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What a beautiful shot of sunrise in Trinidad, right? The image, captured by Tehama County resident Ashley Fox, was recently announced as the winner of the Rural County Representatives of California’s (RCRC) 10th annual Rural County Photo Contest. Congrats, Ashley!

But some of you, no doubt, are having the same thought we had last week when the announcement was made: Isn’t that lighthouse in the wrong place?

The Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse sat atop the bluffs overlooking Trinidad Bay for nearly 70 years, but a slow-moving landslide in 2017 threatened to send it tumbling to the rocky coastline below.

Relocation plans triggered protests from the Yurok Tribe and the Tsurai Ancestral Society due to the structure’s position atop a traditional Yurok village site and cemetery. But an accord was eventually reached, and in January 2018, the lighthouse was lifted by a big crane, transferred to a flatbed tractor trailer and given a ride down the hill to a spot near Trinidad State Beach, where it remains to this day.

So as we appreciated the dramatic lighting in Fox’s photo (including the illuminated Fresnel lens, which has since been removed and stored), the perspective seemed off. We asked ourselves: Fake? AI?

We made a few calls to folks up in Trinidad in hopes of solving this mystery. Eventually we reached Fox herself, who explained that the photo is real (she’s a professional photographer), though she did take it 10-plus years ago. 

“I was doing a few shows in Humboldt and needed more ocean pictures, so I went through my 1000’s of pictures knowing I had this one,” this said in a message to the Outpost. 

Mystery solved! If you’re wondering, the official rules for the contest do prohibit the use of AI-generated images but have no provisions restricting the age of the image. Fox said she didn’t use AI to edit the shot, though she did touch it up with Adobe Lightroom.

Today, the county government issued its own press release, which we’ve reproduced below. Scroll down to see the second- and third-place finishers. 

Here’s the press release from the County of Humboldt:

The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) recently held its 10th annual Rural County Photo Contest and Humboldt County took top honors again.

RCRC’s photo contest encourages participants to submit photos that capture the essence of life in rural California, highlighting the landscapes, activities, communities, history and charm of RCRC’s member counties. Both amateur and professional photographers from all over California are invited to submit entries, capturing the splendor of the state’s rural counties. 

This year’s contest received a record 327 entries from 160 photographers. Ashley Fox took first prize with her beautiful photo of the historic Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse overlooking Humboldt County’s stunning Pacific coastline. Humboldt County previously took top honors in in 2017 and 2024 with photos taken by Miranda Moore and Lisa Wilhelmi-Perkins, respectively.

Fox is a resident of Tehama County who visits Humboldt County frequently. Her winning image, taken years ago, captures sunlight bursting through coastal clouds across the ocean, illuminating the lighthouse and surrounding shoreline. Her photograph showcases the contrasting glow of the lighthouse beacon with the sky, rocky sea stacks and a forested coastline beyond, highlighting the incredible natural beauty of Humboldt County.

“Thanks to Ashley Fox for visiting Humboldt and helping Humboldt County take the top spot in RCRC’s Rural County Photo Contest for the third time in its ten-year history,” said Humboldt County First District Supervisor and RCRC Board Delegate Rex Bohn. “Ashley’s photograph of the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse beautifully captures the breathtaking scenery, historic architecture and coastal character that makes Humboldt so special. It’s a remarkable example of the extraordinary places found here in Humboldt and throughout rural California.”

The RCRC Board of Directors chose the winning photograph at their recent Board meeting with the county of origin revealed after the Board’s decision. The winning image will be prominently displayed during RCRC’s 2026 Annual Meeting in Santa Barbara County in September and may be featured in various RCRC marketing materials and publications throughout the year. The winning image can also be found on the County of Humboldt’s Facebook and Instagram pages @HumCoGov.

The RCRC Rural County Photo Contest was established to promote tourism and local economic development by showcasing the beauty of RCRC’s member counties. For more information about the contest and to find images from past winners, visit RCRCNet.org/photo-contest.

Stay Connected

Community members are encouraged to stay connected and engaged with the County of Humboldt on social media. Any community member or visitor who wants to showcase the unparalleled beauty of Humboldt County’s parks, trails and landscapes should tag @HumCoGov on Facebook or Instagram for a chance to be featured on the county’s social media pages.

About Rural County Representatives of California

The Rural County Representatives of California 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 X, Facebook and Instagram.