DELAWARE- The winning images in the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's 2026 Photo Contest.
The winning photographs were unveiled July 30 at the Delaware State Fair, where Gov. Matt Meyer and DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson presented this year's top entries. The contest drew more than 300 photographs from more than 200 participants representing seven jurisdictions, including Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, California and Washington, D.C.
DNREC combined several separate photography competitions into a single statewide contest beginning in 2025. After receiving hundreds of entries in its inaugural combined format, the agency continued the expanded competition for 2026.
The agency says photographs were judged on visual effectiveness, originality, creativity, universal appeal and how well they reflected the contest's theme. Winners in five categories each received a $500 gift card, two Delaware State Parks daily passes, a gift bag and an award certificate. Fourteen honorable mentions also were recognized.
The contest featured four primary categories — People Enjoying Nature, Watersheds: Landscapes and Waterways, Wildlife and Aquatic Life, and Hunting and Fishing — along with a youth award for photographers younger than 18.
In the People Enjoying Nature category, Newark photographer Vincente Pineda earned top honors with "Spring,". Courtesy of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
In the People Enjoying Nature category, Newark photographer Vincente Pineda earned top honors with "Spring," an image showing a woman painting in a sunlit garden surrounded by flowers and greenery. Pineda, who launched his photography business in 2024, captured the image during the Newark Arts Alliance's Garden Tour in spring 2025.
Milton photographer Bill Cheadle won the Watersheds: Landscapes and Waterways category with "Harbor of Refuge,". Courtesy of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
Milton photographer Bill Cheadle won the Watersheds: Landscapes and Waterways category with "Harbor of Refuge," a sunset photograph of the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse standing off Cape Henlopen State Park against a dramatic purple-blue sky.
"…The time of day and lighting effects were exceptional for photography. I've always loved lighthouses and was happy for the opportunity to capture this historic and iconic structure in these dramatic conditions," Cheadle said.
The Wildlife and Aquatic Life category was won by Pike Creek photographer Jerry am Ende for "Ruby-Throated Hummingbird." Courtesy of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
The Wildlife and Aquatic Life category, which attracted the contest's largest field with 139 submissions, was won by Pike Creek photographer Jerry am Ende for "Ruby-Throated Hummingbird." The close-up image captures the bird feeding among colorful flowers.
In the Hunting and Fishing category, Magnolia's Fred Waski received first place for "First Retrieve of the Morning,". Courtesy of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
In the Hunting and Fishing category, Magnolia's Fred Waski received first place for "First Retrieve of the Morning," featuring his son's 5-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever, Creek, swimming through marsh waters with a duck at sunrise.
"Spending time in nature with my family is the best thing in the world. Being in the outdoors brings a calm to me," Waski said.
13-year-old Emma Serbinski of Frederica wins youth award for "Egrets,". Courtesy of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
The youth award went to 13-year-old Emma Serbinski of Frederica for "Egrets," a photograph of a snowy egret and a great egret standing in the water at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
"The natural world matters to me because there are so many species and habitats to explore and learn about. We only have one Earth, and caring about it matters a lot," Emma said.
DNREC said its next statewide photo contest is expected to begin accepting submissions in January.
