The 25th Annual Photo Contest Winners

Grand Prize: Miner’s Castle, Munising, MI • Shannon Hart, Williamston, MI

Judges' notes: Spectacularly captured the layered essence of Lake Superior interacting with land and sky. The combination enticed us to return to this image and appreciate the majesty of the place.

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Bringing it Home

The visit to Lake Superior is over, but the Big Lake still calls … and that’s the time to take out the photos and relive the experience. This year, for the 25th time, people from around the United States and Canada shared their photo memories from our extended neighborhood. Judges had to make tough choices, and we know you’ll enjoy these place winners and honorable mentions. Prizes range from $200 for the Grand Prize to Lake Superior Calendars and Lake Superior Magazine subscriptions.

Could your image win a Grand Prize? Start shooting now for the 26th annual Lake Superior Photo Contest. The deadline is October 12, 2020.

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Get it in print: Single copies of the Photo Contest issue – featuring the Grand Prize, First Place and Second Place winners plus Honorable Mentions – are available for $7.95 (includes shipping). Finalists are only featured online.

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Nature

First Place: Grand Marais, MN, Harbor • Shawn C. Haghighi, Minneapolis; photographer's title: "A Bird in the Backwaters." Judges' notes: Perfect catch of the sunlight on shorebird with a pleasing composition that spoke of both the bird and the water.

Second Place: Ontonagon, MI • David Braithwaite, Ontonagon, MI; Judges' notes: We were riveted by the detail and brilliance in the feathers, the texture of the branch and the personality embodied in the shining eye.

Honorable Mention: Gunflint Trail, MN • Nance Knauer, Minneapolis; photographer's title: "Earth to Sky." Judges' notes: This image seems to illustrate time – earth and tree time – with thoughtful composition and attention to texture and detail.

Honorable Mention: Ottawa National Forest, MI • Ken Wiele, Kenosha, WI; photographer's title: "Magic Loon Light." Ken's own description echoes the judges' thoughts on the glorious colors surrounding the placid loon on Beatons Lake. Ken wrote: "Absolutely incredible evening light surrounded this loon as he swam near my boat. The lake that night had a molten glow to it that was the perfect setting for this amazing bird."

Honorable Mention: Lake Linden, MI • Mary K. Nichols, Houghton, MI. Judges' notes: Quick-thinking composition to emphasize the fragile size of a wee paint turtle (and, perhaps, inadvertently to emphasize why we need plastic-free beaches).

Honorable Mention: Gunflint Trail, MN • Tom Branlund, Duluth. Judges' notes: A stunning capture with exquisite focus on a positively pensive, sage moose.

Honorable Mention: McMillian Township, MI • Kimberly Z. Currie, Okemos, MI; photographer's title: "Dear Hummingbird Moth." Judges' notes: Worthy of a double take and a smart balance between yellow flower and a rare (to us, anyway) white-lined sphinx moth.

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Lake/Landscape

First Place: Marshall Mountain, MN • Phil Hartley, Two Harbors, MN; photographer's title: "Warm Glow at Sunrise." Judges' notes: An image as crisp as the autumn day it was taken, drawing in the far horizon with the rising sun while anchoring the viewer on a rugged rocky summit.

Second Place: Crisp Point Lighthouse, MI • Lynne Humphrey, Combined Locks, WI. Judges' notes: Attentive framing of an oft-photographed historic landmark, bringing a fresh view along with a pleasing color palette.

Honorable Mention: Lake Superior Provincial Park, ON • Ron Hodgen, Morris, IL. Judges' notes: Gives one a feeling of the lively shore.

Honorable Mention: Marquette • Cameron Wilcox, Marquette. Judges' notes: A haunting expression of the Big Lake's mystery and majesty. A nice blend of the hard beach pebbles and exposure-smoothed water.

Honorable Mention: Colvill, MN • Sandy Clemons, Zimmerman, MN; photographer's title: "Shooting Star/Milky Way at Tombolo." Subtle front lighting creates an earth-based starting point for a spectacular night sky.

Honorable Mention: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI • Tom Ala, Springfield, IL; photographer's title: "Pictured Rock Gulls." Judges' notes: Sans the title, one almost misses the perched gulls, a quite natural extension of the gray stone foreground against a backdrop of iron-enriched tones.

Honorable Mention: Grand Island, MI • Shannon Hart, Williamston, MI; photographer's title: "Illuminated." Judges notes: A notable encore for our Grand Prize winner with a clarity in a difficult space at an amazing time of year. The juxtaposition warms the color-banded stone against the sharp chill of the ice. (A note of warning, too: Grand Island in winter should be visited with utmost caution.)

Honorable Mention: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WI • Peggy Carter, Chesterton, IN. Judges' notes: A fine capture of a "corner" of Lake Superior along the Wisconsin shore, giving a true sense of place.

Honorable Mention: Split Rock Lighthouse, MN • Lori Warne, Newfolden, MN. Judges' notes: While the location is extremely familiar to all lovers of Minnesota's North Shore, the clarity of the cliff face, the luck of the blue sky and the intrigue of the people along the fence line combine for a fresh view.

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People/Humor

First Place: Grand Marais, MI • Steve Leach, Grand Marais, MI; photographer's title: "Sand." Judges' notes: Plunging deeply into the experience of Lake Superior and its shores really expresses the best interaction of people and the Big Lake.

Second Place: Batchawana Bay, ON • Sherry Boston, Batchawana Bay; photographer's title: "Summer Fun." Judges' notes: A joyful example of the Big Lake neighborhood's playful side. (We were particularly amused by the family member on the Muskogee chair – Adirondack chair in U.S. speak – just waiting for that splash.)

Honorable Mention: Brighton Beach, Duluth • Kenji Ogura, Duluth; photographer's title: "Selfie with Icebergs." Judges' notes: Happy faces while being photo bombed by ice drifts in April. You gotta love that, right?

Honorable Mention: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, MN • Peter Gizyn, Chicago; photographer's title: "Doggy Daydreams in a Paddler's Paradise." Judges' notes: Nothing says peaceful paddling like a snoozing pooch in this witty tribute to both the boundary waters and the people (and puppies) who love it.

Honorable Mention: Bay View Beach, WI • Kathy Noteboom, Bayfield, WI; photographer's title: "Puppy Love." Judges' notes: Catching just the right moment speaks of an attentive, sharp photographer, coupled with the sharply focused landscape, the mix of textures on water and land and the bright look on that furry face makes for a memorable shot.

Honorable Mention: Park Point, Duluth • Claire Pettit, Corinth, TX; photographer's title: "Taste the Rainbow." Judges' notes: With a nod to those Skittles, this rainbow is equally tasty as is a photo set up with whimsy and charm … and on a no-doubt quickly spurred inspiration.

Honorable Mention: Stoney Point, MN • John Keefover, Duluth; photographer's title: "Superior Sunset Surf." Judges' notes: A Great Lakes freighter on the horizon, a smile on the surfer's face and a witty wave from the waves combines to portray a truly Big Lake human experience.

Honorable Mention: Lake Superior Provincial Park, ON • Derek Kyostia, Sault Ste. Marie, ON; photographer's title: "Superior Spa." Judges' notes: An inviting lakescape with a human touch expresses that "ahhhhh" moment of mingling with the waters near the mouth of the Barrett River … warmed here in a pool provided by ancient volcanic rock.

Honorable Mention: Two Harbors, MN • Dale Fehr, Hampton, IL. Judges' notes: A great sunset capture that evokes thoughts of summer casting only to surprise us with that icy shore behind the angler.

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Artsy/Altered

First Place: Canal Park, Duluth • Lou Nicksic, Bellingham, WA; photographer's title: "Ore Long Ship Sunrise." Shot notes: Original photo image digitally manipulated through multiple masking and rendering filters. Judges' notes: The altered orange draws the attention to the dark freighter, from which your vision radiats outward into an orange infinity.

Second Place: Duluth-Superior • Dan Lee Vander Ark, Duluth; photographer's title: "Interstate Island Tree." Judges' notes: A moody moment with a grabbing echo of the sharply focused tree against the canopy of the bridge, all set on a moonscape of winter. The photographer tells us the step to black-and-white was not a distant one: "This was taken during a sort of 'snow-fog' so the original photo almost looks black and white."

Honorable Mention: Canal Park, Duluth • Tim Beaulier, Duluth; photographer's title: "Time to Go Home." Shot notes: This image was staged, but not Photoshopped. "I had taken a wide angle shot, of my palm-sized glass figurine dog, from up close and close to the ground to give the appearance of a larger subject.  The snow was moved to give an illusion of movement. This is one of my many subjects from my "investigation" of forced perspective and scale in my photographic pursuits." Judges' notes: An eye-catching mini drama folded into a patiently set- up and thought-out shoot with a glass dog as the evocative model.

Honorable Mention: Cornucopia, WI • Norma Larrabee Gabriel, Menomonie, WI; photographer's title: "Retired." Shot notes: Gave this a painting effect in a program and adjusted colors. Judges' notes: This is almost a "glam shot" for the oft-photographed Eagle, with the pleasing colors uplifting the deteriorating fishing boat to art status.

Honorable Mention: Nisula, MI • Heidi Mensch, Nisula; photographer's title: "Superior Love." Judges' notes: We don't fall for every image that sneaks in the Big Lake, but this artfully arranged fall tableau gave us a great composition and a Lake to love.

Honorable Mention: Beaver Bay, MN • Eric Knaff, Saint Paul; photographer's title: "Stony Reflections." Judges' notes: You might call this underwater shot a "reflective" artwork, capitalizing on the Lake's own qualities for an intriguing view.

Honorable Mention: 12 Feet Underwater at Gay, MI • J.H. Arnold, Arbor Vitae, WI; photographer's title: "Sands of Time." Judges' notes: A gripping choice of composition for this underwater shot with a duo-toned color palette that enhances the "artwork."

Honorable Mention: Rose Garden, Duluth • Grace Burns, Superior; photographer's title: "Water on a Leaf." Shot notes: "I used multiple features and filters that are on Adobe Photoshop Express." Judges' note: Darkly muting the background brings the viewer to the amazing parade of water droplets across the rich texture and lush green of the leaf.

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Maritime

First Place: Bayfield, WI • Jan Wilcox, Bayfield; photographer's title: "Tugs Ready to Serve." Judges' notes: Color, tone, texture and heritage come together in an image that subtly celebrates our maritime past, present and future.

Second Place: Apostle Islands, WI • Kathy Noteboom, Bayfield, WI. Judges' notes: With fish in hand and a horde of gulls overhead, this fisherman exemplifies a piece of our maritime heritage. The composition enhances the feeling of the inland sea with the wooded shore making a eye-catching background for the drama up front.

Honorable Mention: Five Mile Point, MI • Mark Upton, Allouez, MI. photographer's title: "Sailing into the Sunset." Judges' notes: While the pastel palette and endless horizon beside the Keweenaw Peninsula make this a glorious lakescape shot, the diminutive silhouette of the passing freighter sums up in one photo the challenge of navigating an inland sea.

Honorable Mention: Duluth Ship Canal • Mark Sundberg, Elk River, MN. Judges' notes: It's a hat trick photo with three great elements – the Philip R. Clarke arriving, a duo of lighthouse and a beautiful sunset.

Honorable Mention: Rock of Ages Lighthouse, MI • Marba Pogue, Ashland, WI. Judges' note: The unearthly feel of this foggy day and the strikingly twinned elements of the Rock of Ages Lighthouse and the sailboat's tall mast makes this a keeper.

Honorable Mention: Two Harbors, MN • Denny Lehman, Marine on St Croix, MN. Judges' notes: Besides the solid composition, this photo makes a "star" out of the Edna G, an historic 100+ year old tug.

Honorable Mention: Miners Castle, MI • Steve Bensing, Valparaiso, IN. Judges' notes: Our maritime heritage extends across so many services, including the Pictured Rocks Cruises. The smooth white hull of the tour boat juxtaposes marvelously against the weathered, colored cliffs and the brilliant blue water.

Honorable Mention: Grand Marais, MN • Jessica Schuster, Hibbing, MN; photographer's title: "Shadows of Lake Superior." Judges' notes: We like the photographer's title, but "Ghost Ship" could also be this image's name with the wonderfully greenery-cradled shot of a sailboat that looks as if it's sailed from out of history.

Honorable Mention: Canal Park, Duluth • Kenji Ogura, Duluth; photographer's title: "William A. Irvin Sails Again." Judges' note: The perfect use of panorama to capture the nighttime return of the William A. Irvin to its berth in the Minnesota Slip. The lights in the slip on the boats, with a peak at the Lift Bridge in the far background, nicely captures the moment and the place.

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Finalists

Nature:

Canyon Falls, Alberta, MI • Marilyn Cunningham, Alexandria, MN

Northern Minnesota • Susan Frei, Lakeville MN

Lake/Landscape:

Bean & Bear Lake Loop, Superior Hiking Trail , MN • Kendall Aro , Hamel, MN

Jay Cooke State Park, MN • Tone Coughlin, Duluth

Agate Beach, Toivola, MI • Diane Dahlstrom, Marquette

Amity Creek, Duluth • Jenny Warfield, Duluth

People/Humor:

Presque Isle, Marquette • Ruffa Villota, Marquette

Agate Beach, Toivola, MI • Amy Mattson, Toivola

Grand Marais, MN • Jaye White, Grand Marais

Artsy/Altered:

Bayfield, WI • Patty Van Stone, Clinton, WI

Bayfield, WI • Jan Wilcox, Bayfield

Maritime:

Canal Park, Duluth • Eric Knaff, Saint Paul

Ore Dock, Marquette • Cameron Wilcox, Marquette