Alaska The Wild Photo Contest Winners

Thank you to all the photographers that shared their best shots of Alaska in this contest with chances to win a BlackRapid Breathe Curve Camera Strap and more.

A special thanks to friend and professional photographer Lisa Langell for her collaboration as a guest judge in this photo contest. Lisa Langell is a multi-award-winning wildlife photographer with an international following. She is known for her signature wildlife images that artfully capture breathtaking, split-second moments. Her images evoke both a visual and emotional connection for the viewer, offering not just a photography but an intimate experience with nature. Lisa's artwork has earned recognition and awards from the National Wildlife Federation, North American Nature Photographer's Association, Professional Photographer's Association, Arizona Highways, and more.

Congratulations People's Choice "Polar Bear Scratch " by tomingramphotography

Congratulations Grand Jury Winner "Wuthering heights " by marcoparenti

"Impact is such an important quality in an image. It’s what draws you to it to begin with – and keeps you hanging on, absorbing and appreciating the image long after your first glance. This image has such lovely impact for me. The composition, lighting, post-processing and color all make it so rich, moody, and ethereal. Denali is a difficult and beautiful place to shoot. The lighting and weather can change quickly – making the task of capturing a moment like this with a blend of serenity and drama rare and special. I love the simple color palate in this image. It takes me to another world. This image is so artfully and beautifully created that for me, someone who has visited Alaska 46+ times, a favorite among the entire competition. It’s unique among the plethora of images I have seen of Denali. It’s moody, technically well photographed and deserves first place!" - Lisa Langell

Congratulations Runner Up "Brown bear cubs playing with willow tree " by pilapix

"Bears are a such thrill to photograph in Alaska. It’s one of my favorite things to do there each year. As bears are such an iconic symbol of Alaska, I was hoping that at least one would float to the top to be included in the set of finalists. The challenge with bear photography is often getting nice lighting, getting close enough for a sharp image without having to crop excessively, getting a good foreground, background, and pose, and much more. There were numerous images of bears in this competition - many of which were excellent and unique. But I particularly loved this one for the expression, gesture, the composition with the tree, and its overall technical excellence. It’s a special shot and deserves to be among the top images in this competition!" - Lisa Langell

Congratulations Runner Up "Independence Mine Aurora " by jasonjhatfield

"A beautiful aurora is so iconic for Alaska. I was excited to see images of the aurora in this competition. This one in particular stood out to me for several reasons. First, the composition of the swirling aurora with the Independence Mine situated right at the heart of the swirl is perfect. The reflected light on the mine and snow is also lovely, plus the right amount of vignetting makes this image stand out. I also can appreciate the challenging hike it took in deep snow to get to this mine, at high elevation, for this shot at night. I also have not seen an image of this mine with the aurora, so it stood out among many aurora images for that reason. I loved the image and appreciate what the photographer went through to capture it beautifully. For this reason I have selected it as a top placing image in this competition." - Lisa Langell

Congratulations Amateur Winner "Humpback Whale Breach in Alaska " by DebbieSalvesen