Lone Pine Photographer Wins Statewide Contest • Board of Supervisors • 01/13/2026

Carousel content

A carousel is a rotating set of images, rotation stops on keyboard focus on carousel tab controls or hovering the mouse pointer over images. Use the tabs or the previous and next buttons to change the displayed slide.

Inyo County 5th District Supervisor Will Wadelton is offering congratulations to constituent Dana Hodgdon, whose stunning photo of two coyote pups on the Owens Dry Lake was selected from hundreds of entries to represent the Sierra Nevada.

The contest features three winning categories: an overall Photo of the Year; a photo selected by California Watchable Wildlife; and a photo selected by Sierra Nevada Conservancy. It was the latter that selected Hodgdon's photo for honors. Both organizations launched the contest 15 years ago to illustrate the state's diverse wildlife and the viewing experience found throughout its natural and wild lands.

"Hearty congratulations are owed to Dana Hodgdon for his recent win," said Supervisor Wadelton. "Dana is an incredibly gifted photographer and this photo is truly astounding. I'm extremely proud that this image from the Fifth District will represent the entire Sierra Nevada region."

Hodgson's photo captures a tender moment between the coyote pups, with one resting its head on the other. "These young coyotes rely on each other throughout their development. The wildlife of Owens Lake has flourished since the LADWP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power) has maintained water ponds to lessen dust flurries. These coyote pups surprised me with a pose, as if to say, 'Lean on me,'" Hodgdon said. "I have had the fortune to be surrounded by the absolute splendor of the Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley, along with the great fortune of developing friendships with people who have taught me about the area and its wildlife."

Hodgdon continues to evolve as a wildlife photographer, following in the footsteps of his father and brother. "When we moved to Lone Pine, my wildlife photography pursuit jumped to a new level. Not only did I have the Eastern Sierra and the Inyo Mountains, but I stumbled onto the whole ecosystem surrounding Lake Patsiata (Owens Lake), which, from a distance, looks like a wasteland because the lake's water has been diverted to Los Angeles," he said. "There remains a series of pools that serves to mitigate the dust, but also creates an environment for a spectacular number of shore birds. I have been enthralled by all the different species of birds that migrate through, along with the animals that have created homes for themselves year-round."

Find out more about the contest and California Watchable Wildlife at www.CAWatchableWildlife.org.

##########