Best of Minnesota Photos - December 2011

Poinsettias warm and cozy

from flickr user Stevemaplegrove
No plants stands out more during the month of December than the Poinsettia. I never knew until discovering this particular photo that the Como Zoo Conservatory was home to so many Poinsettias during December having only made my first visit there this August. While this photo may seem bland to some, it appealed to me because it's different. I flipped back and forth between about a half-dozen photos in deciding on the best of December. There were serene snowfall photos, a stunningly well-lit tree wrapped in purple LED Christmas lights and a few other stark and decidedly wintry photos in the mix but the perfect symmetry of the conservatory and the subject matter (I've never seen so many poinsettias and I grew up a couple of miles from one of the largest greenhouse complexes in the state).

The photographer says: No HDR, but alot of time in post editing to bring out the light in shadows, make sure the reds were red and greens were green, blue was blue, and silver was silver. I really liked how they set this area up and how this photo could be folded in half and match. I like it...

BTW, 3 hours at this beautiful conservatory; this was photo number 4 (out of about 300)... :--)

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So there you have it. The best photos of 2011 has come to a close. If I'm counting my fingers correctly I've done a best of the past year for four years -- each year since I launched this site (in July of 2008). Thanks again to the readers who have been with this site since its first day and thanks, too, to everyone who has told a friend or co-worker about MinnPics. I started this site because I love photography and the photographers I showcase here are far better at their craft than I am. Have a Merry Christmas and keep coming back!

Best of Minnesota Photos - November 2011

City sidewalks dressed in holiday style

from flickr user whatjaimesaid
The official start of the Christmas season, November 25th this year, found Nicollet Avenue in downtown Minneapolis fully decked out in holiday style with streetlights adorned with snowflakes and wreaths and generally feeling very festive.

Best of Minnesota Photos - October 2011

The Awakening

from flickr user karenmeyere
Nothing is better that a color-filled north shore sunrise. This is especially true when that sunrise is on Lake Superior. With this photo being selected as the best of October, we are down to two months of best photos left. Keep checking back today to see the remaining photos.

Best of Minnesota Photos - September 2011

Fall on Beauty Mountain......

from flickr user John Sikkila
This amazing tunnel of fall color makes me want to go for a long weekend drive through the furthest reaches of Minnesota and simply explore our state. This particular area is one of those hidden gems that only the locals (and the photographer who captured this photo) know about. A lonely, tree-lined gravel road just whispering "come find me" is what this photo says to me.

The photographer says: Not even close to a "mountain" but the locals...for some reason...have always called it that.....A hill at the most...image from northern Minnesota (Beauty Lake area).....Taken last weekend..the wind has blown strong since and a good percentage of the colored leaves have fallen...

Best of Minnesota Photos - August 2011

The Minnesota Thunders

from flickr user Restless Mind
I'm a huge fan of night photography. It's a chance to capture an image in ways most people don't see with the naked eye. A captivating night time photo sets photographers apart for people who own cameras. A true photographer knows how to harness light in ways that grab people's attention. This example from northern Minnesota is a great way to grab one's attention.

This image of light trails on the street below seems to be a matter of lucky timing when paired with multiple bolts of lightning in the night sky. It's a sort of man meets nature moment.

Best of Minnesota Photos - July 2011

Running across the storm

from flickr user Boreal Bird
It seems that I'm drawn to weather. The photos I come across featuring summer storms are often the most captivating to me. While I just spent nearly an hour agonizing over my choice for July's best photo, I opted for this one because the photographer put quite alot of time into composing the photo only to have a child run through the frame. But instead of discarding the photo and shooting again, it's so perfect that it almost feels like a scripted moment from TV.

The photographer says: This image is from the same evening as my "Building A Mystery"/Superior Supercell series.I generally tend to exclude or crop out people from my nature photography (unless it's my own kids ;)), and I confess that at first I thought this girl, who ran in front of the camera (and who I do not know) was getting in the way of my shooting the "perfect" image. I was pleasantly surprised by how she transforms the scene into something even more magnificent. It's a good reminder to me that sometimes the best outcome is derived when you stop trying to plan and control it all. :)

Note the moon rising over the clouds...

Best of Minnesota Photos - June 2011

green rows

from flickr user m. t. sullivan
Taken this June near Granite Falls, MN, this photo's greatest strength is the contrast in height in the subject matter. Towering above the barely emerged corn are high voltage electrical lines strung between imposing steel towers lined up like a single file army of robots marching across the countryside. To me it's always been impressive that in the span of 6 weeks the corn which this year began the month of June measuring maybe 4 inches in height reaches 6-7 feet tall but still nowhere near the height of those electrical towers.

Best of Minnesota Photos - May 2011

North Minneapolis Tornado Damage

from flickr user Tony Webster
It seems like a distant memory that a tornado touched down in north Minneapolis. It seemed an impossibility - so rare is it that tornadoes touch down in urban areas. But here is the proof that extreme weather many think is reserved for wheat fields of Kansas can happen just blocks from such landmarks as Target Field and the IDS Center. The rarity of an urban tornado touchdown paired with the damage it did and the awareness it brought to tornado warning advancements make it my pick for best photo of May 2011.

The photographer says: North Minneapolis residents looking at tornado damage at Penn and Broadway in the Jordan neighborhood of North Minneapolis. May 22, 2011.

Best of Minnesota Photos - April 2011

Bergman shack

from flickr user Turn to Clear Vision
Maybe it's psychological but even with the warm, golden tones of this photo of a weathered and decaying rural shack it feels cold. It might be because I know it was taken in April or it might be due to the fact that there is virtually no green vegetation present yet. Whatever the case, the subject matter coupled with the composition of the photo make it the best of April 2011.

Best of Minnesota Photos - March 2011

Hennepin Avenue Bridge - Minneapolis, Minnesota

from flickr user Jim Teske
After multiple months of a stark, white landscape, we arrive in late March when this photo in Minneapolis was taken. Full of color, finally, this is the Minnesota that so many of us love.

The photographer says: This image taken during twilight is from a railroad bridge that runs parallel to the Hennepin Avenue Bridge and provided this vantage point. Lucky for me a train didn’t pass through during my 20 minutes there! The colors in this shot really work well together. I especially like the tone of the blue sky and the teal lights reflecting from the bridge on the Mississippi River. Left of center is a Gold Metal Flour neon sign that add the yellow and red reflections in the water. Also note the two riverboats in the lower left, another nice detail that contributes to this scene.

Best of Minnesota Photos - February 2011

Not-so-Hollow Rock

from flickr user KarenR-TB
All I can say is that's a lot of ice. I love this photo because it shows us all the power of a Minnesota winter. An entire island encased and draped in ice is a powerful sight. Definitely the best Minnesota photo for February 2011.

The photographer says: This little "island" is called Hollow Rock and is located just south of Grand Portage, Minnesota. However, I understand that a storm pushed ice and snow into the "hollow" earlier this winter and closed it off. It is a beautiful place to shoot...and if anyone is interested, they have added a few new cabins to the Resort - a wonderful getaway.

Best of Minnesota Photos - January 2011

Ice Trapping Ice

from flickr user Bryan Hansel
Normally, winter photos are so stark and bland. Maybe it's because we routinely deal with 4-5 months of snow-covered landscapes in Minnesota which makes it difficult for me to find photos which catch my eye enough to post here and makes it doubly hard myself as a photographer to find interesting subject matter to photograph but this photo of Minnesota's vast north shore of Lake Superior is striking to me. The cobalt blue of the water alongside the thick white layer of ice makes for a stunning photo. That's why I called this the best of January 2011

The photographer says: Recently, a southernly snow and wind storm pushed lots of pack ice to our shores. At Paradise Beach, which is northeast of Grand Marais, the pack ice froze fast to the shore. At places the thick ice extends out over 50 yards. I found this great ice gully capturing sheet ice broken up by a slight Lake Superior swell. It was 0F when I took the photo. Brrrr.

View more of this photographer's work at his website.

Welcome to the MinnPics best of 2011

The MinnPics best of 2011 is officially upon us. Over the next four days I'll be showcasing the best photo of each month from the past year as photographed by intrepid Minnesotans who always seem to be carrying their cameras and be in the right place and precisely the right moment.

Just like past years, 2011 has been a visually stunning year. From mountains of snow which truly lasted into June to visually spectacular summer storms to a vibrant and colorful fall which went by far too fast there is plenty to choose from photographically speaking.

So it's off to make some difficult decisions and show off the best photo taken in Minnesota from each month of 2011.

Amtrak Train - Midway Station - St. Paul

from flickr user Van Allen Belt
At first glance there's nothing spectacular about this nighttime photo of an Amtrak Train stopped at St. Paul's Midway Station but as I sat looking at this photo its simplicity and the fact that it follows the basic rules of photography and that it features a perspective view of the Amtrak train makes it special in its own right.

Photographer at Work - Stone Arch Bridge - Minneapolis

from flickr user Turn To Clear Vision
As awesome as this photo of a photographer taking a photo of the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis turned out, I really, really want to see the photo(s) from the photographer shown in this photo.

St. Paul Cathedral at night

from flickr user idashum
The photographer says: I can never resist a photo of this iconic structure [The St. Paul Cathedral at night]. This is what it looked like out of the camera. See below for some other versions. You be the judge.

This is for all our friends and family in Minnesota. Happy Holidays!

Cold Escape - Winter Mountain Biking

from flickr user Dave Glad
Winter mountain biking is definitely not my thing as I prefer to drag my bike out during the warmer months but this photo is killer. The photographer did a stunning job capturing the action and portraying the speed of the bicyclist hurdling through trails in Eagan, MN.

Rocky sunrise on Lake Superior

from flickr user wjflowers
The pine trees seem to cling to the tall, rocky cliffs along what I assume is Lake Superior. The dark tone of the photo makes it seem like night as opposed to early morning and the reflections in the water only add to the depth of the photo.

Motel 7 - Fergus Falls, MN

from flickr user Tricia V
This photo of a roadside motel named Motel 7 caught my eye not only because it was shot on film via a disposable camera but because of the emotion it portrays. Its graininess gives the feeling of Motel 7 (located in Fergus Falls and boasting 17 guest rooms) being in a gritty setting. Having never been to Fergus Falls (but having been tied to a company located there) I am fairly certain that there aren't many overly gritty areas in the small northwestern Minnesota city but this roadside motel in Fergus Falls would have likely been a welcome sight for weary travelers a few decades ago before the expansion of the AmericInns and Days Inns of the world.

Minneapolis from the Stone Arch Bridge

from flickr user jadammel
The photographer says: Although this [the Stone Arch Bridge] is almost certainly one of the top-5 photographed landmarks in Minneapolis, I really enjoy shooting the Stone Arch Bridge. Maybe it's the location. Maybe it's the view. Maybe it's my lack of creativity. Whatever the reason, it's simply enjoyable to get "your own" photograph of iconic places. I promise, I'll start finding new subjects soon, but I thought I'd share this one before the novelty wears off!

Out for a Swim - Rochester, MN snowfall

from flickr user mazzmn
The first real snow of the season on the northern tip of Lake Zumbro in Rochester, MN. It's not much snow but it does count. Now if it could just melt and we could return to balmy 50 degree days all would be right with the world.

The Foshay Tower - Downtown Minneapolis

from flickr user Tyler_B14
The Foshay Tower on S. Marquette Ave. Minneapolis, MN perfectly lit as the photographer captures what actually looks like a vibrant night. Life does exist after 5 PM in Minneapolis!

September Sunrise - Minnesota River - Henderson

from flickr user Ron H1950
Sunrise on a frosty September morning on the bluffs above the Minnesota River near Henderson. (And if I'm remembering the details of this particular area, this photo may very well be of my in-law's farm).

Autumn in the Sawtooth Range - Minnesota

from flickr user Wolverine09J
Wow. The vibrant colors in this photo of autumn in northern Minnesota's Sawtooth Range is stunning. It's scenery like this that makes every corner of Minnesota worth exploring and photographing.

St. Anthony Falls - Minneapolis

from flickr user AnnaPS27
A cool sepia tone photo of the iconic Stone Arch Bridge in the St. Anthony Falls area of Minneapolis. This particular angle on Minneapolis makes the area look elegant and lively.