Minnesota Pictures: Minnesota Photos that define the northstar state

The Old Ones Illuminated, Grand Marais, MN

2012-01-26T13:13:00.000-06:00

from flickr user Stephan Hoglund
The photographer says: I stayed up late waiting for the Sky to clear but it did not but woke early and thought I saw a slight glow in the North even in Grand Marais so I literally jumped into the truck and got this at the Pines up the Gunflint Trail near Grand Marais Minnesota and one quick one on Elbow Lake. There is a secret to shooting these vague Northern Lights...ask me! `~)

Street St, Anoka, MN

2012-01-25T13:34:00.000-06:00

from flickr user Matt Peterson!
The photographer says: In my youth, I walked past this sign every day on my way to school, from kindergarten all the way through 9th grade. So from age 5 to age 15, 10 years, this sign was a passive fixture in my life.

In school, there were walkers, and bussers. In my early school years I was officially deemed a walker by the zones established by the school. A few years later they changed the zones, and I was then eligible to ride a bus to school.

But I didn't want to ride the bus. I wanted to walk, so I never rode the bus.

I've never really thought about any of this much in recent years until I took this photo a few weeks ago. I took the photo because I've always thought it was funny that a street would be named "Street St.", but my reaction when looking at the photo isn't, "hey, that's funny."

No, oddly my reaction was reminiscence. It reminded me of the huge amounts of time I spent walking. Walking and thinking. When you walk you think. You look at stuff and sometimes you think about that. Sometimes you think about stuff that happened in school. You think about friends, you think about family.

The thinking done while walking is maybe a bit different than the thinking you do while sitting or driving. When you walk your heart rate increases. You have all sorts of sensory input from smells to sights and sounds. In winter you have to be careful so you don't slip on ice. In spring you need to watch out for puddles after a rain. In autumn you get the lovely crunching sound from stepping on fallen leaves. All of this feeds your thoughts, and heightens the enjoyment of thinking. Walking and thinking.

Now I'm an adult and just like my parents did, I drive to work. Driving to work doesn't bring me the same kind of fulfillment that walking to school did. The smells and sounds and sights whiz by so fast you barely notice. No, driving isn't the same at all.

Yep, the sign is kinda funny. But what it really does for me is remind me that I love to be alive. I love to be in nature. And I love to walk.

Oh, and I'd love to be a carefree 5-15 year old again as well, but I'll settle for going on a nice walk from time to time.

Winter surfing on Lake Superior

2012-01-24T13:09:00.000-06:00

from flickr user lcarlson
It takes a brave soul to venture into the icy waters of Lake Superior but taking to those waters in early January as this intrepid surfer did takes true guts. Dressed in a full-on dry suit and with his exposed skin likely covered in petroleum jelly to avoid frostbite, this photo definitely captures the adventuresome nature that many on Minnesota's north shore have.

Bullet train - Northfield, MN

2012-01-23T13:50:00.000-06:00

from flickr user orangedot777
So this photo isn't actually one of a bullet train because we don't have bullet trains here in the United States but this rial-side photo is the product of a long exposure of a train apparently speeding along the tracks in Northfield, MN.

AT&T Tower - Minneapolis, MN

2012-01-20T09:47:00.000-06:00

from flickr user myfotoguy
With a fresh dusting of snow coming down, this nighttime photo of the AT&T Tower in Minneapolis seems very personal due to the up-close nature of the photo. Seeing the buildings of Minneapolis at night gives me a new appreciation for them.

Bald Eagle in flight - Minnesota River

2012-01-18T13:38:00.000-06:00

from flickr user jmontague2
This was taken in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge over the Minnesota River.

Red Bull Crashed Ice in St. Paul at night

2012-01-17T10:26:00.000-06:00

from flickr user zbyron
The photographer of this Red Bull Crashed Ice photo states that it's his first attempt at shooting anything sports-related. He captured the intense action of Red Bull Crashed Ice amazingly well and managed to do so at night which, for a first-time, is no small feat. Great work on bringing out the action of the St. Paul, MN event. I hope it comes back to Minnesota again so I can check it out for myself and photograph it!

Red Bull Crashed Ice - St. Paul Cathedral at night

2012-01-13T12:38:00.000-06:00

from flickr user kaslingsby
Yesterday marked the beginning of the Red Bull Crashed Ice competition in front of the St. Paul Cathedral. While there is no extreme skating action shown in this nighttime photo, the image of the Red Bull Crashed Ice skating ramp bathed in red light and the St. Paul Cathedral bathed in cool blue light seems to be custom tailored for nighttime photography. I can't wait to see photos of the action from this weekend!

Belly Dancers - Minneapolis, MN

2012-01-12T21:17:00.000-06:00

from flickr user Turn to Clear Vision
Maybe it's the elaborate, brightly colored costumes. Maybe it's because I am a sucker for women who know how to move their bodies or maybe it's because there is such an amazing talent involved in the art of belly dancing that it's just impressive to me because I'm about as far from graceful as a human being can get.

New Rome, Minnesota - Powerlines

2012-01-11T13:06:00.000-06:00

from flickr user A. Johnson
A very nice nighttime self-portrait on a warm January evening in colorful rural Minnesota.

Red Bull Crashed Ice, St. Paul, MN

2012-01-10T14:27:00.000-06:00

from flickr user Journalist Compositions
Set up for the Red Bull Crashed Ice event, taking place in St. Paul January 12 - 14 in front of the St. Paul Cathedral.

Walnut Grove, MN

2012-01-09T11:03:00.000-06:00

from flickr user RyanShoots
Walnut Grove, MN, one of the communities used in the Little House on the Prairie series (both in books and on TV) has seen better days. This small, dilapidated building is a reminder that our nation's rural communities are full of history that is worth discovering and photographing. And while you're out exploring, stop in at one of the small-town stores or restaurants. They'll appreciate your business!

Father and Daughter at Lake Minnetonka Polar Plunge

2012-01-04T12:14:00.000-06:00

from flickr user Forrest Pearson
Dad took his little girl to the lake for a little dip.

Ice Dive 2012 at Lake Minnetonka

Landmark Center

2012-01-03T09:07:00.000-06:00

from flickr user Turn To Clear Vision
In the no-man's week between Christmas and New Year's Day it's tough to find or create anything of substance because most people have either physically or mentally checked out. That is not the case with today's photo of the Landmark Center in St. Paul's Rice Park beautifully lit up at night -- seemingly dressed fora bright night out on the town.

Best of Minnesota Photos - December 2011

2011-12-23T10:31:00.000-06:00

Poinsettias warm and cozy

from flickr user Stevemaplegrove
No plants stands out more during the month of December than the Poinsettia. I never knew until discovering this particular photo that the Como Zoo Conservatory was home to so many Poinsettias during December having only made my first visit there this August. While this photo may seem bland to some, it appealed to me because it's different. I flipped back and forth between about a half-dozen photos in deciding on the best of December. There were serene snowfall photos, a stunningly well-lit tree wrapped in purple LED Christmas lights and a few other stark and decidedly wintry photos in the mix but the perfect symmetry of the conservatory and the subject matter (I've never seen so many poinsettias and I grew up a couple of miles from one of the largest greenhouse complexes in the state).

The photographer says: No HDR, but alot of time in post editing to bring out the light in shadows, make sure the reds were red and greens were green, blue was blue, and silver was silver. I really liked how they set this area up and how this photo could be folded in half and match. I like it...

BTW, 3 hours at this beautiful conservatory; this was photo number 4 (out of about 300)... :--)

********

So there you have it. The best photos of 2011 has come to a close. If I'm counting my fingers correctly I've done a best of the past year for four years -- each year since I launched this site (in July of 2008). Thanks again to the readers who have been with this site since its first day and thanks, too, to everyone who has told a friend or co-worker about MinnPics. I started this site because I love photography and the photographers I showcase here are far better at their craft than I am. Have a Merry Christmas and keep coming back!

Best of Minnesota Photos - November 2011

2011-12-23T09:09:00.000-06:00

City sidewalks dressed in holiday style

from flickr user whatjaimesaid
The official start of the Christmas season, November 25th this year, found Nicollet Avenue in downtown Minneapolis fully decked out in holiday style with streetlights adorned with snowflakes and wreaths and generally feeling very festive.

Best of Minnesota Photos - October 2011

2011-12-23T07:58:00.007-06:00

The Awakening

from flickr user karenmeyere
Nothing is better that a color-filled north shore sunrise. This is especially true when that sunrise is on Lake Superior. With this photo being selected as the best of October, we are down to two months of best photos left. Keep checking back today to see the remaining photos.

Best of Minnesota Photos - September 2011

2011-12-22T13:27:00.013-06:00

Fall on Beauty Mountain......

from flickr user John Sikkila
This amazing tunnel of fall color makes me want to go for a long weekend drive through the furthest reaches of Minnesota and simply explore our state. This particular area is one of those hidden gems that only the locals (and the photographer who captured this photo) know about. A lonely, tree-lined gravel road just whispering "come find me" is what this photo says to me.

The photographer says: Not even close to a "mountain" but the locals...for some reason...have always called it that.....A hill at the most...image from northern Minnesota (Beauty Lake area).....Taken last weekend..the wind has blown strong since and a good percentage of the colored leaves have fallen...

Best of Minnesota Photos - August 2011

2011-12-22T10:03:00.018-06:00

The Minnesota Thunders

from flickr user Restless Mind
I'm a huge fan of night photography. It's a chance to capture an image in ways most people don't see with the naked eye. A captivating night time photo sets photographers apart for people who own cameras. A true photographer knows how to harness light in ways that grab people's attention. This example from northern Minnesota is a great way to grab one's attention.

This image of light trails on the street below seems to be a matter of lucky timing when paired with multiple bolts of lightning in the night sky. It's a sort of man meets nature moment.

Best of Minnesota Photos - July 2011

2011-12-22T07:17:00.001-06:00

Running across the storm

from flickr user Boreal Bird
It seems that I'm drawn to weather. The photos I come across featuring summer storms are often the most captivating to me. While I just spent nearly an hour agonizing over my choice for July's best photo, I opted for this one because the photographer put quite alot of time into composing the photo only to have a child run through the frame. But instead of discarding the photo and shooting again, it's so perfect that it almost feels like a scripted moment from TV.

The photographer says: This image is from the same evening as my "Building A Mystery"/Superior Supercell series.I generally tend to exclude or crop out people from my nature photography (unless it's my own kids ;)), and I confess that at first I thought this girl, who ran in front of the camera (and who I do not know) was getting in the way of my shooting the "perfect" image. I was pleasantly surprised by how she transforms the scene into something even more magnificent. It's a good reminder to me that sometimes the best outcome is derived when you stop trying to plan and control it all. :)

Note the moon rising over the clouds...

Best of Minnesota Photos - June 2011

2011-12-21T16:23:00.000-06:00

green rows

from flickr user m. t. sullivan
Taken this June near Granite Falls, MN, this photo's greatest strength is the contrast in height in the subject matter. Towering above the barely emerged corn are high voltage electrical lines strung between imposing steel towers lined up like a single file army of robots marching across the countryside. To me it's always been impressive that in the span of 6 weeks the corn which this year began the month of June measuring maybe 4 inches in height reaches 6-7 feet tall but still nowhere near the height of those electrical towers.

Best of Minnesota Photos - May 2011

2011-12-21T13:22:00.000-06:00

North Minneapolis Tornado Damage

from flickr user Tony Webster
It seems like a distant memory that a tornado touched down in north Minneapolis. It seemed an impossibility - so rare is it that tornadoes touch down in urban areas. But here is the proof that extreme weather many think is reserved for wheat fields of Kansas can happen just blocks from such landmarks as Target Field and the IDS Center. The rarity of an urban tornado touchdown paired with the damage it did and the awareness it brought to tornado warning advancements make it my pick for best photo of May 2011.

The photographer says: North Minneapolis residents looking at tornado damage at Penn and Broadway in the Jordan neighborhood of North Minneapolis. May 22, 2011.

Best of Minnesota Photos - April 2011

2011-12-21T11:00:00.001-06:00

Bergman shack

from flickr user Turn to Clear Vision
Maybe it's psychological but even with the warm, golden tones of this photo of a weathered and decaying rural shack it feels cold. It might be because I know it was taken in April or it might be due to the fact that there is virtually no green vegetation present yet. Whatever the case, the subject matter coupled with the composition of the photo make it the best of April 2011.

Best of Minnesota Photos - March 2011

2011-12-20T14:57:00.001-06:00

Hennepin Avenue Bridge - Minneapolis, Minnesota

from flickr user Jim Teske
After multiple months of a stark, white landscape, we arrive in late March when this photo in Minneapolis was taken. Full of color, finally, this is the Minnesota that so many of us love.

The photographer says: This image taken during twilight is from a railroad bridge that runs parallel to the Hennepin Avenue Bridge and provided this vantage point. Lucky for me a train didn’t pass through during my 20 minutes there! The colors in this shot really work well together. I especially like the tone of the blue sky and the teal lights reflecting from the bridge on the Mississippi River. Left of center is a Gold Metal Flour neon sign that add the yellow and red reflections in the water. Also note the two riverboats in the lower left, another nice detail that contributes to this scene.

Best of Minnesota Photos - February 2011

2011-12-20T09:55:00.000-06:00

Not-so-Hollow Rock

from flickr user KarenR-TB
All I can say is that's a lot of ice. I love this photo because it shows us all the power of a Minnesota winter. An entire island encased and draped in ice is a powerful sight. Definitely the best Minnesota photo for February 2011.

The photographer says: This little "island" is called Hollow Rock and is located just south of Grand Portage, Minnesota. However, I understand that a storm pushed ice and snow into the "hollow" earlier this winter and closed it off. It is a beautiful place to shoot...and if anyone is interested, they have added a few new cabins to the Resort - a wonderful getaway.