Hill Country Alliance holds photo contest

DRIPPING SPRINGS — This spring, the Hill Country Alliance (HCA) is calling on anyone with a camera to share their view of this iconic region and its many inhabitants in the 2023 Hill Country Photo Contest “Home in the Hill Country.”

Now through May 31, 2023, photographers of all ages and skill levels, from amateur to professional, are invited to participate in HCA’s 17th annual photography contest. Winners will receive cash prizes and their photos will appear in HCA’s 2024 calendar. Entries can be submitted to HCA’s website at www.hillcountryalliance.org/PhotoContest.

The Texas Hill Country, famous for its pristine streams, blooming wildflowers, star-filled night skies and tucked-away small towns, is home to over 3.8 million people and growing fast. Home to three of the fastest growing counties in the country, the Hill Country’s population is projected to grow to 5.2 million in the next seven years.

Native flora and fauna that have called the region home for millennia — from beloved gray foxes and live oaks to delicate monarchs and milkweeds — are finding their habitats reduced as our human homes continually expand into their native ranges. As more and more people call the Hill Country home, many of the region’s most special qualities like sweeping open spaces, clear flowing waters and starry night skies are at risk of being loved to death and lost forever.

In this year's contest, we are looking for original photography that captures the vibrant beauty of our native landscapes, wildlife and water resources of the Texas Hill Country. Countless creatures call the Hill Country home, and beyond the wildlife and plants that reside here, we are also interested in seeing the people and communities that make up this special part of Texas. We particularly encourage photographers to consider submitting shots that feature the diversity of the Hill Country, its people and its future.

Winning photographs will be featured in HCA’s annual Texas Hill Country Calendar which features stunning photography from each year’s photo contest. Both the photo contest and the calendar aim to highlight the beauty of the region, provide an informative resource on Hill Country conservation and inspire folks to learn more and become involved in the issues important to keeping the natural resources of this unique region intact.

The Hill Country Alliance is a nonprofit organization with a purpose to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country. Learn more at www.hillcountryalliance.org.