Staff of Yesterday’s Island/Today’s Nantucket and of The Insiders Guide to Nantucket: Nantucket.net are delighted to dedicate this issue to the winners of our annual Nantucket Photo Contest and to the many entries we received that deserve honorable mention. This year’s contest drew an impressive field of more than 975 entries from photographers who showcased their passion for Nantucket’s natural beauty and timeless charm.
The 2025 contest once again highlighted what makes Nantucket so photographically compelling, with the majority of submissions featuring the island’s sunsets and the dramatic waves that crash along our pristine shores. From the golden hour glow over Nantucket Sound to the powerful Atlantic swells along the south shore, photographers demonstrated their deep connection to our island’s breathtaking evening skies and ever-changing seascapes.
People from 33 states entered this year’s contest: many entries were from visitors who live all across Massachusetts and a good number were taken by Nantucket residents. In addition to spectacular shots of sunsets and waves, participants sent in lots of photos of hydrangeas in full bloom, of children enjoying the beach, and of four-legged friends (we loved seeing more of Willow, who was featured in the photo that won second place last year). Nantucket photographer Burton “Spruce” Balkind shared with us his great action shot of an island surfer.
This year, Eric Chrusch of Limerick, PA took first place with his photo overlooking Nantucket town. “We were on day two of our family vacation and decided to take a stroll,” Eric explained, “…walking down Orange Street, I decided to throw my drone up from the sidewalk… When we were finally able to upload the images from the drone, that’s when we saw I had captured the iconic clock tower/church with the stunning background. We knew we had a Nantucket gem of a photo.” Our judges agree!
We couldn’t come to an agreement over who should win second place, so we decided to award this to two entries: the photo of the Berry’s home on Brant Point by Jill Manderfeld of Argyle, Texas and the photo by Nantucket resident Janette Vohs of the two deer daring her to follow them onto private property. We’ve all seen that challenging look from deer foraging in our backyards.
You can see these prize-winning photos in this issue and on nantucket.net/photo-contest along with many others that received honorable mention.
The contest continues to serve as both a celebration of Nantucket’s natural splendor and a testament to the island’s enduring ability to inspire artistic expression. To the participants who did not receive a prize or honorable mention: don’t give up, there’s always another chance to win—we’re already accepting entries for our 2026 Nantucket Photo Contest. Visit Nantucket.net and YesterdaysIsland.com frequently: a photo you entered may appear on a cover of one of our print and digital publications.