Bank of Utah reopens My Utah Photo Contest for landscapes and adventures

Red rock at sunset, a skier carving under bluebird light or a trail rider framed by canyon walls now has a shot at more than a social media post. Bank of Utah has reopened its My Utah Photo Contest, and the annual call for images is built around the kind of outdoor scenes Four Corners readers know well: landscapes, action shots and the everyday moments that make Utah feel alive.

The 2026 contest is in its seventh year and runs through 11:59 p.m. MDT on July 6. Bank of Utah is asking entrants to fill in the prompt “My Utah is ____” with photos that capture what the state means to them, whether that comes through summer sunsets, red rocks, ski runs or images from hiking, riding, climbing, paddling and other outdoor pursuits. The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers, but entrants must be 18 or older. A parent or guardian may submit on behalf of a minor under the rules, and each entrant may send in up to three photos.

The prize package gives the competition real pull for photographers who want their work seen beyond a local feed. First place gets $500, a billboard feature and the front cover spot in the annual photo contest calendar. Second place receives $300 and a calendar feature, while third place gets $200 and a calendar feature. Nine honorable mentions will also appear in the calendar, and Best in Show brings $150 and the back cover. Bank of Utah says winners will be announced July 13.

Visibility is a major part of the appeal. Selected photos may be used for up to two years in advertising, publicity, social media, the bank website, digital signage and printed collateral. The bank also says it may pay up to $150 per image for additional non-winning photos it wants to use, and select contest images may be featured in its Feature Fridays Instagram series.

The contest has already shown what tends to stand out. Bank of Utah says its 2025 competition drew 420 submissions, its best year yet. That year’s top images ranged from a Jensen, Utah sandhill crane scene to Utah Lake ice formations, Little Cottonwood Canyon and American Fork Canyon. For outdoor photographers, that mix is the real clue: the strongest entries do not have to be the most famous overlooks. They can come from wild corners, active trails and the shoulder seasons when Utah’s scenery looks sharpest and least expected.