

Originally published as a landing page during the ENR Magazine photo contest in January of 2026. Contest will end on January 22, 2026, some links below may no longer work after the voting closes.

A special chance to celebrate the people and collective human effort in bringing this landmark project to life.
For the third year in a row, one of my images was selected for ENR Magazine's annual photo competition issue. That alone is an honor. ENR is the voice of the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, reaching 60,000+ professionals worldwide. Their contest received over 1,100 submissions this year.
But this year is different. For the first time, I'm one of 10 finalists being considered for the cover.
And of all years for this to happen, it's happening in 2026: the year the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opens.
I would have been excited about this in any year. But the timing feels almost too perfect to ignore.
[IMAGE: Top 10 finalists grid from ENR]
You can vote once per device. If you happen to vote on your phone and your laptop, I won't stop you.
Voting closes January 22 at 11:59pm Eastern.
Vote here: https://www.enr.com/photo-contest-poll

Know someone who cares about the TR Library? Someone in construction? Someone who'd want to see North Dakota on the cover of a national industry magazine?
Send them this link: https://www.enr.com/photo-contest-poll
I've had images published in national magazines, major newspapers, even billboards. So this isn't about adding another line to my resume.
It's about honoring the hundreds of people who made this project possible, and bringing attention to this world-class project in its most important year.
Your vote means a lot. Thank you.
— Chad Z.

Recent thoughts on craft, process, and the work where monumental human endeavors meet vast, quiet landscapes - including the latest from my Boundless newsletter.
Boundless 00014 // Work Worth Doing
Boundless 00013 // Faces of the TR Library
Forty-four portraits from three years of documenting the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. No story arc. No commentary. Just the workers - and a photographer's thank you.
Boundless 00012 // There Will Be Signs
On my last trip to Medora, the rhythm had changed. The crews have crossed the line from building a landmark to finishing one. You can feel it the moment you walk in.
Boundless 00011 // From Seed To Roof
How 400,000 native plants traveled from hand-harvested seeds in the North Dakota Badlands, to a nursery in Wisconsin, to the roof of a Presidential Library. One plug at a time.
Boundless No. 00010 // Art Is Saying Stop
Boundless No. 00009 // Skin In The Game
37 photographs documenting the glass, wood, stone, steel, and ceiling finishes that make up the skin of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
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A Newsletter About What Lasts
Boundless No. 00001 // The Exhale