2025 Earth Day Photography Contest: "Hidden Gems"

Attention nature lovers and photography fans! The City of Sonoma, in partnership with the Sonoma Community Center, is excited to share the entries for the 2025 Earth Day Photo Contest. This year’s theme, “Hidden Gems,” invited community members to explore and capture Sonoma Valley’s lesser-known natural treasures—those quiet, breathtaking places that often go unnoticed but make our region truly special.

From hidden groves and secluded creeks to stunning vistas off the beaten path, each submission offers a unique perspective on the natural beauty of Sonoma Valley. Now it’s your turn to help choose the winners!

Key Dates

Submissions Accepted: March 1 – March 31, 2025
Online Voting: April 11 – April 18, 2025
Winners Announced: Earth Day, April 22, 2025

Browse the online photo gallery below .

All submitted photos will be displayed in Sonoma’s City Council Chambers as part of the Rotating Chamber Art Program, offering the community a chance to enjoy these images in person later this spring.

Winners in each age category will receive a Sonoma County Regional Parks Membership Voucher or a local business gift certificate, and will be recognized at the Opening Night of the Tuesday Night Farmers Market on May 7, 2025.

Help us celebrate Earth Day by supporting local talent and shining a light on the hidden natural beauty that surrounds us!

A roadway with vineyards behind a fence with a colorful sunset.

a double rainbow with wetlands in the foreground.

a row of palm trees against a silhouette of a hill with a rising sun.

A field of white flowers with a blue sky with clouds.

A view of the sky at sunset with silhouettes of trees.

A road lined with trees and vineyards and hills in the background.

a stone bench and sculpture of a cherub overlooking a hillside.

A view of a valley with a tree without leaves in the foreground.

A view of green hills and puffy clouds in a blue sky.

A view of a lake with trees and a hill in the background.

A photo of flowering trees on a hillside with a blue sky with clouds.

A garden in spring with a life size sculpture of a cow.

Queen Anne's lace flowers covered with webs with rays of sunlight coming through redwoods.

Stalks of orange flowers against a fence.

a catus near a wire fence with dry grass field in the background.

Rows of high vineyards with green leaves.

Sonoma City Hall with a dramatic dark sky.

Turtles in a pond covered in floating green plants.

A circle of redwood trees with a clearing with rocks in a spiral.

A goat about to nibble on grass from the point of view of the grass.

Kent Sorensen, "Whispering Calm of Sonoma, "

Deadline: Submit your photo by 11:59 PM on Monday, March 31, 2025
Limit: Only one photo per person in one of the following age categories:

12 and under
13 – 20
21 and over

How to Submit: Use the online form below
Format: Photos must be in JPG or PNG format and a maximum of 25MB
Minimal editing/filters, please

The City of Sonoma and Sonoma Community Center reserves the right to exclude works that do not align with the theme or contest guidelines. All images are subject to approval. No nudity, political statements, or overly graphic/explicit content will be accepted. This is an all-ages photography contest.

Photos must be taken in Sonoma Valley. For this contest, "Sonoma Valley" is defined as:

North of San Pablo Bay at Sears Point
East of the Sonoma Mountain Range
South of Melita Road & Highway 12
West of the Mayacamas Mountain Range

Photos may also be featured in future Earth Day and Earth Action Week promotions.

For questions, contact Sarah Tracy at stracy@sonomacity.org.

2025 Earth Day Photography Contest: “Hidden Gems”

Key Dates

2025 “Hidden Gems” Online Gallery

Submission Guidelines