The Great Nevada Picture Hunt is our annual contest dedicated to finding photos that best represent the Silver State’s people, places, and landscapes. This year, we received and judged hundreds of photographs across six categories. It’s never an easy task, but these entries feature some amazing talent we’re excited to show off.
Our Grand Prize winner this year was a Love Letter submission, which we’ve included with the photo.
Huge thanks to Home Means Nevada Co., our generous sponsor who helps make this contest possible each year!
Grand Prize, Scott Mortimore
Photo: Scott Mortimore
“Most call this a road. But to me, it’s a siren. A faint, wash-boarded ribbon that weaves its way toward who knows where. They’ve always called to me and lured me away from the fast lane. Still do. Places like this are where my mind goes when it wanders. It’s where blood pressures ebb and imaginations flow. This is one of many playgrounds I attend and, on this evening—with tailgate down and dog fast asleep—I pulled over, kicked back, and savored that precious connection between me and this place I fell in love with a couple thousand sunsets ago.”
Love Letter Winner, Rick Pott
Photo: Rick Pott
“One of the things I’ve come to appreciate most about Nevada is the sense of space. You can drive for hours on lonely roads, turn onto an unmarked dirt track, and find yourself standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking a landscape that seems to go on forever. Standing near the Sand Springs Range, looking across miles of open country, I was reminded why Nevada continues to inspire me. The mountains, deserts, playas, and backroads have a way of making life’s daily concerns feel smaller. They encourage curiosity, adventure, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world. Nevada doesn’t always reveal its beauty immediately. Sometimes you have to leave the highway, take the long way, and explore a little. But when you do, you’ll often find something extraordinary.”
Birds Winner, Matt Aguilera
Photo: Matt Aguilera
“My good friend Ken and I had perfect light that morning. Red wing black birds truly have no fear—but maybe they want the Lahontan cutthroat trout as well.”
Birds Runner-Up, Julie Jay
Photo: Julie Jay
“I spotted this roadrunner from a distance and could tell it had caught a meal. I never expected to see what was in its beak! Whether the snake was breakfast or perhaps a gift for a potential mate, I’ll never know, but it was a wildlife encounter I won’t soon forget.”
Cities & Towns Winner, Wally Hawkins
Photo: Wally Hawkins
“This image means a lot to me because it was the first image I took after my back surgery. As I was watching the sky that day, I just had to capture this. I told myself, ‘Let’s do it.’ I hiked up six flights of stairs to get into position for this sunset.”
Cities & Towns Runner-Up, Rick Pott
Photo: Rick Pott
“I photographed the state capitol as a winter storm blanketed Carson City in snow, transforming one of Nevada’s most recognizable landmarks into a scene that felt both familiar and entirely new.”
People Winner, Scott Mortimore
Photo: Scott Mortimore
“For 30 years, my nephew and I have gathered in northern Humboldt County for chukar camp, a tradition that involves far more huffing and puffing than shooting and cussing. Here, he and his shorthaired sidekick take a water break while watching a freshly brewed storm roll into the Jackson Mountains.”
People Runner-Up, Aaron Smith
Photo: Aaron Smith
“I signed up for a photography workshop in Virginia City where actors in full Old West costume brought the town’s historic streets to life. This gentleman was standing in front of an Old West backdrop, which complemented his outfit perfectly.”
Landscape Winner, Rick Tegeler
Photo: Rick Tegeler
“This was captured along Great Basin Highway 93 between Lake Valley Summit and Pioche. The light that morning was extraordinary—the kind that makes you pull over repeatedly, not because you need another shot, but because you’d feel guilty not stopping to appreciate what nature is handing you.”
Landscape Runner-Up, Ken Huynh
Photo: Ken Huynh
“I’ve wanted to create a 360-degree panorama for quite some time and finally got the opportunity where everything came together just as I had hoped. This image is a stitch of 12 photos. The result turned out better than I expected.”
Wildlife Winner, Julie Jay
Photo: Julie Jay
“I was hiking through the wetlands of southern Nevada, making my way toward a rock pile where, in my dreams, I had seen a coyote standing for years. Then it happened. I heard coyotes calling in the distance and began jogging toward the sound. As I reached the area, I stopped dead in my tracks: There stood this beautiful coyote, exactly as I had imagined.”
Wildlife Runner-Up, Steve O’Melia
Photo: Steve O’Melia
“We were on the home stretch of a road trip to Ely when we decided to detour to a watering hole near Goldfield. When we arrived, there was one lone stallion standing there. We were about to pack up and leave when nine horses trotted down from the hills.”
Waterscape Winner, Rick Pott
Photo: Rick Pott
“I headed to Bonsai Rock and found calm water, quiet skies, and the stillness that often settles over Lake Tahoe before sunrise. As the first light reached the horizon, a faint rainbow began to form over the lake. Within minutes, it grew into a full arc stretching across the sky.”
Waterscape Runner-Up, William Carr
Photo: William Carr
“Arriving at the waterfall (at Lost Creek in Red Rock Canyon), I noticed micro foam heading downstream. I wanted to record the movement of these elements with a long shutter speed, which resulted in streaks on top of the crystal waters bending around the rocks.”
Be sure to watch for 2027 Great Nevada Picture Hunt contest information in the Spring/Summer 2027 issue of Nevada Magazine & Visitor Guide!
