Local Photographers Shine in CBA’s 2025 Amateur Photo Contest
The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) continues to celebrate the natural beauty and ecological diversity of our region through creativity, education, and community connection. Earlier this year, CBA invited local photographers of all skill levels to turn their lenses toward the Choctawhatchee Bay and surrounding waterways for the 2025 Amateur Photo Contest, a highlight of the Mattie Kelly Environmental Initiative.
The response was nothing short of inspiring, and the submitted images captured the Basin’s wild and serene character in vivid detail. Now, those moments have been brought together in the 2025 Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance Photo Contest Calendar, featuring twelve winning photographs, each representing a month, a story, and a slice of the region’s environmental heritage.
The featured photographers include:
January: Augusto Cayson Barreto
February: Kayla Gallant (2nd Place Winner)
March: Randal R. Ketchem
April: Stacey Tobik
May: Margot Penner
June: Guy Donaldson (3rd Place Winner)
July: Lisa D. Hill
August: Richard Ives
September: Jennifer Chapple
October: David Bailey
November: Anna Brotzman (1st Place Winner)
December: Jessica Temple
“These photographs highlight the incredible talent in our community and remind us why protecting the Choctawhatchee Basin matters,” said Alison McDowell, Executive Director of the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance. “Each winning image tells a story about the beauty and importance of our environment.”
The contest not only celebrates artistic expression but also reinforces CBA’s mission to raise awareness for the Basin’s ecosystems. Every photograph, whether selected or not, reflects a shared appreciation for the waterways, wildlife, and habitats that define our region.
As the Basin continues to evolve, CBA’s initiatives, including this annual contest, provide meaningful opportunities for residents to engage with and protect the environment that sustains us all.
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) is committed to sustaining swimmable, fishable, livable waterways in the Choctawhatchee watershed through monitoring, restoration, education and research. We are driven to provide education and experiences that empower local and visitors alike to be good stewards of our waterways, wetlands, and shorelines.
To learn more about the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, visit https://basinalliance.org/.
