Prairie & Forests Division- Round 1

Prairie & Forests Round 1

Welcome to the March Madness Photo Showdown, an elimination style tournament that pairs sixty four of my top nature and landscape photos in head to head competition, with viewers deciding which advance through the rounds. You can read complete contest details HERE, and participate through social media or by emailing me your choices between each of the pairings below. (Numbers refer to photo seeding for the contest. It's pretty arbitrary, really, just for fun. The lower numbers indicate photos that have traditionally been more popular, however there are several never before shared images in the mix.Click on the photos to view larger, or read the descriptions.)

Prairie & Forests Division- Round 1

What can I say about this one... it is hands down my most popular photo- both in terms of sales and comments at shows- and certainly...

(1) "Make a Wish..." Cedar County, Iowa

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Sights of the shoulder season as fresh snow and fallen aspen leaves share the trail through Christmas Meadows in Wasatch National...

(16) "Christmas Meadows" Wasatch National Forest

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A narrow road winds through towering redwoods in Stout Grove at California's Redwood National Park. This was my first visit to...

(8) "Redwood Slalom" Redwood National Park, California

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Sunbeams filter through the forest canopy on a summer morning at Wildcat Den State Park. This gorgeous recreation area located...

(9) "Sanctuary" Wildcat Den State Park, Iowa

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"There are moments, in Iowa, when you swear heaven might just open up..." This is exactly what I remember thinking to myself...

(5) "After the Storm" Cedar County, Iowa

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(12) "Prairie Dreams" Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa

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Titled in reference to the old Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song "Woodstock", this image is one of my all time personal favorites...

(4) "Back to the Garden" Red Haw State Park, Iowa

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Fog parts along the river bottom on an October morning in Palisades-Kepler State Park as soft light paints yellow leaf reflections...

(13) "Palisades" Palisades-Kepler State Park, Iowa

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Anticipating the birth of my son I came to this very spot every morning for a week in advance. It's a special place, a country...

(2) "Sacred Ground" Cedar County, Iowa

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Loess Hills

(15) "Loess Hills" Monona County, Iowa

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(7) "Winter's Beauty" Cedar County, Iowa

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Yellow and orange speckled leaves line the trail in early autumn at Wildcat Den State Park near Muscatine. Deep wooded hollows...

(10) "Wildcat Gold" Wildcat Den State Park, Iowa

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Pink redbud blossoms line the trail on a foggy spring morning in Red Haw State Park. This enchanted scene seems to invite slipping...

(3) "Enchanted" Red Hawk State Park, Iowa

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Backbone State Park

(14) Backbone State Park, Iowa

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Looking out from a subterranean vantage on a gorgeous autumn afternoon in Maquoketa Caves State Park.Limited Edition of 100.

(6) "Down in a Hole" Maquoketa Caves State Park, Iowa

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A magical scene high in the mountains of Sequoia National Park as fog lingers above the giant trees blanketed with heavy snow...

(11) "Sequoia in Snow" Sequoia National Park, California

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To enter in the prize drawing, choose your favorite from each matchup above (you can either note them by name or number) and send me an email listing those choices. Please be sure to mention the division name (Prairie & Forests- Round 1.) You will earn entry points for each pick you make across several drawings. Round 1 voting runs through 10 o'clock Monday night, so just be sure and get your picks in by then.

Thanks for playing, and good luck!

EMAIL JOSH HERE