RCRC Announces Winner of Ninth Annual Rural County Photo Contest: Napa County Photo Takes Top Spot

SACRAMENTO, CA—The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is pleased to announce the winner of RCRC’s 9^th Annual Rural County Photo Contest. First place was awarded to Andrew Lincoln for his striking image of a flock of sheep providing vegetation management in a Napa County vineyard. The contest drew submissions from amateur and professional photographers across the state, each capturing the beauty and character of California’s rural counties.

Born into a Napa Valley winegrowing family whose roots date back to the 1800s, Andrew Lincoln was first introduced to photography by his grandmother, whose influence sparked a lifelong passion for the craft. He now resides in the Los Carneros region—once known for sheep ranching and now celebrated for its vineyards—where his work centers on nature, agriculture, and pastoral beauty. Inspired by conservation photography and the evocative imagery of the wine country, Mr. Lincoln creates visual stories grounded in a deep reverence for the land—a vision captured in his winning photograph titled Woolly Weeders.

Congratulations to Andrew Lincoln of Napa County on earning first place in the RCRC Annual Rural County Photo Contest,” said Napa County Supervisor and RCRC Board Delegate Anne Cottrell. “His image of ‘woolly weeders’ grazing between vineyard rows showcases the vibrant agricultural industry within our county – and beautifully captures an important land stewardship and vegetation management practice.”

This year’s competition received a record 320 entries. The RCRC Board of Directors selected the top three photographs at its August 13 meeting. Second place went to Derek Ikeda for his image of the Palisade Glacier and Big Pine Lakes in Inyo County, while Eric Grimm earned third place for his photograph of the snowy Upper Owens River flowing into Crowley Lake in Mono County.

Established to promote tourism and local economic development, the RCRC Annual Rural County Photo Contest showcases the landscapes, scenery, activities, history, and charm of RCRC’s 40 member counties. Mr. Lincoln’s winning image will be prominently displayed during RCRC’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Placer County this September and may also be featured in RCRC marketing materials and publications throughout the year.

Additional information regarding the contest, as well as the images from past winners, is available at www.rcrcnet.org/photo-contest.

The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is a forty-member county service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. RCRC is dedicated to representing the collective unique interests of its membership, providing legislative and regulatory representation at the State and Federal levels, and providing responsible services for its members to enhance and protect the quality of life in rural California counties. To learn more about RCRC, visit rcrcnet.org and follow @RuralCounties on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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