterloo”
3rd Place: Willard Sharp of Madrid “Summer Thunderstorm Near Parkersburg”

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