To honor the theme, this year’s contest spotlighted the Wildlife category–with the grand prize and first through third places awarded to photographs featuring animals. First-place winners were also named in the Landscape and Recreation categories.

Mei-An Raicer, a veterinarian and wildlife rehabilitator from Howell, New Jersey, took the top prize with “All Lined Up,” a classic loon-and-chick scene on Lake Abanakee.

First place in the Wildlife category went to Steff Obkirchner, of Ray Brook, for “The Watcher,” a portrait of a barred owl in light snow. Amy Cook, of Gouverneur, came in second with a photograph of a young bear in a cornfield titled “Where’s Mom.” Third place was awarded to Mark Epstein, of Saranac Lake, for “Mellow Yellow,” a closeup of a damselfly on St. John’s wort at Little Colby Pond.

Christine Festin, of Clifton Park, won first place in the Landscape category for a misty “Sunrise on Tupper Lake,” and “Snowshoeing 101,” a portrait of a 5-year-old on his first snowshoe outing by William Adamczak, of Bolton Landing, took first place in the Recreation category.

Category winners receive a specially commissioned work of pottery by Sue Young, of Jay. In addition to the category winners, 10 images earned honorable mentions, which can be seen at www.adirondacklife.com beginning March 1.

Winning photographs are published in the March/April 2026 issue of the magazine, which also features a peek inside the secret lives of Adirondack moose by Jeff Nadler; wildlife portraits by Lake Placid photographer Pamela Underhill Karaz; an opossum search party led by best-selling author Kristin Kimball; plus loons, turtles, ticks, turkeys, chipmunks, coyotes and more.

Adirondack Life magazine covers historical, political, recreational and environmental issues relevant to the six-million-acre Adirondack Park and is known for publishing some of the best photography in and of the northern New York state wilderness.