Our 20th Annual Photo Contest
Panel of Judges (Left to Right, Top to Bottom)
Amy Moorefield, Executive Director, Bergstrom Mahler Museum of Glass
George Schroeder, Executive Director, Hearthstone Historic House Museum
Spencer Jones, Founder, Jonesin’ For
Moderator Sarah Elliott, Owner, Sarah Celine Photography LLC
Meg Petters, Administrative & Marketing Coordinator, Appleton Downtown Inc.
Leah Demski, Patron Services Manager, The Grand Oshkosh
Prizes
A sincere thank you to the area businesses that have generously provided our winners with the following prizes:
Grand Prize: One night stay at CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel, downtown Appleton
First Prizes: $75 toward a stay or dinner at Bridgewood Resort Hotel & Conference Center in Neenah
Second Prizes: $50 gift certificate for The Frame Workshop of Appleton
Third Prizes: $25 gift certificate for Wildbird & Backyard in Appleton
On Display: To view the winning photos in person, visit the Neenah Public Library throughout the month of August.
OVERALL WINNER: “Sub-zero Day at Lake Winnebago”
Michael Natrop
It was December of 2025 when Michael Natrop found himself at the Calumet County boat ramp in Hilbert to take this image.
“I had done this before with my son, showing him the trick of boiling water and tossing it into air when it’s below zero,” he remembers. “I always chase sunrises and sunsets and knew if I could line up the sun and the water it would turn into something special.
“Side note: Please be careful when trying this. I had glasses on and a hat on to protect me in case any of the boiling water didn’t freeze into vapor.”
The judges loved that they didn’t immediately identify a person in the center of the image, but perhaps another piece of nature.
“I love the colors of the sunset behind him, but also from a distance, he’s a tree,” Leah Demski shares. “You don’t realize what ‘it’ is at first.”
“I love the snow flying, it’s something unique to a cold Wisconsin in winter. And on the August cover it’ll be nice and cooling,” Spencer Jones laughs.
PEOPLE
1st: “Amaze. Amaze. Amaze.”
Chelsea Taves
The Apple Blossom Festival at the USA Youth Sports Complex proved to be the perfect setting for Chelsea Taves’ winning photo.
“Our going-on-2-year-old fell in love with the astronaut kites,” she says. “We had just seen ‘Project Hail Mary’ (hence the title), and the Artemis II astronauts had just recently returned from their moon mission, so this photo just seemed pretty profound. It gave me hope!”
The panel thought it “provoked wonder.”
“It’s the first thing that came to my mind as soon as I saw it,” George Schroder admits. “The little guy is absolutely entranced by the kind of apparition above his head, and Dad is just embracing it and taking it all in.”
“I like this one because the blues kind of go together,” Sarah Elliot says. “And it teaches us to pose people in triangles so your eye goes a certain way.”
2nd: “The Littlest Helpers”
Richard Montano
Richard Montano turned an unfortunate weather situation into a prize-worthy photo. Taken at Hatten Park in New London during the flooding this spring, he paused to capture “the littlest helpers.”
“I had been out helping with the flooding the last two days and the thing that struck me is how the community came together to support those in need,” he recalls. “People of all ages showed up to help our neighbors in need. This shot captured that community support in a brief candid moment.”
“We had managed to fill all the (sand)bags on site, while more were brought over. This group of young helpers enjoyed a well deserved break and snack before we got back to work.”
“It resonated with me, me as a kid, as a teacher… it really spoke to me,” Spencer Jones says. “The stone wall is so much of the photo that you’d think it would take away from the kids but it doesn’t.”
“It holds the kids up,” Sarah Elliott adds.
3rd: “Cooling Off In the Wisconsin Summertime”
Angela Samsa
It was Angela Samsa’s yard in Hortonville on a hot day that created this heartwarming image when her sons were 4 and 6 years old.
“The kids are dipping their feet in our ‘stock-tank swimming pool,’” she says. “I made the pool for them when they were much younger and we still have it. It’s been a great addition… the lighting was great, and the kids were being so cute holding the chicken.”
“It just brought me joy, it made me smile as soon as I saw it,” Spencer Jones says.
PLACES
1st: “City Hall”
Trinity Grimes
Two days before Christmas a couple of years ago, Trinity Grimes was on a walk with her family through downtown Neenah.
“The photo is of the prominent clock tower on South Commercial Street,” she says. “We had gone into town to browse and take in all the festivities of the Christmas holiday. It was unusually mild that Christmas and the little snow we had gotten had already melted and the town set with a heavy fog.
“This created a very moody scene which struck me as reminiscent of some 1950’s detective noir film or mystery novel. The old tower became the perfect subject to capture the atmosphere, standing tall in the mist with the light illuminating its clockface. The image was originally taken in full color, but I decided a black and white version best represented the film noir feeling of the fog that evening.”
The judges agreed with its mysterious and perhaps “spooky” vibe.
“It’s different, unique…and there’s a moodiness to it,” Amy Moorefield shares of the choice.
2nd: “To Nowhere”
Alan L. Mullen
It’s ironic that during a fall color drive in northern Outagamie County last year produced a winning black and white photograph for Alan L Mullen.
“This is just north of Shiocton,” he says. “I knew of this bridge already and have shot it in winter when it’s easier to see. It was a bit of a challenge to get down to the bank where the trees don’t obscure it as much.
“It’s not the steepest hill to get down to, but it is long grass and I did wipe out going down it, stepping in a hole. Like any photographer I made sure my camera survived the fall before myself!”
“The more you look, the more you see,” Sarah Elliott says. “The lily pads, the grass in the corner. It has everything.”
3rd: “Aurora Over Neenah”
Jim Ruzicka
Jim Ruzicka was on the hunt for a location to capture the aurora borealis last fall, but it needed a “nice foreground subject.”
“The Neenah Kimberly Point Lighthouse always makes a nice subject at any time of year, and I thought I might get lucky to see some of the aurora behind the lighthouse,” he says. “Some of what I like about the photo was timing the shot so that the light on top of the lighthouse wasn’t fully illuminated, which would just create a large bright spot, nor was it off, creating a shut-down look.
“Just barely lit created the starburst effect with the light. The accent lights already on the lighthouse at night created some nice illumination on the nearby trees. The night was clear and getting the right exposure for the aurora also highlighted the stars toward the west.”
“It’s just beautiful,” Meg Petters says. “I love the composition, the colors, the lighting. And I love the lighthouse. I got engaged there.”
“It’s just stunning to see something so Neenah and Fox Cities but with the Northern lights over it,” Spencer Jones adds.
THINGS
1st: “The World on Time”
Ken Kemper
Ken Kemper works at FedEx ATW and used FedEx’s motto “The World on Time” as this winning photo’s title.
“On that particular evening, we had just the right amount of cloud cover to make for an interesting sunset,” he remembers. “I noticed the sunlight beautifully shining into the tail cone of the No. 2 Pratt & Whitney Turbofan Engine—the right side of the plane—illuminating the titanium fan blades of the engine. I just had to get a couple pics. A massive jet engine, glowing at sunset, capable of delivering 40,000 pounds of thrust is not your typical everyday image.”
The judges agree.
“I just thought it was a very dramatic composition,” Judge Amy Moorefield says. “And it’s really interesting that they caught the engine.”
“I love this one. I love the dramatic colors and how they caught the sunlight in and through the engine,” Spencer Jones shares.
“We’re not isolated. We’re connected to the world. That’s what it conveys,” George Schroeder adds.
2nd: “Spring in its Step”
Sharon Olk
Sharon Olk was practicing her photography skills for objects in flight, and she got it just right for our judges.
“I plant zinnias every year and the butterflies love them,” she says. “I was practicing my photography skills for objects in flight… (it’s) one of my favorite pictures!”
“The photographer had to watch for a really long time to get the butterfly in flight,” Leah Demski says. “The time it takes to focus on that is impressive. They had to be patient.”
“The colors are also great,” Sarah Elliott says. “If there was one orange flower, it would fight with the butterfly.”
3rd: “Just a Boy and His ‘Balloons'”
Chelsea Taves
Chelsea Taves and her son were at the Trout Museum of Art during one of the “rigorous cold snaps” when she grabbed this photo.
“My son was and still is obsessed with balloons,” she explains. “(He) didn’t want to leave without one! I don’t know what these were actually made of, but they brought joy to our entire family.”
“The little one is reaching up for the ‘things’ right above him,” George Schroeder shares. “It also reminds me of a child’s mobile hanging over his crib. It is really evocative of that, and the fact that he’s reaching up and that’s his focus. To me, it defines captivating things.”
“It’s also such a cool exhibit,” Meg Petters adds.
Honorable Mention: “After the Rainstorm”
Loretta Kjemhus
After a rainstorm, a lone leaf in her driveway sparked Loretta Kjemhus’ interest.
“There were so many little droplets of rain unbroken just sitting on the leaf and it was beautiful,” she recalls. “I took this picture with my 15-year-old Android cell phone just before dusk. When I retrieved the picture on my phone to view it, some of the rain bubbles turned out with a blue hue and the smaller ones had a gold glitter appearance to it… I did not do anything to enhance the picture except to lighten it up a bit. Truly the beauty of God sitting right there in my driveway.”
“It keeps your attention and you keep looking at it,” Amy Moorefield says. “It’s so well-done and a great capture.”
“It’s just neat!” Leah Demski adds.
