Majestic moment: Bald eagle photo wins February photo contest

Joe Viola’s photo of a bald eagle earned him the winning photo for February in the Forest Preserve District’s Preserve the Moment photo contest.

The Shorewood resident is the first winner in the 2026 contest, which will continue with monthly winners through December.

Judges liked the rugged and regal detail in the photo. One judge said the photo's subject “is messy and beautiful” at the same time.

The winning photo was taken at Rock Run Rookery Preserve when Viola stopped by after a long day driving a truck.

“On the day I took the photo, I had just pulled in and parked when I saw this eagle perched in a tree by the boat ramp,” he said. “I'm glad I was able to capture the shot; bald eagles are my favorite bird because they are so majestic.”

Viola started taking photos during the COVID-19 pandemic and he hasn’t stopped.

“The passion developed quickly, and now I truly enjoy seeing the beauty of nature through my lens,” he said.

And nature is his favorite subject matter.

“People often ask where I find such amazing wildlife, and I always tell them it's right near home at the Will County forest preserves,” he said. “We are very lucky to have these locations that support nature for everyone to enjoy.”

Viola said he was surprised to win, “given the many talented photographers in our area.”

Monthly winners from February through December will advance to the final round, where they will compete for likes on Facebook in January 2027 to determine first, second and third place overall.

Each monthly photo contest winner will receive a $75 gift card. Overall winners will receive MasterCard gift cards worth $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $150 for third place. At the end of the contest, three participants will be randomly selected to each receive a $75 MasterCard gift card.

The contest is made possible through the support of The Nature Foundation of Will County.

Participants are encouraged to read the rules before entering. Up to five photos can be submitted per month via the District’s contest upload page. Photos must be .jpg, no larger than 10 MB and the preserve or trail location must be indicated. No AI-generated images or watermarks are allowed. Minimal, non-AI photo editing is acceptable.

Please note: All photos must be taken in a Will County forest preserve. Some of the photos submitted in February were rejected because they were taken at sites not owned by the Forest Preserve District. 

If you are not sure which location is a forest preserve, check out the Interactive Map, which shows all Forest Preserve District locations.