Canvasback photo by Jerry amEnde
What is the DNR Waterfowl Photo Contest?
The new DNR Waterfowl photo contest is an opportunity for Maryland’s wildlife photographers to showcase their skills and potentially win a significant prize as part of the overall DNR Photo Contest for 2025.
This new contest will replace the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design contest that ended in November of 2023. The contest ended because the physical stamp is no longer required or produced. However, to keep this tradition alive the Department of Natural Resources will host this annual waterfowl photo contest and this one is winner takes all.
The winning photo will be the featured art on one of DNR’s new hunting and fishing license hard cards that will debut in 2025 as part of DNR’s new licensing and registration portal. These collectible hard cards will be limited editions and serve as a durable hard copy of your state hunting or fishing license. The winning photo will also be featured in the Department's 2026 Maryland Natural Resources calendar.
Rules
- There is an entry fee starting at $10. All photos will be entered automatically into the 2025 DNR Photo Contest and be eligible to win prizes in that contest which begins each summer and concludes in the early fall.
- All photos must be original and feature a waterfowl species in Maryland.
- Contest deadline is March 31, 2025.
- The winning photo will be published by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The winning photo will be one of the featured images on the new DNR hard card hunting and fishing licenses for 2025. For this reason, photographers must own the work they enter in the contest. Photos (or parts thereof) owned by a third party are not eligible. Images you’ve shared on your own personal website are eligible.
- All photos must be landscape in orientation.
- Photos must be clear, with the highest resolution possible.
- Do not submit heavily manipulated/over-processed images. All images should accurately represent the subject matter. Images with heavy effects, including unnatural saturation, exposure, or contrast, will not be considered. Images with watermarks will be disqualified. Focus stacking (taking multiple photos at one time and place) that does not compromise the image’s character is accepted, but merging two different images or superimposing objects is not.
- AI generated photographs will not be accepted.
- Photos must be named correctly to enter. Name photos in a Subcategory Title by Name format. Example: Landscapes Chesapeake Sunrise by Ansel Adams.jpg.
- Photographers from any state may participate, but all photos must be taken in Maryland. Employees of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
- The department will make selections based on the quality, composition, content, originality, creativity, and mass appeal. Decisions are final and in sole and absolute discretion of the department.
- This offer is void where prohibited by law.
- Photographers authorize the department to distribute their image(s) for non-commercial purposes with photo credits—including but not limited to education and news purposes—to other media, print, digital, online services, and television for their use. Photographers retain copyright to these photos, the above agreed to permissions not withstanding.* *Per our terms, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources may post photos online—including the department’s website and social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Flickr—after the contest. Do not embed any nonessential personal data (metadata) into your files.
To enter the contest you must first go to our
store and pay to enter.
You will get an order number as part of your purchase.
That order number is required to fill out the entry form below. If you have questions please reach out to
anthony.burrows1@maryland.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Judges the Contest?
We judge with a panel of department staff, which includes photography experts as well as DNR Wildlife and Heritage staff with expertise with waterfowl.
Can I Enter Photos from Previous Years?
Yes! Photos must be taken in Maryland, but date taken does not matter.
Please direct any other questions to:
christopher.markin@maryland.gov
