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Caption: And the Winner Is: Share The Experience 2015
Photo Contest
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Caption: First Place Yang Lu of El Segundo, California captured this dramatic sunrise at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah.
Caption: “My photography is not just for recreation -- it is to inspire people to explore these areas,” said Yang, who took the photograph during a two-day backpacking trip after doing tedious research on water levels and navigating to the ideal location. “My wife and I took three gallons of water. We did not see anybody for two days. There is no trail; we depended on my research. I wanted to go in the winter when the temperature and water levels were low. The curves and those formations – I have never seen anywhere. I feel it is amazing.”
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Caption: We think it’s amazing, too -- Yang’s photo is the winner of the 2015 Share the Experience photo contest -- an honor that means his photo will appear on the 2017 America the Beautiful public lands pass. Share The Experience gives amateur photographers the chance to showcase photos of the nation’s public lands and waters.
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Caption: Second Place It’s rare enough to see one bighorn sheep, let alone five! Second prize goes to this eye-catching image in Joshua Tree National Park, California by Koustubh Kulkarni.
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Caption: Of the experience, Kulkarni says: “My wife first spotted the bighorn sheep in distance. As we approached they got curious about us as much as we were about them and chose a high perch to observe their oncoming visitors. Their perch could not have been better as it had a backdrop of the setting sun with the sky shaded in beautiful hues of orange, yellow, pink and blue. The magnificent backdrop was just perfect and in this picture it almost looks like the sheep stopped to pose for us.”
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Caption: Welcome to the hottest, driest, lowest place in America: Death Valley National Park in California.
Caption: Third place goes to Sarah Gustafson for her self-portrait made while exploring the park’s salt flats. Taken during a solo camping trip over Memorial Day weekend last year, storm clouds cleared just long enough for Sarah to take a picture that shows the scope and breadth of this magnificent landscape.
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Caption: Kelly Caroll snapped this powerful photo of gnarled trees against a backdrop of orange clouds at Great Basin National Park, earning her an employee honorable mention. Here, 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines, creating surreal landscapes.
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Caption: Night Sky Winner Erik Fremstad’s stunning pic of starry skies over Badlands National Park in South Dakota won the night skies category.
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Caption: “The dark skies in the Badlands of South Dakota allow for some of the best night skies in North America. Green airglow -- caused by electrons reattaching to oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules -- encompasses the Milky Way, adding to its mystic...words and photos cannot express the awesomeness of seeing it in person” -- Erik Fremstad
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Caption: Fans chose this winner of a lone bison standing as king of the hill at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Matthew Sorum.
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Caption: David Regala won the historical category for this photo of Cedar Mesa in Utah. Cedar Mesa's Mule Canyon is home to a number of preserved Anasazi structures, including this granary called called the House on Fire. During a single season at a particular time of day, refracted sunlight funnels into this Anasazi alcove conjuring an ephemeral glow that's truly breathtaking.
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Caption: There's no better way to explore the many geologic wonders of Lake Powell than in a kayak. The adventure category winner is Rebecca Wilks for her picture of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
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Caption: This photo of a juvenile brown booby in the waters of Maho Bay at Virgin Islands National Park won the employee category. Pic by Judy Buchholz.
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Caption: An honorable mention in the employee category goes to Keenan Takahashi for this dreamy photo of clouds at Yosemite National Park.
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Caption: You’re never too young (or old) to enjoy nature -- Kimberly Hall won the every kid in a park category, a program that allows 4th graders across the nation to visit public lands and waters for free.
Kimberly Hall says: “Relaxing at Maho Bay in Virgin Islands National Park. New friends are easily found in paradise! These two little buddies are now penpals and are planning their next adventure."
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Caption: Wildlife
These brightly patterned iron cross blister beetles at Saguaro National Park in Arizona won Brent Wauer first place in the wildlife category.
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Caption: The winner of the scenic category goes to Steve Ancik for his photo of the Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness Study Area. The New Mexico landmark protects spectacular badlands of rolling water-carved clay hills that show colors rarely seen elsewhere. With little vegetation to conceal geological formations, it's easy to spot the area's rich fossils.
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Caption: We hope these fantastic photos inspire you to get outdoors & explore your public lands!
Visit www.sharetheexperience.org to see how you can enter the 2016 contest.
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