Photo Snapped in La Jolla Wins Prestigious Audubon Award
A striking image of a majestic Brandt’s Cormorant in flight over La Jolla has won a San Diego County photographer a prestigious slot in the 2025 Audubon Photography Awards.
Barbara Swanson of San Diego County won top honors in the “Plants for Birds” category of the 2025 International Audubon Photography Awards for her image of a Brandt’s Cormorant flying over the Pacific Ocean.
In Swanson’s photograph, the Brandt’s Cormorant — a native seabird — flies over the Pacific Ocean with a beak full of sea grass and red grape algae. According to the Audubon Society, the image is the result of skill, timing, and good old fashioned patience.
Swanson needed to wait in challenging La Jolla conditions for the cormorant in flight. When she spotted the bird, she only had seconds to focus her camera, snap the image, and capture the vibrant contrast between plant and bird. The result speaks for herself, and took top honors in the latest Audubon Photography Awards.
A full size image of the photograph is available below:
The award hits close to home for San Diego County, which has more than 512 species of native birds. The Brandt’s Cormorant is a large, heavy seabird that nests on rocky islands and cliffs forages for food by diving into the waters of the coast.
America’s Finest City was also represented by other honorably mentioned photographs, including one of an acorn woodpecker snapped in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park — one of the best hikes in San Diego.
The Audubon Society says photographs like Swanson’s are not just pieces of art, they’re also a reminder to protect our natural habitats and their abundant beauty. You can do your part to protect our environment by recycling, driving less, and supporting ocean-friendly brands in San Diego.
Media credit: Image courtesy of audubon.org
Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
