Duluth, Minnesota, March 17, 2004 -

A mist-shrouded “Shovel Point” along Lake Superior’s Minnesota shore earned the Grand Prize in the 9th Annual Lake Superior Magazine Amateur Photo Contest. Brett Deacon of Rochester, Minnesota, was the photographer.

About 1,000 images were judged this year. The contestants reveal how widely people travel to reach Lake Superior shores, with entries from around the United States, as far as Texas, Louisiana and Missouri, from Toronto, Ontario, and from Great Britain. Judging is done without reference to photo titles, photographers or specific locations.

“Brett Deacon’s Grand Prize photo evokes the beauty of Minnesota’s north shore with an emotional blending of a sunlit foreground and the slow burning off of morning mist in the distance,” says Lake Superior Magazine Art Director Roberta Baker.

“We could have filled the magazine with the wonderful images that were entered this year,” says the magazine's editor, Konnie LeMay. “The Grand Prize, First and Second place winners, along with the additional honorable mentions, represent the best of an amazing top-notch pool from which the judges selected.”

Other winners in the contest were First Place for "Stewart Creek” by Jack Shearer of Duluth, Minnesota, and Second Place Winner, “Ruffed Grouse on Snowpack” by Leah Eder of Washburn, Wisconsin.

All prize winners get a year's subscription to Lake Superior Magazine. In addition, the Grand Prize earns a $200 travel package at businesses around Lake Superior and First Place receives a $50 gift certificate for Lake Superior collection products.

There were five Honorable Mention awards, given to Margaret Arko, New Prague, Minnesota; Roland Hammerstrom, Duluth, Minnesota; Karen Hammett, Howell, Michigan; Laura Perdew, Boulder, Colorado; Phillip L. Westine, Pantego, Texas.

The April/May 2004 issue of Lake Superior Magazine containing the prize winning entries is available at better magazine and book stores across the country or from the publisher at 1-888-BIG LAKE (244-5253). Images of the winners can be viewed at the magazine’s website: www.lakesuperior.com

View Winning Pictures