State Parks

Photo Contest Celebrates State Parks

The Texas State Parks Centennial Photo Contest kicked off with a bang with more than 3,000 entries in the first round. The winning photo of winter’s “New Year, New Adventure” theme — a selfie of a happy human pileup (topped by an adorable dog) in a tent — was taken by Jayanthi Murahari. The winners of the four seasonal themes will be entered into the grand prize drawing at the end of the year. A public vote will determine the winner from the four finalists.

“We are thrilled with the tremendous response to the State Parks Photo Contest,” says Whitney Bishop, social media coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Getting a glimpse into how people enjoy state parks shows that there is something for everyone to enjoy at these special sites. We hope that people have as much fun taking pictures as we do viewing them.”

Murahari snapped the fun picture during a camping trip with friends. As she and her friends were relaxing in their tent, inspiration struck and she got the shot. She said she always has her camera on-hand so she can capture special moments like these. The top dog in the photo, Leon, loves being outdoors — his creamy curls added the extra touch of furry whimsy that sent the picture soaring to the top of the pack.

The second-quarter theme is “The Joys of Spring.” Entries can be uploaded at bit.ly/TSP100PhotoContestSpring by midnight May 22. Keep an eye on the TPWD website for the third quarter of the contest; the theme will be “Keepin’ it Cool.”

“This is a great time to get frame-worthy pictures of your family and friends,” says Thomas Wilhelm, marketing and branding manager for Texas State Parks.

The first quarter’s winning photo was selected by a panel of TPWD judges for its eye-catching composition, creativity and depiction of how Texas State Parks can bring families together.

Each quarterly winner receives a Texas State Parks Pass valued at $70 and a $100 H-E-B gift card donated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Judges are looking for photos that illustrate positive experiences at Texas State Parks.

Voting for the grand prize winner begins in December. The lucky winner will receive a Texas State Parks Pass, a $500 H-E-B gift card donated by TPWF and a VIP-curated experience at a state park.

All entries must be photographed at a Texas state park or state natural area. Upload them to the photo contest webpage or tag them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #TexasStateParks and #TexasParks100 between Jan. 1 and Nov. 27. (Note: an individual’s social media account privacy settings may affect entries.)

Participants may submit multiple entries. Find out more about the photo contest and other 100-year celebrations at texasstateparks.org/100years.

A photo album of the winning photo and honorable mentions can be found on the TPWD Flickr page.