Departments

PLACES

FIRST PLACE

“Pierce Park at Sunrise”

Joy Jordan, Appleton

Photographer Joy Jordan loves spring mornings when the air is crisp and the rising sun warms the earth. Jordan took this picture at Pierce Park in mid-May when all was quiet except for birdsong and squirrel activity. “When I’m lucky, the sunrise light illuminates dew-covered grass. As each new patch of lawn is illuminated, I squat low to see patterns and feel the emotion of a morning scene,” she says. “I often call these photographs (of which I have many) ‘dew parties,’ because they feel like a celebration of life.” This year more than ever, our judges reflected on images with a shallow depth of field like this one. “I like the notion of looking more closely at something, taking more time to look at the things that are close to you because you can’t travel as far,” Brogan said. “Overall it captures a sense of place.” Photographing the park on this micro scale was one of Jordan’s goals. “We have beautiful parks in Appleton, yet we often view or photograph them from a big perspective,” she says. ”This image reminds us to slow down, look at the details, and see beauty in the ordinary, overlooked places.”

SECOND PLACE

“In The Eye of the Fall at Fonferek’s Glen”

Robia Vang, Grand Chute

Photographer Robia Vang is a California native who recently relocated to Appleton. “I like to explore and there seems to be endless exploring to do here in the Fox Cities. I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this place.” Vang snapped this image during one of her recent expeditions to Fonferek’s Glen County Park in Green Bay. The proximity to natural beauty that Vang enjoys in the Fox Cities is something many born-and-raised Fox Citians take for granted. “Where I’m originally from, you have to drive out at least two hours and walk at least two to three miles to find something this beautiful, so it makes my heart content knowing that there’s so much to explore, so near,” Vang says. 

THIRD PLACE

“Winter at Cave Point County Park”

Mary Krampien, Appleton 

Cave Point County Park is one of Door County’s most iconic settings, renowned for its dramatic rock cliffs and ledges along the shores of Lake Michigan. This photo was taken at the park on a sunny February day in 2018. “The ice covering the cliffs must have been slightly melting from the top and then refreezing, before dripping from the bottom,” says photographer Mary Krampien. “The natural process created these beautiful, delicate ice ornaments, dangling over a protected area of Lake Michigan.” Krampien’s ability to capture what could be an overlooked moment intrigued the judges. “I like the composition and diminished color of the image,” Smith said. “It reveals a vision – that momentary notice of the ordinary. Someone has carved that out and made it evident and extraordinary.” Krampien believes the image reveals that Northeast Wisconsin’s outdoor areas can be enjoyed by people year round. “Even in late winter, when everyone is tired of the cold and snow, if one looks hard enough, you can be delightfully surprised by pretty scenes like this one.”