Left: Local photographer David Johnson won first place in Lake Superior Magazine’s annual photo contest with this picture of five people watching the sunrise while sitting on White Sky Rock in Lutsen. Below: Melissa Dressely won Honorable Mention in the Artsy/Altered category for her picture titled One Last Ride on the Old Gondola.
When Konnie LeMay, editor of Lake Superior Magazine informed Grand Marais photographer David Johnson he had won first place in the magazine’s “People/ Humor” category, she also told him, “You have ‘graduated’ from photo contest to pro status for us.”
It was a nice surprise for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries technician whose poignant pictures have long frequented the pages of the Cook County News- Herald and other publications, including Lake Superior Magazine. The new designation means Johnson will now get paid when Lake Superior Magazine prints one of his pictures.
Although he may have been classified as an amateur by Lake Superior Magazine, his work has long been of professional quality, and many of Johnson’s splendid outdoor images of northland wildlife and scenery can be found in art galleries and on restaurant walls in the county and are for sale.
Johnson’s winning entry was called “White Sky Rock Fall Sunrise” which shows five people sitting on White Sky Rock overlooking Caribou Lake as the sun comes up bathing the sky, clouds, lake and boreal landscape in multiple shades of orange, purple, blue and yellow.
“I love the sense of place and of camaraderie that you conveyed,” wrote LeMay to Johnson in her letter to him. “The high level of entries we get means everyone whose work stands out, like yours, should feel proud of such a winning photo.”
Johnson, who got up at 5:30 a.m. and drove to Lutsen and hiked up the trail leading to the overlook to take the picture, earned a First Place certificate and a one-year subscription to Lake Superior Magazine for his exquisite image.
In its 21st year, 260 photographers from 18 states or provinces submitted more than 1,225 pictures to the annual Lake Superior photo contest. There were four categories, Nature, Lakes/ Landscape, People/Humor, Artsy/Altered and Maritime.
Johnson wasn’t the only local winner; Melissa Dressely of Grand Marais won Honorable Mention for her picture “One Last Ride on the Old Gondola.”
The Grand Prize winning image was by Kelly Doyle of Edina featuring Sugarloaf Cove in Schroeder. And an additional award was given this year for “Ancient Lava,” taken at Cascade River State Park by Nance Knauer of Minneapolis, and it graces the cover of the March 2016 edition.
Loading Comments