Winners of 2025 Midpen annual photography contest
Each year Midpeninsula Regional Open Space hosts a photography contest, inviting the public to submit up to three photos taken at a Midpen preserve in six categories — Wildlife, Landscapes, Plant Life, People in Nature, Trail Less Traveled and Aspiring Photographers.
In its 15th year of the contest, Midpen received over 200 submissions. These were narrowed down to finalists in each category by Midpen staff, and the winners were chosen by the public through Midpen’s social media accounts. Each category winner received a $100 REI gift card and a swag bag.
“The contest is a fun way for people using everyday technology, like smartphones and cameras, to connect with nature close to home,” said General Manager Ana Ruiz. “We hope people are inspired to explore their public open spaces, perhaps for the first time, and capture those moments of awe and wonder in nature.”
This year’s Wildlife winner (pictured) is Don Vu, who writes:
“I know about this great horned owl family nesting each year in the middle of an aging but accommodating oak tree in Rancho San Antonio. On this evening, I decided to pay them a visit, having heard the owlets were prime for branching. Sure enough, there were three of them, and they moved about from branch to branch as the last rays of light dropped on them. It’s a joyful moment for me to see the young ones survived to that day for on many occasions they did not, mostly due to missteps from the nest at a younger age. What’s most amazing to me is seeing wildlife being gone then re-born every year for their life cycle seems to go on forever.”
