​Sonoma County is home to one of the most diverse park systems in California – spanning cities, suburbs, valleys, mountains, rivers and ocean – with open space conservation land, developed trails, skate parks, tennis and pickleball courts, sports fields, playgrounds, beaches, picnic areas, marinas and campgrounds.
The nonprofit Sonoma County Parks Foundation supports more than 60 parks and trails in the Sonoma County Regional Parks system, as well as programs for children, adults, seniors and underserved populations in the parks.
Your participation in this photo contest – as a contest entrant or a voter – helps us raise vital funds for programs that serve children and teens in parks, trail construction and renovations, and climate action projects. Thank you!
Meet out 2026 Contest Judges!
- Kathryn Koh
Bio: Photography is a powerful skill, and I have been a student of it for as long as I can remember. Fortunately for me photography was my father’s hobby, and I grew up with access to a dark room and a father to teach me the physics of light. I focus my work on portraits, both people and animals. I also enjoy action and travel photography. Today’s cameras are so easy and powerful that anyone can take a good picture. The most important thing to taking valuable pictures is to capture what you love, what you want to remember and what you want to share with others. Happy shooting.
- Alex Glavtchev
Site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexg_imagery/
Bio: I was born in Bulgaria and moved to the U.S. as a teenager, eventually settling with my family in the South Bay. I attended UC Davis, where I earned an undergraduate degree in Physics, and later completed a Master’s in Physics at San Jose State University. It was at UC Davis that I met my wife, and together we decided to relocate to Sonoma County to raise our children in a smaller, nature-filled community. Professionally, I’ve worked in various high-tech roles and currently work as a software engineer at Keysight in Santa Rosa. I’m currently the admin and a judge for Keysight’s internal monthly employee photo contest. These opportunities have deepened my connection to the photography community and continue to inspire my own work. Outside of work, I’m passionate about hiking, swimming, playing soccer, and, most of all, photography. I’m completely self-taught and have spent years improving my craft by learning from YouTube creators and exploring photography concepts and techniques. My focus is on intimate nature photography, but I enjoy mixing it up with landscapes and urban scenes to challenge myself creatively.
- Ben Byrne
Sites: gallery.byrnecreative.com, instagram.com/byrnecreativephotography
Bio: Born and raised in the Midwest, I relocated to Santa Rosa in 2016 after a series of chapters in places ranging from Massachusetts to New Mexico. Although my interest in photography spans several decades, it was the move to Sonoma County that sharpened my focus and inspired a more dedicated and deliberate pursuit of the medium. I am primarily drawn to the landscapes of the North Bay, though my work also reflects a broader curiosity about the natural world beyond it. From wild coastlines and quiet inland trails to distant places and encounters with wildlife, my approach is guided by a desire to capture not just a scene, but the atmosphere and emotional resonance of a moment.