America's 250th Photography Competition
Share your unique perspective in our America's 250th Photography Competition and help bring America’s story to life – one powerful image at a time.
This is your invitation to make history — with your lens, your story, and your voice.
You walk through battlefields and feel the silence. You see the light hitting cannon wheels just right. You witness stories unfold in reenactments, on tours, or in fleeting family moments.
Now it’s your turn to share that experience with the world.
To celebrate 250 years of American courage, conflict, and community, we’re calling on photographers, travelers, preservationists, and everyday explorers to submit photos that capture the soul of this country’s story.
The Challenge
Whether you shoot with a DSLR, a smartphone, or something vintage — if you can tell a powerful visual story, this contest is for you.
Submit Your Best Shot In One of These 4 Categories:
- Best Battlefield Landscape – Evoke awe with sweeping, sacred terrain.
- People & History – Reenactments, living history, kid exploring, and everyday moments where the past comes alive.
- Preservation in Action – Show the hands and hearts working to protect these spaces.
- Pets on the Battlefield – Because heritage is better with four legs.
Winners from each category will also be considered in our Best Overall – Judges’ Choice category. Give us your best shot and let your image speak for itself!
Make This Your Moment in History
- Visibility – Your work could be seen by thousands of history lovers and supporters.
- Get Published – Finalists will be featured across our website, social media, and more.
- Recognition – All category winners will each receive an honorary membership, custom American Battlefield Trust merch, and more.
- Grand Prize Glory – One photograph will receive the top distinction from our panel of judges, earning special recognition as the America’s 250th Photography Competition Judges’ Choice winner!
How to Enter
How to Submit
It takes just a few minutes:
- Upload your photo (JPG, PNG or HEIC, max 20MB)
- Pick a category
- Tell us the story behind the image (optional — but we love a good story)
- Hit submit, and you're in!
We’ll be spotlighting submissions all year long — and yours could be next.
Read our official competition rules here
Submission Timeline
- Submission Period: Open now through December 15, 2026
- Finalists Announced: January 2027
- Public Voting Begins: January 5, 2027
- Category Winners and Judges’ Choice Winner Revealed: Presidents Day, February 15, 2027
Spread the Word. Own the Moment.
- Got followers? Let them celebrate with you!
- Tag your submissions with #ABT250Photo on Instagram or Facebook.
- We’ll be sharing select entries across our channels — and yes, we’ll tag you back.
The Rules
- One entry per category, per person. That just keeps things fair for everyone.
- Your photo is still yours. You keep full copyrights to your work — always.
- By entering, you’re giving us permission to feature your photo in our campaigns, promotions and online store to help share your story with a wider audience.
- Want the fine print? You can review the full Official Competition Rules & Terms & Conditions.
Use the form below to upload your submission. Please fill out the form completely and ensure that your file complies with our rules and submission guidelines. The window for submissions closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on December 15, 2026. Winners will announced by Monday, February 15, 2027. Good luck!
