How Aggies See the World: Winners Announced for 2025 Field Season Photo Contest

Whether conducting research, vacationing abroad or adventuring close to home, Aggies traveled the globe this summer — and captured it on camera. From views high on mountain peaks to coral reefs under the sea, Utah State University students, faculty and staff shared their experiences in this year’s Field Season Photo Contest sponsored by the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The contest entered its fourth year with the biggest response to date, including more than 500 entries from students, faculty and staff across campuses statewide. The collection includes scenic castles, wildlife like mountain lions, starry night skies, the majestic Teton mountains in Wyoming and more.

See the gallery of photo entries from this year’s contest.

“This is one of my favorite traditions continuing in the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources,” said Peter Howe, an associate dean in the college. “These images showcase the impact our college is having not only on the student experience, but as part of communities too.”

This year winners were recognized in six categories: landscapes, animals, people, closeups, “Awesome, Awkward and Amazing,” and — new this year — a Dean’s Choice award.

The Dean’s Choice Award goes to Rex Baxter for his striking landscape of a barn framed by the Teton Mountain Range. This award was chosen by Interim Dean Grant Cardon and Associate Deans Peter Howe, Mateja Savoie-Roskos, Kara Thornton-Kurth and Juan Villalba.

Other winners include:

• Landscape: James Jones for his early morning photo of a car driving through Redwoods National Park.
• Animals: Elizabeth Moon for her action photo of a cinnamon teal showing off its feathers at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in Utah.
• People: Landon Huter for his image of someone taking in the view from the summit of Mt Smutwood in Alberta, Canada.
• Closeup: Graham Lowe won this category for an artistic close-up of a cat’s eye.
• Awesome, Awkward and Amazing: Kalie Barrett for her photo of the Wave, a well-known rock formation in the Coyote Buttes North area of the Utah-Arizona border.

“I love seeing the huge variety of experiences our students, staff and faculty are engaged in, both in our own backyard in the Mountain West and across borders,” Howe said. “I’m especially impressed that so many of these images come from students involved in undergraduate research experiences, internships and study abroad trips.”

The stories behind the photos are often as impressive as the images themselves. Some photos were taken by students or faculty conducting field work. Others captured the memories of traveling to a national park for the first time or spending time with family and friends.

“Each photo was taken because it’s me doing something I love or admiring something I love,” wrote Addison Kriegh, a student in wildlife ecology and management, as part of her contest submission. “I take lots of pictures because it captures the exact moments that I’m loving — that person, place or thing. And when I look back on them, I remember why I love that thing.”

The winning photos and some runners-up will be showcased on social media and added to the gallery wall located in the Natural Resource building atrium on USU’s Logan Campus.