Wild Desert Calendar Submissions

Bruce Couch

Calling all photographers! Use your creativity and talent to support conservation! Submit your best shots of Oregon’s high desert for a chance to have your photos featured in our iconic Wild Desert Calendar.

ONDA’s Wild Desert Calendar

  • Is the only published collection of images devoted exclusively to Oregon’s high desert
  • Is a unique volunteer-led effort to inspire action to protect and restore public lands and waters and wildlife habitat
  • Reaches a broad audience — the Wild Desert Calendar is mailed to all ONDA members and is sold by retail vendors across Oregon
Submit Photos

The submission period for the 2024 Wild Desert Calendar is now closed. If you submitted photos, stay tuned for an email in the coming weeks letting you know if your photo was selected.

2024 Deadline

The final deadline for 2024 was Friday June 16, 2023 at 11:59 pm PST. For more opportunities to share photos that capture the natural beauty of central and eastern Oregon’s high desert with ONDA, sign up for our volunteer photographers list.

Prizes

Submit one or more images and you’ll be entered in to a drawing for an “explore the desert” prize package that features gear and goods from MiiR, COAST, Arcade, CNOC Outdoors, Mountaineers Books, and more.

Additional prizes will be presented to featured landscape image photographers, featured detail image photographers, and featured people image photographers.

voices

Sarah Graham, Sage Sustainers Member

Sarah Graham, Sage Sustainers Member

“I contribute to ONDA monthly because it adds up to a larger annual gift than what I’d be able to comfortably afford if I were to do a simple one-time donation annually. I’m able to give more to ONDA this way and have greater impact which is important to me, and my dog Polly.”

watch

Jeremy Fox on Steens Landscape

Jeremy Fox on Steens Landscape

voices

Reid Williams, 2021 Conservationist of the Year

Reid Williams, 2021 Conservationist of the Year

How far are you willing to hike for conservation? Reid Williams offered to put in more than 20 miles a day, by himself, walking and monitoring fence lines on Beatys Butte. And that was on top of weekly visits to the ONDA office, where he is always eager to help with extra projects. In acknowledgment of his willingness and helpful spirit, ONDA named him our 2021 Conservationist of the Year.

Five tips for the best chance of being featured

  1. Include a variety of shots. We need large-scale landscape images and also small-scale shots of plants, animals, insects, petroglyphs, and other desert details and small wonders.
  2. Show us desert-loving people. There are many ways to enjoy the desert — birding, hiking, camping, fishing, biking and more — and all sorts of people who appreciate this landscape. While we don’t need all your family photos, we’d love to see some shots capturing people’s enthusiasm and love for the high desert!  
  3. Think natural and public. Photos of roads, power lines or other signs of permanent human development are unlikely to be selected. Photos of private lands and non-native species will not be considered. Consider engaging in Nature First Principles.
  4. Focus on ONDA priorities. We love to feature the places we are focused on protecting and restoring. Learn about our priority regions or check out our Featured Projects for specific ideas. (For example, Smith Rock State Park is beautiful, but ONDA doesn’t work there.)
  5. Look to the past. Past editions of our Wild Desert Calendar will give you a good sense for the kinds of photos we’ve loved before.

About the Photographers and Videographers

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How to Take Better Photos of Oregon’s High Desert

Author: Lace Thornberg  |  Published: March 9, 2018  | Updated: May 5, 2022  |  Categories: How-to   Five landscape photographers share their advice: knowledge, persistence, patience The arid landscape that covers […]

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