The 2025 Avalonia Photo Contest
We are thrilled to announce the winners of Avalonia’s 2025 Photo Contest!
Participants were asked to submit photos in one or all of the following categories: Path Ways, Solar Power & Forest Colors. We selected a first-place winner and honorable mention in each category.
The three first-place winners will each receive a cash prize of $150. The three honorable mention winners will each receive a copy of “The Naturalist’s Notebook,” a nature-themed journal-calendar.
Thanks to all who participated in this year’s contest!
First Place
Congratulations to Rivkah Berkman for winning best photo in the Path Ways category. This photo was taken at Paffard Woods in Stonington. Rivkah wrote: ““Bridges are one of my favorite subjects and Paffard Woods has quite a few. I wanted to highlight the adventure you might find by crossing this bridge in the woods. In fact, that day I found a letterbox hidden on the path! The moody overcast day was perfect for capturing this pretty pathway.”
Congratulations to Julie Elkins for winning best photo in the Solar Power category. This photo was taken at Moore Woodlands in Groton/Mystic. Julie wrote: “I was walking through the forest and looked up to see the sunlight filtering through the leaves. The sky was so blue, and the contrast caught my attention.”
Congratulations to Carolyn Baker-Reck for winning best photo in the Forest Colors category. This photo was taken at Knox Preserve in Stonington. Carolyn wrote: “It’s always amazing to me the brilliant colors and patterns in nature. Here, a red-banded hairstreak butterfly on goldenrod.”
Honorable Mention
Congratulations to Morgan Reynolds for winning honorable mention in the Path Ways category. The photo was taken at Tri-Town Ridgeline Forest in North Stonington. Moran wrote: “The seasons have already begun changing and the forests are becoming dotted with flashy oranges and yellows. Just past the main parking area for Tri-Town Preserve, the colors have come especially strong with the bright oranges of autumn colliding with the summery greens. The forest floor has become a carpet of orange, leading you into the trails of the preserve.”
Congratulations to Kathy Fallow for winning honorable mention in the Solar Power category. This photo was taken at Tefftweald at Birchenturn in North Stonington. Kathy wrote: “A quiet resting spot.”
Congratulations to Laura Parsons for winning honorable mention in the Forest Colors category. This photo was taken at Knox Preserve in Stonington. Laura wrote: “This picture is all about the color green – a vibrant environment for a camouflaged green frog.”
Our 2025 contest has ended. Thank you to all who entered. Winners will be announced on September 8.
Avalonia’s 2025 Photo Contest April 1st – September 1st
As you head out to enjoy our Avalonia properties this spring and summer, be sure to take some photos along the way and submit them to our fourth annual Photo Contest.
Participants can submit two photos in each of the following categories:
📍 Path Ways Showcase Avalonia’s scenic trails and winding paths. Look for the symmetry along the many forested paths in our preserves. Aim your camera lens towards a dirt path that leads into a canopy of green trees, or take a photo from a stone bridge that leads over a babbling brook.
🍃 Forest Color Capture the vibrant hues of our preserves in any season. Our preserves are full of color, from the deep greens of summer leaves, to the yellow and orange hues of fall. Don’t forget to look down to the ground for colorful mushrooms or to the bushes for mountain laurel. Look for all of nature’s color palettes in this category.
☀️ Solar Power Celebrate the sun’s influence on the natural world. The sun does more than warm our souls, it also casts gorgeous shadows on our trees and plants. Aim your camera up through the trees to capture sun rays, or towards a milkweed plant with the sun reflecting off a butterfly’s wings.
📸 Why Enter?
Not only will your photography be featured and celebrated, but awards will be given to the top two photographers in each category, with first-place winners receiving a cash prize of $150!
Key Dates:
Contest Opens: April 1
Submission Deadline: September 1
Winners Announced: September 8
Only photos taken at Avalonia properties are eligible for the contest.
Entries should be submitted as digital copies (in JPG format in 300 dpi if possible) to this page.
We can’t wait to see how you capture Avalonia’s landscapes, trails, and wildlife! Submit your photos and let your creativity shine.
Good luck and have fun!