Please read the Official Contest Rules and Frequently Asked Questions.

Photo Location

Photos must be taken on the lands, waters, or within the facilities of these participating agencies:

1. National Park Service
2. U.S. Bureau of Land Management
3. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
4. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
5. U.S. Forest Service
6. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Photos submitted featuring city or state lands and waters will be rejected.

Photo Timeframe

For the 2025 photo contest, photographs taken between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2025, will be accepted during the contest Promotion Period from June 17 to December 31, 2025. Winners will be announced in Spring/Summer 2026. Photos taken before 2023 will be disqualified.

How to Enter

1. Create an account or log in at: www.sharetheexperience.org
2. Click on the "Enter" tab.
3. Upload photos in JPEG format. Please ensure submitted photos are high resolution (minimum 5 MP (megapixels)), as the winning photos must work in print. To calculate megapixels, multiply the X (width) by your image's Y (height).
4. Please ensure you and your photo meet all eligibility requirements by reviewing the OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES.

Judging Criteria

Photos will be judged on the following criteria:

1. Originality
2. Artistic composition
3. Technical quality
4. Photographic technique
5. Showcasing the best of America's recreational opportunities

Eligibility

1. The Contest is an amateur photo contest; professional photographers are ineligible to enter or win any prizes.
   
   1. For the purposes of the Contest, a professional photographer is defined as anyone who meets one or more of the following criteria: (i) is or has been employed full- or part-time as a photographer or in a like capacity; (ii) has an established photography business with the purpose of earning a majority of their income; (iii) currently or previously identified as a professional photographer.
2. Legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., and at least 13 years of age or older as of June 17, 2025.
3. Employees or volunteers of participating agencies, sponsors, and their family members are not eligible to enter.
   
   1. Official volunteers of the Federal Recreation Agencies, part-time or seasonal employees, former employees, or official volunteers of the Federal Recreation Agencies employed within two years of the start of the Contest Promotion Period, and those who become employees during the Contest Promotion Period are ineligible to participate.

What to Avoid

1. Don't do anything unsafe.
2. Do not excessively alter or manipulate photos. Alteration of the originally captured image should be subtle and nearly undetectable to the untrained eye.
3. Don't break any laws or rules of federal lands (current agency laws and rules will be considered).
4. Don't photograph anything inappropriate, indecent, or obscene
5. Don't submit a photo taken by anyone other than yourself.
6. Don't include watermarks, writing, or symbols on photos.
7. Don't submit more than ten (10) photos per month; any photos submitted after the monthly limit has been reached will be rejected.
8. Don't enter a photo that has previously been designated a winner in a contest or promotion of any kind, including previous Share the Experience Photo Contest years.

Above all, please enjoy your experience and remember to share it with us and tell your friends!