Departments

PLACES

FIRST PLACE

“Hidden Gem”

Rick Ripp   

Apple Creek Trail, which travels from the west end of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans property, offers over four miles of nature views within the urban sprawl of Appleton.  Photographer Rick Ripp was on this trail when he took this photo last June. “One hundred yards behind me as I shot this image, [Interstate 41] north and southbound was buzzing with traffic and people going about their lives,” he says. “I live nearby and I often watch the sunset to see what the clouds and colors are doing. This particular day it all came together, I spent about an hour capturing various cloud formations.” The judges liked the balance and symmetry Ripp captured that evening. “I like the movement of the image and the colors, how the orange accents the horizon,” said judge Jan Smith. 

SECOND PLACE

“Kimberly Clark Mill – Kimberly”

Bob Damon

Bob Damon took this photo of Kimberly Clark Mill in January 1966 from the Highway 96 historical marker on the west end of Little Chute. Damon recalls it was a bitterly cold evening, negative 10 degrees, around 10 p.m. The hour and temperature left him time for a single five minute exposure on film. Judge John Brogan was intrigued by the image and judge Dustin Mack liked how the lights are reflected in the water below. Overall, the judges appreciated the historical significance of the image and what it reveals about the work ethic of Northeast Wisconsin residents. “Life and work goes on even on the coldest of winter nights,” Damon says.

THIRD PLACE

“Sunrise as spring arrives at Erb Park”

Vicki Heinrich

While walking her dog past Appleton’s Erb Park on May 25, Vicki Heinrich reflected on how harsh the past winter had been and how spring was so long in arriving. “Seeing that sunrise combined with the smell of the flowering trees made me think, ‘Yes, we made it!’” she remembers. “I think the photo speaks to the beauty and quality of life we enjoy here in the Fox Cities.” Judge Dustin Mack agreed. “It’s such a recognizable place, but in this picture it’s kind of mysterious with the misty weather.”