A Celebration of Trees: 2025 Arbor Day Tree Photo Contest

Each year, in honor of Arbor Day, we host a tree photo contest that’s as much about art and creativity as it is about honoring the quiet power of trees. The 2025 Tree Photo Contest didn’t disappoint—once again bringing together photographers, nature lovers, and everyday people with a shared love for the outdoors. From peaceful reflections to dramatic winter landscapes, the images submitted this year captured the spirit, resilience, and beauty of trees in a way only photography can.

The Heart of the Contest

This annual photo contest invites participants to slow down, look closely, and celebrate trees through their camera lens. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just someone who happened to be in the right place at the right time with your phone, this contest is about capturing the unique relationship between trees and people—and the stories trees quietly tell.

Each participant was allowed to submit one photo, making every entry meaningful and intentional. The focus, of course, had to be on trees, but beyond that, there was plenty of room to explore different angles, lighting, emotions, and environments.

The Winning Photos: A Tribute to Nature's Diversity

Our 2025 contest featured an incredible lineup of winners across a range of creative categories. Each photo told a different story, and all were as moving as they were beautiful.

• Glorious Big Tree: Kat Duran’s winning shot of a towering, ancient tree reminded us of nature’s quiet strength and majesty. 

  

• Autumn Leaves: Eileen Mooney captured the rich colors and fleeting beauty of fall in a breathtaking shot full of reds, oranges, and golden light. 

• Survivor Tree: Amy Allard Pantelis paid tribute to resilience with her photo of a tree that continued to thrive in tough conditions—a visual metaphor for perseverance.

• Reflection: Alexus wowed with a tranquil photo of trees mirrored perfectly in still water. It was a study in symmetry, stillness, and serenity.

• Colorful Tree: Barbara Perez embraced nature’s full spectrum with her vibrant image, filled with bold hues from leaves and bark. 

  

• Beach or Desert Tree: Dione Garcia reminded us that trees can grow in the unlikeliest of places. Her image of a solitary tree set against an arid landscape felt both stark and hopeful.

• Black & White: Eileen Spear’s entry proved that even without color, trees have a striking presence. Her monochrome image highlighted textures, shadows, and form in an unforgettable way.

• Light & Shadow: Rob Testorelli captured the magic that happens when sunlight dances through branches—his photo played with contrast and depth beautifully.

  

• Creative Composition: Valerie Iniguez pushed boundaries with an imaginative photo that used framing and perspective to tell a fresh story about trees.

• Unique Tree: Jacquelyn Abrams celebrated individuality in nature with her photo of a tree that stood out due to its unusual shape and leaves. 

  

• Close-Up: Lynn Craska took us up close and personal with tree bark, textures, and the subtle details most of us overlook.

• Winter Tree: Janet Ruf’s photo showed the quiet, stoic beauty of bare trees in winter, evoking stillness and a sense of calm. 

  

Each of these photos did more than just capture a tree—they captured a feeling.

See all contest photos on the Arbor Day Tree Photo Contest page HERE.

Creative Categories That Inspire

One of the things that makes this contest so engaging is the variety of categories. Whether you're drawn to the warm colors of autumn or the icy elegance of winter, there’s a space for your vision. 

These categories invite photographers to slow down and really see the trees—how they interact with their environment, how they adapt, and how endlessly diverse they are.

Contest Rules

The rules for entering the contest were straightforward:

• One entry per person, keeping things fair and focused.

• Photos had to be original and taken by the person entering—no stock photos or AI-generated images.

• The main subject of the photo had to be a tree or trees.

• Winners granted Trees for a Change the right to share their photo in emails and on the organization’s website.

• If you won, you received an email with details on how to claim your prize, which had to be redeemed within a year.

Why This Contest Matters

This isn’t just a photo contest for fun—though it is a lot of fun. At its core, it’s about building awareness and appreciation for trees, which are often taken for granted despite playing such a crucial role in our planet’s health.

Trees for a Change is dedicated to reforestation. Since 2007, we’ve planted over 200,000 trees in U.S. National Forests that have been damaged by wildfire. Every photo submitted and every prize awarded helps support this mission by sharing a love for and respect for trees. 

By bringing people together through art and nature, the contest helps spread the message that trees are not just background scenery—they’re life-givers, landmarks, storytellers, and survivors.

Looking to the Future

As the 2025 contest wraps up, folks have already expressed excitement for what next year will bring. Whether you’re an avid photographer or just someone who loves snapping pics on hikes, this contest offers a chance to pause, reflect, and share your view of the natural world.

So keep your camera ready and your eyes open—every tree has a story to tell.