2018 Photo Contest

"In a Golden Pond" by Rod Martinez

By Mona Neeley, Editor –

Electric co-op members across the state captured amazing photos of Colorado for this year’s annual magazine photo contest. We received 849 entries in the four categories: Classic Colorado, Cute Critters, Seasonal Salute and Water Wonders.

Entries included iconic mountain scenes; endless vistas from the eastern plains; owls, moose, elk and other Colorado critters; golden aspen, snowy pine trees, spring flowers, waterfalls, mountain streams, roiling rivers and so much more. Photographers in all four corners of the state captured Colorado in all its beauty, including San Isabel Electric member Debie Foster of Trinidad, who placed first in the Classic Colorado category with the photo below that captures our state flag’s classic “C” in a Colorado sunset.

Check out the first, second and third place winners in each of the four categories below. We also created a video that combines the winning entries with the runners up. Click here to see it. You can also find the video on our YouTube page.  Enjoy more of the stunning entries all year on our Facebook (/COCountryLife) and Instagram pages (@COCountryLife).

Classic Colorado

1st Place – Submitted by Debie Foster, San Isabel Electric

“Classic Colorado Sunset”

2nd Place – Submitted by Alana Thrower Elbert, Mountain View Electric

“Outside of Ridgway”

3rd Place – Submitted by Donnell Allen Colorado Springs, Mountain View Electric

“Winter Herding”

Seasonal Salute

1st Place – Submitted by Rachelle Watkins Dove Creek, Empire Electric

“Summer in Dove Creek, CO”

2nd Place – Submitted by Coleen Graybill Buena Vista, Sangre de Cristo Electric

“Together We Stand”

3rd Place – Submitted by Shane Morrison Colorado Springs, Mountain View Electric

“Autumn Fishing on the Arkansas River”

Cute Critters

1st Place – Submitted by Rod Martinez Grand Junction, Grand Valley Power

“In a Golden Pond”

2nd Place – Submitted by Bethany Bracht Colorado Springs, Mountain View Electric

“A New Arrival”

3rd Place – Janele Husband Craig, Yampa Valley Electric

“Donavon”

Water Wonders

1st Place – Submitted by Errin Walker Cortez, Empire Electric

“Dock Extending into the Lake”

2nd Place – Submitted by Nicole Zotter Bayfield, La Plata Electric

“Sunrise Reflection”

3rd Place – Submitted by Molly K. Johnson Granby, Mountain Parks Electric

“Colorado River on the Fly”