BCDC 2026 Photography Contest
Share your best photographs of the plants, wildlife, landscapes, and people that make San Francisco Bay and Suisun Marsh extraordinary. By entering the contest, you’ll help inspire others to appreciate these special places and support efforts to protect and improve the Bay for generations to come.
Photographers of all experience levels are welcome to submit entries!
Prizes
There are five contest categories. Our panel of judges will select one winner per category. Prizes include:
- Two vouchers for one of Movement Gym’s intro series classes (Introduction to Rope Climbing or Introduction to Bouldering). The class comes with a day pass and rental gear, and it teaches participants everything they need to know to start rope climbing or bouldering at the gym.
- A $99 gift card from Dogpatch Paddle & Kayak, redeemable toward kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals, lessons and guided tours, or waterfront sauna and cold-plunge sessions at Crane Cove Park.
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Four general ddmission guest passes to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Each pass admits one for general admission to the de Young or Legion of Honor during regular museum hours or may be applied toward discounted admission to a special exhibition at either museum. Please note, these passes do not expire and cannot be applied toward admission to Bouquets to Art.
- $100 gift card, shirts, and stickers for East Bay Vivarium.
- $25 gift card for Sports Basement
Winners and honorable mentions will have their work featured on our website home page, our partner newsletters, and on our social media throughout the year.
Contest Submission Categories
Bay and wetland flora
Showcase the plants that make San Francisco Bay unique. We encourage photos of native plants, wetlands, and healthy, diverse ecosystems found in habitats such as salt marshes, grasslands, coastal scrub, beaches and dunes, and oak woodlands.
Bay and wetland fauna
Capture the animals that call the Bay home. We encourage photos of native wildlife, including birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects, as well as the habitats and ecosystems that support them (see Wildlife Species of San Francisco Bay Area).
Our public shoreline
Show how people connect with the Bay. We welcome photos of activities along the shoreline, such as walking, running, biking, fishing, birdwatching, picnicking, paddling, and playing in parks. Consider how different people and communities experience and enjoy these shared public spaces (see Public Access | SF Bay Conservation & Development).
Scenes of the Bay
Capture the beauty of the Bay’s landscapes. Submit photos of shorelines, wetlands, trails, viewpoints, open spaces, or scenic views from around San Francisco Bay and Suisun Marsh.
Young photographers
While photographers of any age may submit to any of the previous categories, this category is open exclusively to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Share your favorite photos of the Bay and its plants, wildlife, people, or landscapes.
Submission guidelines
Submit your photos by October 14 using the online submission form below. You may submit up to 5 photographs total. You may submit photos to multiple categories or submit all five photos to the same category—it’s entirely up to you.
Please note that while you may submit multiple photographs, each participant may receive only one award.
Image requirements:
Please name each photograph as follows: FirstName_LastName_photo title_approximate location where the photo was taken
Example: John_Smith_brown-pelican_Sausalito
- Accepted file types: JPEG (.jpg/.jpeg), PNG (.png), or TIFF (.tif)
Maximum file size is 2 GB
No watermarks, borders, or signatures - Minimal editing is permitted: Color correction, exposure adjustments, and cropping are allowed; AI-generated or heavily manipulated images are not permitted.
Before you enter, please review the Contest Terms and Conditions. All participants must agree to the terms and conditions to submit photos. After the submission deadline, a panel of judges will review eligible entries and select one winner from each category.
Winners will be announced in late October.
Terms and Conditions
Eligibility
The contest is open to photographers of all ages, regardless of where they live. Only K-12 students may enter the young photographers category.
Contest rules
- Respect wildlife. Please review the Respect Wildlife guidelines if your photographs involve Bay Area wildlife.
- Submit up to five photos total. You may enter your photos in any combination of categories, with a maximum of five total submissions.
- All photographs must be taken within the San Francisco Bay or Suisun Marsh region.
- Photographs must be original work and exclusive property of the photographer. The use of artificial intelligence is strictly prohibited.
- BCDC commissioners and staff are not eligible to participate in this contest.
- For rules on photo use and licensing, please see the complete Contest Terms and Conditions.
Submit your photos
Contest sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors for generously donating prizes for BCDC’s inagural photography contest:
