A Fox Family, a Sunset and a Winning Shot: Meet Ocean City's Best of Ocean City Photo Contest Winner

Ocean City is known for its beaches, Boardwalk, beautiful sunsets and summer fun. But there's another side to the resort town that doesn't always get the spotlight: its wildlife. For this year's annual Best of Ocean City photo contest, one local photographer captured that side of town perfectly, earning his photo a place on the back of Best of Ocean City plaques displayed at local businesses throughout the area. Congratulations to Nathan Van Dyke!

The winning photograph features a mother fox keeping a watchful eye on her playful litter of kits in the dunes at Sunset Park. Taken near sundown, when the little ones were especially active, the image offers a special glimpse into the wildlife families that call Ocean City's dunes home. For the photographer, the win was an exciting surprise, especially because it marked the first time one of his photographs had received this kind of recognition. "I was excited when I found out my photo won, so were my parents!" he said. "This is the first time a photo I've taken has been featured like this, so actually pretty awesome that it's here at home."

A Picture Worth a Thousand Memories

Originally from Salisbury, Maryland, Nathan first came to Ocean City as a kid. After landing a job in town, he quickly realized he wasn't going anywhere. He's now called the island home for 16 years and says he can't imagine living anywhere else. His interest in photography started years ago, inspired in part by looking through his parents' old prints from National Parks and family holidays. When he moved to Ocean City in 2010, he was shooting film with old Minolta and Argus cameras. These days, he has several different camera setups for capturing wildlife and nighttime scenes. "There's not really a better memory or souvenir than a great photo!" he said. The winning fox photograph is one he's particularly proud of, both because of the moment it captured and because Sunset Park is somewhere he visits often. He describes it as almost certainly a once-in-a-lifetime capture.

There's More to Ocean City Than Meets the Eye

As a year-round local, he sees Ocean City through a different lens than someone who visits for a week in July. Sure, the bayside sunsets and ocean sunrises are beautiful, but it's the seasonal changes that make the town especially photogenic to him. From the packed, sun-soaked beaches of summer to the quiet, windy stretches of winter, Ocean City offers an entirely different experience depending on the time of year.

Some of his favorite places to photograph include Sunset Park, the jetty at the Inlet, where he enjoys watching ospreys hunt and boats travel in and out, and the quiet bayside dead-end streets in uptown Ocean City, which offer beautiful views of the surrounding marshes. But it's the wildlife that makes his winning image particularly meaningful. He hopes the photograph helps people recognize just how much nature exists in and around Ocean City, including the fox families that make their homes in the dunes and welcome new kits each year. "Ocean City is full of wildlife too, the wild horses in Assateague, bald eagles and dolphins that swim bayside," he said. "The nature here is the best way to appreciate a quiet beautiful moment to yourself. (Respect the locals!)"

A Local Recognition That Means a Little Extra

Having his photograph featured on the back of Best of Ocean City plaques throughout local businesses is especially meaningful because he's part of the community those businesses serve. As someone who frequents many of Ocean City's restaurants, bars and locally owned businesses, he says seeing his photograph displayed at places he visits and works alongside makes him feel like an even bigger part of the community.

And for anyone thinking about entering next year's photo contest, his advice is simple: take the shot! "You don't have to be a professional photographer," he said. "I'm not a professional photographer by any means but I love a great photo. I'm positive that cell phones take beautiful pictures of this place." Whether it's a beach scene, a sunset, wildlife or something else that catches your eye, there's always something worth capturing in Ocean City. And when he's not behind the camera? His perfect Ocean City day starts with a morning swim in the ocean, followed by margaritas at the pool bar. Honestly, that's a pretty great way to enjoy the place he calls home.

Congratulations to this year's Best of Ocean City photo contest winner! And next time you're out enjoying a sunset at Sunset Park, keep your eyes open. You never know who might be watching from the dunes.