The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has chosen the winners of the annual Maryland Natural Resource Photo Contest, with the grand prize going to Christopher Michael for his fun photo of a river otter, titled “Waterways Wanderer.”This year’s contest received more than 1,800 photo submissions. The grand prize package includes $700, a Maryland State Park and Trail Passport, free entry into next year’s contest, and five copies of the 2026 calendar with the winning image displayed on the cover. In addition to the overall grand prize winner, the judges selected first through third place winners in four seasonal categories—winter, spring, summer, and fall. First place winners for the three remaining seasons (other than the grand prize winner) will receive $100, a ​Maryland State Park Passport, and five copies of the 2026 calendar. The winners of the 2025 Maryland Natural Resource Photo Contest are below; larger images of the photos can be found on this online gallery.