2025 Swain County 4-H Photo Contest Winners

(Updated: Oct. 16, 2025, 6:43 a.m.)
2025 4-H Photography Contest Winners
Swain County 4-H youth (ages 5-18) had the opportunity to showcase their photography skills and capture the beauty of their surroundings at the same time in the Third Annual Swain County 4-H Photo Contest!
Check out the winners below and learn a little about the categories they were entered in. Congratulations to the winners!!


2025 WINNERS

Swain County - Through the Lens: Show off your hometown through the lens of your camera. Feature an event or location you love and declare your pride in where you live! This category will only be entered in the Swain County Agricultural Fair.
  • Sr. 2nd place - Cason Vaughn: Skyscape in the Mountains
  • Jr. Noteworthy - Cherry Vaughn: Pink Palace
Swain County - Orange Skyscape in the Mtns
Cason Vaughn, age 15 - Orange Skyscape in the Mountains: (Sr. 2nd Place) Swain County Through the Lens
Swain County - Pink Palace
Cherry Vaughn, age 13 - Pink Palace: (Jr. Noteworthy) Swain County Through the Lens


Animals: Capture amazing photos of animals! This could be anything from a wild deer in the woods, your favorite pet at home, or even a tiny insect up close.
  • Sr. 1st place & Best in Show - Kregg Parton: Duck Floating
  • Sr. 2nd place - Landon Cochran: Moose in Alaska
  • Sr. 3rd place - Cason Vaughn: Baby Copper
  • Jr. Noteworthy - Lily Robertson: Lady Bug on a Leaf
Kregg Parton - Floating Duck
Kregg Parton, age 16 - Duck Floating: (Sr. 1st Place & Best in Show) Animals
Landon Cochran - Moose in Alaska
Landon Cochran, age 15 - Moose in Alaska: (Sr. 2nd Place) Animals
Cason Vaughn - Baby Copper
Cason Vaughn, age 15 - Baby Copper: (Sr. 3rd Place) Animals
Lily Robertson Lady Bug on a Leaf
Lily Robertson, age 13 - Lady Bug on a Leaf: (Jr. Noteworthy) Animals
Nature's Beauty: Capture the essence of beauty in nature through your lens by exploring habitats, landscapes, or the sky, land, and water of our planet.
  • Sr. 1st place & Judge's Choice - Cason Vaughn: Lightening in Holiday, FL
  • Sr. 1st place - Landon Cochran: A Path in an Alaskan Forest
  • Sr. 2nd place - Landon Cochran: Snow Capped Mountains in Alaska
  • Sr. 2nd place - Landon Cochran: Caribbean Cruise Sunset
  • Jr. 1st place & Best in Show - Lily Robertson: Outer Banks Sunrise
  • Jr. 2nd place - Cherry Vaughn: Orange Sunburst
  • Jr. 3rd place - Ava Sneed: View on the Lake
  • Jr. Noteworthy - Ezra Sasscer: Pretty Orange Flower
  • Jr. Noteworthy - Ayla Sasscer: It's Raspberry Time!
  • Jr. Noteworthy - Ava Sneed: Mushroom in the Clovers
  • Cloverbud - Maggie Sasscer: Goldrenrod in a Vase
Nature's Beauty - Lightening in Holiday, FL
Cason Vaughn, age 15 - Lightening in Holiday, FL: (Sr. 1st place & Judge's Choice) Nature's Beauty
Landon Cochran A Path in an Alaskan Forest
Landon Cochran, age 15 - A Path in an Alaskan Forest: (Sr. 1st place) Nature's Beauty
Landon Cochran Snow Capped Mtns in Alaska
Landon Cochran, age 15 - Snow Capped Mtns in Alaska: (Sr. 2nd place) Nature's Beauty
Landon Cochran Caribbean Sunset
Landon Cochran, age 15 - Caribbean Cruise Sunset: (Sr. 2nd place) Nature's Beauty
Lily Robertson Outer Banks Sunrise
Lily Robertson, age 13 - Outer Banks Sunrise: (Jr. 1st place & Best in Show) Nature's Beauty
Cherry Vaughn Orange Sunburst
Cherry Vaughn, age 13 - Orange Sunburst: (Jr. 2nd place) Nature's Beauty
Ava Sneed - View on the Lake
Ava Sneed, age 9 - View from the Lake (Jr. 3rd place) Nature's Beauty
Jr. Worth Mentioning - Ezra Sasscer: Pretty Orange Flower
Ezra Sasscer, age 11 - Pretty Orange Flower: (Jr. Noteworthy) Nature's Beauty
Ayla Sasscer: It's Raspberry Time!
Ayla Sasscer, age 8 - It's Raspberry Time!: (Jr. Noteworthy) Nature's Beauty
Ava Sneed: View on the Lake
Ava Sneed, age 9 - Mushroom in the Clovers: (Jr. Noteworthy) Nature's Beauty
Maggie Sasscer -Goldenrod in a Vase
Maggie Sasscer, age 6 - Goldenrod in a Vase: (Cloverbud) Nature's Beauty

4-H in Action: Capture 4-H in action, learning by doing. Let the world know what 4-H means to you!

Black and White: Male your photos pop without any color! In this category, you'll take pictures that are just black, white, and shades of gray.

Photos were entered in the Swain County Agricultural Fair and the 4-H Dr. Kim Ingold Photography Contest.


For more information about 4-H in Swain County, call (828) 488-3848.

Amber Johnston
Extension Agent - 4-H Youth Development
amber_johnston@ncsu.edu