Photo contest winners capture national parks in the West — with stunning success

If you need any inspiration to visit national parks this summer, take a look at these winning photographs in the 2015 Share the Experience contest sponsored in part by the National Park Foundation. Many feature public lands in the West, making them a close-to-home destination.

First prize and $10,000 went to Yang Lu of El Segundo who captured a light-filled moment at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on the Arizona-Utah border. He and his wife went on a two-day backpack when he snapped this, according to the National Park Foundation’s website.

“My photography is not just for recreation, it is to inspire people to explore these areas,” he wrote in explaining the photo.

The image also will be featured on the annual Federal Recreational Lands Pass too.

The 2016 photography contest is under way now. The rules are simple: Snap your best shot of any national park or federal recreational land and enter by Dec. 31. Go to www.sharetheexperience.org to see rules, past winners, submission categories and learn how to upload an entry.

Ten others submitted winning photographs in the contest also sponsored by Active Network and Celestron telescope maker. Here’s a sampling of some; go to the Share the Experience blog to see the rest.

Second place went to Koustubh Kulkarni of Johnson City, Tenn., for a photo of the 49 Palms Oasis Trail at Joshua Tree National Park in California. He won $5,000 plus other prizes too.

Third place went to Sarah Gustafson of San Francisco for a self-portrait on the salt flats of Death Valley National Park. She won $3,000 plus other prizes.

Erik Fremstad won in the night skies category for this arresting photo of Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota.

Brent Wauer won for the wildlife category with this photo of insects in Saguaro National Park in Tucson.

Kimberly Hall won in the Every Kid in a Park category for these two buddies who found their perfect place in paradise.

The pair are chilling out at Maho Bay in Virgin Islands National Park on St. John in the Virgin Islands.

MORE

New carries bring more flight options to LAX

Another 8 unanswered questions about Disneyland’s ‘Star Wars’ land

Cunard celebrates Queen Elizabeth II and four ships she launched, in photos

As the National Park Service turns 100, a look back and forward

Facing difficult questions at the Manhattan Project’s Hanford site.