A Wayland resident came out on top in the 12th annual Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest.

Sharon Scarff received first place for the Robert D. Ray Best of Show category with her photo “Snake Alley in Bloom.” Scarff received first place in the Iowa Cities category in early January and was pinned against the other first place winners from the Iowa Landscape, Water and Wildlife and Iowans in Action categories. She received $500 with second and third place receiving $250 and $100, respectively. The KIB Photography Contest aims at raising awareness of Iowa’s natural and environmental beauty while learning what resonates with Iowans based on the photos they share. A total of 601 photos were entered in the contest. To view all winning photos, visit here.