Daily Herald photo contest winners for April 2025
The Daily Herald’s amateur photo contest winners for April capture the beauty of the natural world, from the Arizona desert, all the way to a remote South Atlantic island.
In the top spot is Ryan Donahue’s vibrant photo capturing the bright yellow chest and bold black V marking of an Eastern Meadowlark.
The Dundee Township resident writes, “The Eastern Meadowlarks are often skittish, and call and sing from far off in the distance of the pastures. On this day, this particular bird decided to hop up onto the fence post and put on a show! Despite some cold and blustery days, the beautiful song and bright colors of the Meadowlarks remind me that spring is here and summer is coming!”
During a visit to Arizona, Rob Krupp of Buffalo Grove was entranced by Mother Nature’s beauty in the subtropical Sonoran Desert. But it was during a walk down a side street in Scottsdale that he came upon our second place photo of two giant Saguaro cacti locked in an embrace.
In the third spot is Rita Zoladz’s photo of a curious Gentoo penguin during a cruise stop at the Falkland Islands. The Bloomingdale resident writes, “We were told to not move too close to the penguins, who were all clumped together on the beach. This one separated from the group and came walking toward me. I guess he was doing some exploring of his own!”
During a spring visit to the oldest art museum in Tennessee, Ken Juranek of Des Plaines rounds out the list with his photo capturing the reflection of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in a puddle on the curved brick walkway.
An honorable mention goes to longtime photo contest contributor Mike Weimer of St. Charles, who spotted this chipmunk in hiding at Cantigny Park in Wheaton. The St. Charles resident writes, “I like the direct eye contact between me and my newfound chipmunk ‘friend,’ and the shallow depth-of-field that makes its facial details stand out.”
Contest rules
The Daily Herald invites readers to submit their own photos to our “Your Images” amateur photo contest.
Once a month, we showcase entries that feature one first-place winner and three runners-up. The contest is open to everyone in the Daily Herald readership area.
• To submit a photo of your own for consideration, email it in .jpg format at highest quality possible to yourimages@dailyherald.com.
• Include your name, mailing address and phone number, plus a detailed description of your photo. Remember to include what you like about it.
• One photo a week per photographer, but enter as many weeks as you’d like.
• First-place winners will receive prizes alternating between The Great Frame Up in Schaumburg and PJ’s Camera in Glen Ellyn.