2025 Photo Contest

Published April 15, 2025

Capture the Beauty of the American Chestnut and Reap the Rewards!

Now Through December 31, 2025

Grab your camera and hit the trails—the American Chestnut Photo Contest is back! We’re looking for striking, creative, and unique images of American chestnut trees and hybrids. Whether it’s a blue jay caught mid-theft with a spiky bur in its beak, the golden glow of American chestnut leaves in autumn, or fresh snow draped over barren chestnut branches, we’d love to see your seasonal pictures and share them with others.

This year, you have even more time to capture the perfect shot—entries will be accepted through December 31, 2025. The first-place winner will have their photo featured on the cover of a future issue of Chestnut magazine and receive a one-year TACF membership, along with a T-shirt and hat. The second-place winner will receive a T-shirt and sticker, and the third-place winner will receive a sticker. All winners will be recognized in a future issue of Chestnut.

Fresh American chestnut leaves, photo by Brian Fox
“Fresh American Chestnut Leaves” photo by Brian Fox, 2023 Photo Contest

How to Enter & Contest Terms

All entries must:

  • Be submitted digitally via email (gro.fcat@snoitacinummoc) or a link to a cloud drive by December 31, 2025
  • Feature or be related to the American chestnut
  • Be at least 2400 x 3000 pixels (7.6 MB) and in JPEG or TIFF format
  • Include the photographer’s name and contact information
  • Contain a full caption with subject names, location, and title
  • Be limited to five photos per entrant
  • Be previously unpublished and not entered in another contest

Submit your photos to gro.fcat@snoitacinummoc

Thank you for participating in the American Chestnut Photo Contest!

Sara Fitzsimmons in 2005 with Jim Gage, Dr Phil Arnold, Dr Robert Gregg

2005
Sara Fern Fitzsimmons with Jim Gage, Dr Phil Arnold, & Dr Robert Gregg

2006, Sara Fitzsimmons pollinates at Stockers

2006
Sara pollinating at Stockers, PA

Sara rating cankers at Thorpewood

Sara rating cankers at Thorpewood, MD

Sara at the 25th Annual TACF meeting

2008
Sara at the 25th Annual TACF Meeting

Sara and the Graves tree

2009
Sara in the PSU Graves Orchard

Sara Fern Fitzsimmons in the Glenn Swank stump, 2009

2009
Sara in the Glenn Swank stump, PA

Sara at the International Chestnut Symposium, 2012

2012
Sara at the International Chestnut Symposium

Sara in Vermont

2014
Sara with Harmony Dalgleish and the Berlin American chestnut in Vermont

Kendra and Sara in the field

Sara and Kendra Collins working in the field

Sara presenting at the 2022 TACF Spring Meeting

2022
Sara presenting at TACF’s Spring Meeting

Sara (in the rocker) with TACF staff at the Fall Meeting

2023
Sara (in the rocker) with TACF staff at the Fall Meeting

Sara Fern Fitzsimmons

2024
Sara in the Penn State greenhouses