Wisconsin's Great Waters 2018 Photo Contest and Writing Project
Winners and Submissions
The Office of Great Waters received more than 200 beautiful photos of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and the Mississippi River for the 2018 photo contest. Winning photographs were featured in the 2018-2019 "Wisconsin's Great Waters" calendar, which was distributed at DNR events, state parks, visitor centers and DNR regional offices throughout the state.
Video And Calendar
Check out a video of the winning photos and the 2018-2019 "Wisconsin's Great Waters" calendar.
2018 winning photographers
People enjoying Wisconsin's Great Waters
"Backwater Exploration" by John F. Sullivan. Mississippi River, Pool 7.
- 1st Place:
- John F. Sullivan – La Crosse, WI
- 2nd Place (tie):
- John Cardamone - Bloomington, IL; Scott Pearson - Eagle River, WI
- Honorable Mention:
- Steve Bensing, Nancy Gill, Matt Jenson, Diane Piispanen, Jessica Ruben, Adam Smith, Mark Straub, Chris Wolski
Cultural and historical features
"Twilight" by Mark Straub. McKinley Beach, Milwaukee, WI.
- 1st Place:
- Mark Straub - New Berlin, WI
- 2nd Place:
- Kelly L. Johnson - Eau Claire, WI
- Honorable Mention:
- John Cardamone, Donna Feuerstein, Glenn A. Gierzycki, Diane Piispanen, Scott Pearson, Philip Schwarz, John F. Sullivan, Howard Vrankin
Natural features and wildlife
"Dawn at Cave Point" by Michael Knapstein. Door County, WI.
- 1st Place:
- Michael Knapstein - Middleton, WI
- 2nd Place (tie):
- Philip Schwarz (2 photos) - Menomonie, WI
- Honorable Mention:
- Angela Botner (2 photos), Lorri Howski, Erika Reimer, Michael J. Marit, Kelly L. Johnson, Annette S. Knapstein, Adam Smith
Stewardship activities
"Menekaunee Harbor Restoration" by Cheryl Bougie. Marinette, WI
- 1st Place:
- Cheryl Bougie - Green Bay, WI
- 2nd Place:
- Toben Lafrancois - Cornucopia, WI
- Honorable Mention:
- Chelsey Blanke, Toben Lafrancois
2018 eligible photo submissions
Each category is a separate PDF file and each page corresponds to one submission.
- People Enjoying Wisconsin's Great Waters
- Cultural and Historic Features
- Natural Features and Wildlife
- Lake Stewardship Activities
2018 writing project submissions
We received 16 lovely poems, short stories and creative writings from Wisconsin authors. A sampling of their work appears in our our 2018-2019 Wisconsin's Great Waters calendar.
- "The Big Lake: a Poem" by Tim Boyle
- "A Block Away Tradition" by Marilyn Zelke Windau
- "Changes" by Marilyn Zelke Windau
- "Dissolved Oxygen Titration on Mooningwanekaaning (name for Madeline Island in Ojibwe)" and "Quarry Bay Mussels" by Toben Lafrancois
- "Frozen Gems" by Thom Singleton
- "A Great Lakes Winter Wonderland" by Karen Gersonde
- "Industrious Excavators of the Great Lakes" by Dan Buckler
- "January at Lake Michigan" by Marilyn Zelke Windau
- "The Mighty Mississippi" by Karen Gersonde
- "One Day on the Water" by Patricia Williams
- "Restless" by Chelsey Blanke
- "Superior Sunset" by Kyle Barber
- "Tennison Bay Boys of Summer" by Angie Gade
- "Walking a Shrouded Shore" by Thom Singleton
- "A Walk Through La Crosse River Marsh" by Emily Hutwagner
- "Where Lake Meets Sky" by Marilyn Zelke Windau