Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Fall in Love with Nature Sweepstakes! We had a fantastic turnout and received so many incredible outdoor photos.
From beaches to mountains and everything in between, we loved seeing the different ways you connect with nature.
Here are a few that caught our eye:
But now for the big question — who won the grand prize, the $1,000 REI gift card? Drumroll please… congratulations to Ivan Storck, whose photo of seals on the beach took the top spot!
Storck is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for stand-up paddling and surfing. He also enjoys aerial photography and is licensed to fly drones — in fact, that’s how he captured his winning photo.
If you’d like to see more of his work, check out his Instagram: @storckphotos.
When we asked what he plans to do with the REI gift card, he said he’s excited to purchase a new rack system for his car and some car camping gear to continue his road adventures and capture even more nature photos.
Storck also shared what nature means to him:
“I love nature because it’s where I find flow, awe, peace, and beauty all at once. What we call wilderness has been shaped by Indigenous peoples since time immemorial. It’s a portal into an alternate reality, where sustainability was central to all our relations. It’s our duty, andand to our benefit, to bring holistic and sustainable thinking into our current organizations and behaviors to repair the world.”
That’s what it’s all about: connecting with and giving back to nature. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Fall in Love with Nature Sweepstakes!
Publisher’s Note: This content is made possible by our Today’s Homeowner Campaign Sponsors: Whirlpool Corporation. Whirlpool Corporation takes sustainability seriously, in both their products and their operations. Learn more about building and buying homes that are more affordable and less resource intensive.