SAN ANTONIO – Wildlife in Focus (WIF) is inviting Texans of all ages to step outside, look closer, and share what they see. The nonprofit organization announced the inaugural Texas Wildlife & Nature Photographer of the Year contest, a new statewide competition designed to celebrate the beauty, diversity, and conservation of Texas wildlife and wild places.

The contest is open to all Texans, from seasoned photographers with professional equipment to backyard birdwatchers and young nature lovers capturing moments on a phone camera. With more than $3,000 in cash prizes and recognition on a statewide stage, the competition aims to highlight both artistic excellence and ethical wildlife photography.

“Our mission has always been to use photography as a bridge to conservation,” said Miles Phillips, Photo Contest Director for Wildlife in Focus. “This new Photographer of the Year contest invites every Texan to tell the story of our state’s wildlife — from prairies and pineywoods to deserts and coastlines. When people pause to photograph the natural world, they begin to value it. And when they value it, they help protect it.”

The submission window opened April 1, 2026, and closes June 7, 2026. All entries must be photographed in Texas. The competition features both Adult and Youth divisions, with categories including:
• Birds of Texas
• Mammals of Texas
• Animal Behavior
• Texas Wildscapes

Adult category winners will receive $500 each, with an additional $500 grand prize awarded to the Overall Texas Wildlife & Nature Photographer of the Year. Youth winners will receive $100 awards, and Highly Commended entries in both divisions will be recognized.

Youth entries (17 and under) are free to submit, while adult entries are $10 per image. No preregistration is required.

All images must depict wild, free-ranging wildlife photographed ethically and truthfully in natural conditions. Wildlife in Focus maintains strict ethical guidelines prohibiting harassment, baiting, or digital manipulation that alters reality.

A Celebration of Texas Conservation

Wildlife in Focus is a Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting native wildlife and habitat through photography, education, and outreach. While the organization’s long-running team-based photo contest has connected landowners and photographers for more than two decades, this new Photographer of the Year competition expands the opportunity statewide — welcoming anyone inspired by Texas’ natural heritage.

“This contest is about more than winning a prize,” Phillips said. “It’s about celebrating the spirit of Texas wildlife — from backyard feeders to remote ranchlands. We want to see how Texans experience the wild. Every image becomes part of a larger story about conservation in our state.”

Winning and Highly Commended images may be featured in Wildlife in Focus publications, exhibitions, and educational programming, helping inspire the next generation of conservationists.

Contest details and registration can be found at wildlifeinfocus.org.

Photos by Miles Phillips
Photos were taken at barnhartranchretreat in Goliad County.