"Chandelier Room," Munising, Mich. • Scott Pearson, Eagle River, Wis.
GRAND PRIZE: "Chandelier Room," Munising, Mich. • Scott Pearson, Eagle River, Wis.
The Winners
Sculptor, playmate, mystic, mighty force – Lake Superior comes up with endless ways to amaze us, to amuse us … and, sometimes, to leave us speechless with awe. That is when words fail, but photos write volumes.
And that is why we so love inviting photographers – amateur and beyond – to send images each year to our Lake Superior Photo Contest.
This year's Grand Prize Winner from Scott Pearson of Eagle River, Wisconsin, shows a sea cave turned ice cave – or maybe ice creature – along the shores near Munising, Michigan. It wins the $200 prize.
On the cover, the sweep of the northern lights above the Minnesota shore earned Jim Schnortz of Hibbing, Minnesota, our Cover Winner honor and a $150 prize.
All First Place winners will receive one-year subscriptions and a 2024 Lake Superior Wall Calendar. Second Place receives a one-year subscription and a 2024 Lake Superior mini calendar. Honorable Mentions – as with all the winners – receive an award certificate.
Thanks to all who entered and made choices so difficult for the judges. Please enter your photos in the 30th Lake Superior Photo Contest via LakeSuperior.com. Entries for the 30th annual Lake Superior Photo Contest must be received electronically by October 14, 2024.
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 $8.95 (includes shipping).
Nature
1 of 7
FIRST PLACE "Coming Aboard for the Ride," Big Lake, Vilas County, Wis. • Robert Haase, Eldorado, Wis.
2 of 7
SECOND PLACE "Beauty of the Lupine," Green, Mich. • John M. Niska, Ontonagon, Mich.
3 of 7
Honorable Mention: • "April Aurora Showers," Danbury, Wis. Michelle • Bragg, Eagan, Minn.
4 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Shining Through the Stand," Nisula, Mich. • Heidi Mensch, Nisula, Mich.
5 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Love Bite," Thunder Bay • Christine Johnston, Thunder Bay
6 of 7
Honorable Mention: "It's Not Easy Being Green," Au Train, Mich. • Jenny Miner, AuTrain
7 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Rock Bathing," near Gooseberry Falls, Minn. • Kim Kittilson, Thornton, Colo.
First Place: "Coming Aboard for the Ride," Big Lake, Vilas County, Wis. • Robert Haase, Eldorado, Wis.
Second Place: "Beauty of the Lupine," Green, Mich. • John M. Niska, Ontonagon, Mich.
Honorable Mention: "April Aurora Showers," Danbury, Wis. • Michelle Bragg, Eagan, Minn.
Honorable Mention: "Shining Through the Stand," Nisula, Mich. • Heidi Mensch, Nisula, Mich.
Honorable Mention: "Love Bite," Thunder Bay • Christine Johnston, Thunder Bay
Honorable Mention: "It's Not Easy Being Green," Au Train, Mich. • Jenny Miner, AuTrain
Honorable Mention: "Rock Bathing," near Gooseberry Falls, Minn. • Kim Kittilson, Thornton, Colo.
Lake/Landscape
1 of 9
FIRST PLACE "Winter in Grand Marais, Minn." • Melanie Graves, Maplewood, Minn.
2 of 9
SECOND PLACE "Gulp," Au Train Falls, Munising, Mich. • James L. Allen, Troy, Mich.
3 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Electric Sails," Bayfield, Wis. • Jim Peacock, Bayfield
4 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Beneath the Surface," Bayfield • Eric Knaff, St. Paul
5 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Evening at the Two Hearted River," Paradise, Mich. • Annette Boose, Westerville, Ohio
6 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Radiant Sky," Herbster, Wis. • Rhiannon Oehlke, Cumberland, Wis.
7 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Seahorse in the Wave," Two Harbors, Minn. • Roxanne Distad, Brimson, Minn.
8 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Winter Sunrise at Hermit’s Cove," Keweenaw Peninsula • Kristi Kangas, Pelkie, Mich.
9 of 9
Honorable Mention: "God’s Beauty at Work," Tahquamenon Falls • Joni Voit, Maple Grove, Minn.
First Place: "Winter in Grand Marais, Minn." • Melanie Graves, Maplewood, Minn.
Second Place: "Gulp," Au Train Falls, Munising, Mich. • James L. Allen, Troy, Mich.
Honorable Mention: "Electric Sails," Bayfield, Wis. • Jim Peacock, Bayfield
Honorable Mention: Beneath the Surface," Bayfield • Eric Knaff, St. Paul
Honorable Mention: "Evening at the Two Hearted River," Paradise, Mich. • Annette Boose, Westerville, Ohio
Honorable Mention: "Radiant Sky," Herbster, Wis. • Rhiannon Oehlke, Cumberland, Wis.
Honorable Mention: "Seahorse in the Wave," Two Harbors, Minn. • Roxanne Distad, Brimson, Minn.
Honorable Mention: "Winter Sunrise at Hermit’s Cove," Keweenaw Peninsula • Kristi Kangas, Pelkie, Mich.
Honorable Mention: "God’s Beauty at Work," Tahquamenon Falls • Joni Voit, Maple Grove, Minn.
People/Humor
1 of 9
FIRST PLACE Kite Surfer, Wisconsin Point, Superior* • Paul Ostrum, Hayward, Wis. *(and need we say, please always be careful)
2 of 9
SECOND PLACE "Haakon with Wildflowers," Big Bay Town Park Campground, Madeline Island, Wis. • Abbe Turman, Minneapolis, Minn.
3 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Tweeting the Winter Away," Nisula, Mich. • Heidi Mensch, Nisula
4 of 9
Honorable Mention: "It's a Cluck, not a Clique," Skandia, Mich. • Mikala Goldman, Wetmore, Mich.
5 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Nature’s Visible Whisper," Hawk Ridge, Duluth • Thomas Johnson, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
6 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Kayak Adventure," Apostle Islands, Bayfield, Wis. • Deb O'Brien, Jewell, Iowa
7 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Love Letters in the Sand," Crisp Point, Mich. • Jess Keller, Michigantown, Ind.
8 of 9
Honorable Mention: "A Winter Wonderland," John Beargrease Sled Dog Team, Two Harbors, Minn. • Walt Huss, Coon Rapids, Minn.
9 of 9
Honorable Mention: "Eagle Canyon Suspension Bridge," near Dorion, Ont. on Black Bay • Greg McDougall, Thunder Bay
First Place: Kite Surfer, Wisconsin Point, Superior* • Paul Ostrum, Hayward, Wis. *(and need we say, please always be careful)
Second Place: "Haakon with Wildflowers," Big Bay Town Park Campground, Madeline Island, Wis. • Abbe Turman, Minneapolis, Minn.
Honorable Mention: "Tweeting the Winter Away," Nisula, Mich. • Heidi Mensch, Nisula
Honorable Mention: "It's a Cluck, not a Clique," Skandia, Mich. • Mikala Goldman, Wetmore, Mich.
Honorable Mention: "Nature’s Visible Whisper," Hawk Ridge, Duluth • Thomas Johnson, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
Honorable Mention: "Kayak Adventure," Apostle Islands, Bayfield, Wis. • Deb O'Brien, Jewell, Iowa
Honorable Mention: "Love Letters in the Sand," Crisp Point, Mich. • Jess Keller, Michigantown, Ind.
Honorable Mention: "A Winter Wonderland," John Beargrease Sled Dog Team, Two Harbors, Minn. • Walt Huss, Coon Rapids, Minn.
Honorable Mention: "Eagle Canyon Suspension Bridge," near Dorion, Ont. on Black Bay • Greg McDougall, Thunder Bay
Artsy/Altered
1 of 8
FIRST PLACE "Lovely Lupines," Grand Marais, Minn. • Glenda Mueller, Rochester, Minn. | Added the oil filter after doing basic processing.
2 of 8
SECOND PLACE "Enough Already," 8th Street, Duluth • Dan Vander Ark, Duluth | Flipped to black & white
3 of 8
Honorable Mention: "Lighthouse," Apostle Islands, Wis. • Jenna Martin, Ramsey, Minn. | Took the sky and lowered the exposure, increased texture and added yellow. I increased exposure on the land.
4 of 8
Honorable Mention: "Second Falls," Knife River, Minn. • Brian Rohland, Bloomer, Wis. | I adjusted the look of photo, saturating and adjusting the color profiles.
5 of 8
Honorable Mention: "Milky Way over Lake of the Clouds," Porcupine Mountains, Mich. • Robert Haase, Eldorado, Wis. | This is a panorama of images, taken at different times in a night, stitched together.
6 of 8
Honorable Mention: "Aerial Lift Bridge," Duluth • Matt Copland, Rockledge, Fla. | Turned black and white, darkened the sky and brought out the yellow color of the paint on the road
7 of 8
Honorable Mention: "Fall Reflections," Marquette • Bryan Lopac, Marquette | How perfect the reflection was when I rotated the photo.
8 of 8
Honorable Mention: "Leaf on Wood," near Presque Isle River, Mich. • Laurie Jacobson, South Bend, Ind. | I took this photo in black & white instead of color and used monochrome tones of black & white to convey the dramatic, yet beautiful essence of nature.
First Place: "Lovely Lupines," Grand Marais, Minn. • Glenda Mueller, Rochester, Minn. | Added the oil filter after doing basic processing.
Second Place: "Enough Already," 8th Street, Duluth • Dan Vander Ark, Duluth | Flipped to black & white
Honorable Mention: "Lighthouse," Apostle Islands, Wis. • Jenna Martin, Ramsey, Minn. | Took the sky and lowered the exposure, increased texture and added yellow. I increased exposure on the land.
Honorable Mention: "Second Falls," Knife River, Minn. • Brian Rohland, Bloomer, Wis. | I adjusted the look of photo, saturating and adjusting the color profiles.
Honorable Mention: "Milky Way over Lake of the Clouds," Porcupine Mountains, Mich. • Robert Haase, Eldorado, Wis. | This is a panorama of images, taken at different times in a night, stitched together.
Honorable Mention: "Aerial Lift Bridge," Duluth • Matt Copland, Rockledge, Fla. | Turned black and white, darkened the sky and brought out the yellow color of the paint on the road
Honorable Mention: "Fall Reflections," Marquette, • Bryan Lopac, Marquette | How perfect the reflection was when I rotated the photo.
Honorable Mention: "Leaf on Wood," near Presque Isle River, Mich. • Laurie Jacobson, South Bend, Ind. | I took this photo in black & white instead of color and used monochrome tones of black & white to convey the dramatic, yet beautiful essence of nature.
Maritime
1 of 7
FIRST PLACE "Wednesday Night, Race Night!" Duluth • Kenji Ogura, Duluth
2 of 7
SECOND PLACE "Leaving the Harbor, Herbert C. Jackson," Marquette • Diane Dahlstrom, Marquette
3 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Superior Lighthouse, Lake Superior Entry," Superior • Karl Asp, Superior
4 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Ship Coming from a Red Sunrise," Duluth • Kevin Severson, Duluth
5 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Changing of the Guard" U.S. Coast Guard Station, Bayfield • Jan Wilcox, Bayfield
6 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Reflection, Federal Hudson," Duluth • Molly Milroy, Duluth
7 of 7
Honorable Mention: "Sunset Fog," Grand Marais, Minn. • Dina Her, St. Paul
First Place: "Wednesday Night, Race Night!" Duluth • Kenji Ogura, Duluth
Second Place: "Leaving the Harbor, Herbert C. Jackson," Marquette • Diane Dahlstrom, Marquette
Honorable Mention: "Superior Lighthouse, Lake Superior Entry," Superior • Karl Asp, Superior
Honorable Mention: "Ship Coming from a Red Sunrise," Duluth • Kevin Severson, Duluth
Honorable Mention: "Changing of the Guard" U.S. Coast Guard Station, Bayfield • Jan Wilcox, Bayfield
Honorable Mention: "Reflection, Federal Hudson," Duluth • Molly Milroy, Duluth
Honorable Mention: "Sunset Fog," Grand Marais, Minn. • Dina Her, St. Paul