The Water Resources Research Center Annual Photo Contest is in full swing, and we’ve already received lots of amazing submissions! This year’s theme is Water in Focus. Use your artistic and technical abilities to express how water transforms our world and how people transform water. You still have time to submit photos, so water you waiting for?
Theme Overview
Photos can be from ANY LOCATION; we invite you to show us how water connects to people (& pets!), nature, the built environment, and agriculture. It’s completely up to you. Just make sure your photos relate to water and that you indicate where each image was taken (this is important). We can’t wait to see your images!
Contest Categories
This year’s contest features four main categories, providing photographers with a wide range of subjects to explore:
- People & Pets
- Wildlife
- Nature & Landscapes
- The Built Environment
Winners
Winners of each category are announced at WRRC’s annual Chocolate Fest, held in February 2027 (date TBD). In addition to being recognized at the event, winning photographs will be featured on the WRRC website and included in various WRRC publications and outreach materials. This is a great opportunity to showcase your photography skills and highlight water in Arizona and beyond. This marks our eleventh consecutive contest, and the talented photographers who share their photos continue to amaze us!
How to Enter
Submit your photos by December 18, 2026. Visit our website for detailed information about eligibility and submission criteria. Please ensure that your photos meet the guidelines. We can’t wait to see your photos and how you capture the importance of water in Arizona! Whether focused on people, wildlife, or built environments that rely on this precious resource, we look forward to your participation.
Good luck, and happy shooting!
Top featured photo: 2025 Honorable Mention – Wildlife: Laurie Solgon – Cranes in Water, Whitewater Draw, AZ.
Find all of the 2025 Contest Winners!
Water – Use It Wisely is proud to feature guest bloggers who write about topics related to water and water conservation. The author of this blog, John Polle, is a Media Specialist at the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC).
The WRRC is a Cooperative Extension center and a research unit in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It is the designated state water resources research center established under the 1964 Federal Water Resources Research Act. The WRRC conducts water policy research and analysis, and its information transfer activities include publications, conferences, lectures, and seminars. Water news and information are provided to the academic community, water professionals, elected and appointed officials, students, and the public. If you would like to receive timely water news and notifications about opportunities like the photo contest, subscribe to the Weekly Wave e-News digest.