By Amy Howe
1st Place, Debra Smith
Debra Smith captured this heartwarming image of three little bluebirds perched on a bird bath during the winter on her wooded property in Joplin, Missouri. With Missouri’s state bird being a rare sight on her property, she was thrilled to see a dozen of them flitting around that day. When she spotted three gathered at the bird bath, she knew it was a moment worth capturing. Originally from Florida, Debra moved to Missouri 11 years ago and quickly fell in love with nature photography, embracing the beauty of all four seasons for the first time. She enjoys going on nature walks and scenic drives, always keeping her camera close. Having entered the contest several times before, this year was her winning year—making it even more special, as the Wildcat Glades area holds a special place in her heart.
2nd Place, Susan James
Susan James captured this striking image of a swallowtail caterpillar on one of her fennel plants in her Bois D’Arc, Missouri, garden. She planted fennel specifically to attract swallowtail butterflies and loved counting the caterpillars each day. At one point, over 30 of them covered her three plants, all at different stages of growth. Growing the fennel from seed made the experience even more rewarding. Now retired from a career in education, Susan enjoys nurturing plants and pollinators, finding joy in capturing nature’s beauty through her lens.
3rd Place, Sheila O’Daniel
Sheila O’Daniel captured this stunning image of a hummingbird in flight, feeding on a pink flower at her home in Carterville, Missouri. This past summer brought more hummingbirds to her home than ever, making it the perfect time to set up a photo shoot. For over a decade, she has enjoyed attracting them with feeders and watching them from the porch with her husband. She’s even had one eat from her hand—a surreal experience. Fascinated by their movements, she loves trying to photograph them flying backward and interacting with each other. In addition to photography, Sheila creates a hummingbird calendar each year.
Kids Contest Winner: CAE Wood, 13 years old, Pittsburg, Kansas
Thirteen-year-old CAE Wood captured this unique perspective while on a walk with friends last spring. After the snow melted, she spotted giant mushrooms in a neighbor’s yard and wondered what they’d look like from an ant’s point of view. The result? A striking, ground-up view that makes the fungi feel larger than life. Inspired by her dad, a professional photographer, CAE loves experimenting with different techniques, often photographing birds, sunsets and flowers. Winning the kids’ photo contest was beyond what she imagined!
Facebook Fan Favorite
Our Show Me The Ozarks Facebook fans chose Sheila O’Daniel’s hummingbird in the sunflowers photo as their favorite this year. Every year, Sheila’s husband plants sunflowers in her garden and most summer mornings at sunrise, Sheila sits in a chair she has positioned in her garden, camera in hand, to watch the hummingbirds swarm her garden to feed.
See the honorable mentions and all of the nature photos that were entered in the contest in the March 2025 print and digital editions.