First Place Winner
March 2026 Competition
Kansas Mom Wins America's Favorite Photos By Capturing Yellowstone's True Color
It was a day full of marvel when Beth Diaz visited the Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park with her husband and young son.
As the largest hot spring in the United States and third largest in the world, it is known for its brilliant colors caused by bacteria that live in water that reaches 188°F.
On this day, rain had receded, and the sun had come out shining.
"The clouds and the sky were just blue and beautiful. There was steam rising off the water," Diaz recalls. “It was a magical moment."
But capturing that moment as a photo wasn’t easy.
Diaz’s 11-year-old son, full of energy, was racing around the boardwalk, not quite ready to stop and soak it in.
When he eventually settled down, Diaz began snapping her cell phone camera and struck gold.
The result was an eye-popping image of the spring's electric colors, so vivid she had no need to touch them up in post-production.
"That is truly what it looks like when you're there," she said. "That's not an altered photo."
Travel, Photography and Competition Are a Family Affair
Diaz picked up photography basics in high school but doesn't consider herself a professional.
She's a mom who loves road trips with her loved ones and believes a great camera is already in everyone's pocket.
"Nature is beautiful, and when you take photos of nature, you just can't go wrong," she said.
Diaz found America’s Favorite Photos on Facebook and entered the competition for fun.
Once she submitted her Yellowstone photo, something remarkable happened. A small circle of friends and family started voting and told their friends who told their friends, until the support grew into a full-fledged team effort.
Going through each round was nerve-wracking, Diaz remembered.
"It was up and down. I wasn't always at the top of the rankings," she said.
On the final night of voting, Diaz sat with her husband and son, refreshing the results and crossing their fingers.
When she won, the whole family celebrated.
Winning Opens Opportunity to Travel More
Diaz’s prize money will go toward something fitting: a trip to San Diego, a city the family has never visited.
"We have a hotel right on Surfers Beach," Diaz says. "It's going to be an amazing trip, and I'll have wonderful photos from that, I'm sure."
Diaz also shared that the Salvation Army holds a special place in her heart.
When she and her husband got married, a Salvation Army pastor who had moved to Chicago came back on his own time and dime, bringing his whole family, to officiate their wedding. Donating to the Salvation Army is her way of honoring that generosity.
Message to Future Competitors: Don’t Get Discouraged
For anyone considering entering America’s Favorite Photos, Diaz advises to start with a photo that means something to you, lean on your community and don't get discouraged.
"Even though I won for March, I still think a lot of those other photos were just as worthy as mine," she says. "Just keep your hopes up."
