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Native Plant Society of Texas

Photo Contest 2025

Thanks for considering our 2025 photo contest! If you’d like to enter our 2025 native plant photo contest, please fill out the form below. Winners will be announced at our 2025 Fall Symposium.

The Rules

Our contest is divided into the 12 Level III ecoregions in Texas. Members may enter one photo in one or all of the ecoregions. Photos may have been taken at any time of year. Photos must have been taken within the ecoregion in which they are submitted, and the subject plant or plants must be native to the ecoregion in which the photo is entered. Photographers must be members of the Society and may only submit their own work. Contestants must submit their entry within the submission window, which is still TBD. Entries will be judged in four categories by a panel of your Society peers (judges are not eligible for contest entry).

Go to Contest Entry

The Judging Criteria

Basic Technique

  • Is focus appropriate for the subject? Is depth of field appropriate?
  • Is it exposed in a way that works for the image?
  • Does the lighting show off the subject well?
  • Is the contrast level appropriate?
  • Is there lighting that would work better for the subject?
  • If the lighting is controlled, is it well controlled?
  • Are the colors accurate and true?

Composition

  • Is the composition skillful and dynamic?
  • Is the image balanced or unbalanced? Is the balance level appropriate? If there is a main center of interest, is it well placed in the frame/rule of thirds?
  • Are there distracting elements in the picture that could be eliminated?
  • Are there too many unrelated elements? Too few elements?
  • Does the composition make effective use of leading lines?
  • Is depth used (or not used) to good advantage?
  • Does the composition make use of repeating forms?

Subject/Interest

  • Does the subject have interesting connotations or associations?
  • Are the colors and patterns effective?
  • Interesting textures?
  • Interesting juxtapositions?

Story/Mood/Showcases Plant

  • How well does the photograph capture or illustrate the plant or plants?
  • Does the image effectively tell a story about the plants or the ecoregion or convey a mood or value?

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason