2015 Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest winners, finalists

Second place: "Boys of Summer," by Cari Taylor of Fremont. "My two boys had their cousin over to play for the day and we decided to go down to swim at Fremont Lake," she said. "It was a beautiful day, but as we were leaving it started to cloud up and sprinkle a little. The cloud cover made the lighting just perfect for this silhouette, shot on their favorite tree!"

Third place:" Peaceful Turmoil," by Laura Fluke of Chesterfield. Seeking relief from a stressful life, Fluke was on her way to a weekend retreat when she arrived at Benton Harbor's beach just before sunset. The tempest-tossed photo that she took "captures the turmoil in me and in the lake so well," she said.

Best digitally enhanced photo: "Starlight House," by Joshua Kallio of Berkley. It shows the Tawas Point Lighthouse shining its beams into Lake Huron. "There are places in Michigan that seem unreal," he said.

Honorable mention: "Beautiful Stormy Day," by Karlie Hoffman of Ortonville, who showed the raw power of the Lake Superior shore in Marquette. "The sky looked beautiful and the waves kept on crashing after the storm hit," she said.

Here are the rest of the contest finalists: "It is a spectacle that no one should miss," said Bill Savage of Munising about the Sault Tribe's powwow he attended in Christmas, Mich. "I spent the entire day there, leaving with a greater understanding and respect for these people, their history and their culture."

Christopher List of Romulus was delayed after locking his keys in his car in Marine City and just wanted to get home, but a friend persuaded him to meet him on Belle Isle to take a photo of the freighter Cuyahoga passing by. "Reluctantly I agreed and this was the result," he said. "Needless to say, I am glad that I decided to go."

Michael Baker of West Bloomfield used a 20-second exposure to make the turtles in the James Scott Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle "look almost like they were emerging from a layer of thick mist or even ice. Being an engineer by trade, I like finding symmetry in photography.”

East Lansing native Matt Fetters, now of Bethesda, Md., was vacationing in the U.P. with his wife, “just hangin’ out at Whitefish Point taking in the majesty of Lake Superior.” He noticed the seagulls lined up on the old pier posts, and waited for the passing freighter to move into the background to take his shot.

During Holland's Tulip Festival, Steve Korn of Oak Park crouched low to capture tulips and the windmill, obtaining "the perfect souvenir photo from western Michigan’s premiere event," he said.

“A friend gave us a bunch of dill with black swallowtail eggs and a couple of caterpillars on, and we raised them indoors in a clear container to observe their transformation,” said Allison White of Clinton Township. “Eggs hatched in 3-5 days. After about 10-13 days they turned into a chrysalis, and another 12-14 days they became the butterfly."

Dennis Sitek of Grosse Isle occasionally watches the Grosse Ile High rowing crew as they practice at dawn on the Detroit River. His son is their coach. "On the morning this photo was taken everything came together, the sunrise, flat water and a great angle to the crew," he said. "Call it being in the right place at the perfect time."

It may look like November, but Frank Wildasin of Farmington reports that it was actually a cold, windy day in August when his family visited South Haven. "When we went to the beach, we all were in awe as the waves came crashing into the pier and the lighthouse," he said.

Alicia Gray of White Lake Township took a micro view of sun glinting off of rippling waves in Lake Neva in her hometown.

"I was setting in my walk-in basement apartment near Bellevue, Mich., looking out a picture window," said avid bird-watcher Hurman Shelton. "I was concentrating on the nuthatch and the male cardinal. I did not see the female cardinal flying to the feeder. In the winter it is just me, the birds and creatures that come out of the woods to eat what I put out for them."

"I was honestly nervous to get out of my truck to take the picture because of major cloud rotation overhead and also the cloud-to-ground lightning was all around me," said David Monty of Almont, "but I couldn't resist the opportunity to get the shot." His "Storm on the Range" is a finalist in the digitally enhanced image category.

Jodi Byers of Allegan took "Little Curious Fawn" on the grounds of the Michigan Whitetail Hall of Fame Museum in Grass Lake. "Since it was springtime the babies were out and about," she said. "I was amazed how you could not see the babies at all in the tall grass when you walked by, but as soon as momma came close, they would pop up and run to her!"

Chelsea Borkovich of Fort Gratiot was on a backpacking trip along the Lake Michigan shore. "We took a quick break from hiking to swim in the lake and take a few photos," she said. She titled this one "Michigan’s Mountains - Sleeping Bear Dunes."

"My sister Abby Paramo and her friend Elise Stuck were enjoying an afternoon of tubing on Lake Charlevoix," said Katie Paramo of Charlevoix. "I am glad I was able to capture all the smiles and laughter this boating adventure brought!"

"Embrace the Cold," by Kelsey Juddo of Troy, was taken at Leelanau State Park, "about 200 yards out in Lake Michigan," she said. "I was shooting a time-lapse of the landscape when the man on the snowshoes entered the frame. The ice was really that blue. It is definitely one of the most beautiful winter landscapes I have experienced in Michigan."

Rachel Lesser of Farmington Hills took this sunset shot of the Detroit River on her iPhone. "I was on a boat ride from having dinner at Portofino in Wyandotte to Grosse Ile," she said.

"I gave my 8-year-old daughter, Hailey, a firework at dusk on a recent weekend up at Higgins Lake," said David Jennings of Geneva. "In return, she gave me this beautiful reminder of what wonder looks like, and that I could use quite a bit more of it in my own life."

Wind and rain hit Esrey Park near Copper Harbor, dramatically highlighted by sun rays piercing through the dark clouds, in "Breaking Storm on Lake Superior" by Wayne Sapulski of Livonia. "A poor day for photography of wind and rain in the Keweenaw came to a dramatic end," he said.

"At the Bay City 4th of July Fireworks Festival we passed the time taking pictures of carnival rides at longer shutter speeds to see what would happen," said Cathy Bragiel of Pinconning. Her 1.3-second exposure produced a photo of a carnival ride that looks ready for take-off!

You can practically feel the cold, the wind and the sense of isolation in this photo of the Grand Haven pier by Jeff Vriezema of Wyoming, Mich. "It doesn't look like it here, but there were over a dozen individuals walking through this shot," he said. "Because of a 30-second exposure, they're invisible as long as they stay moving. I like to use long exposures because I love to see the effect it has with the clouds."

Avid bird photographer Pam Bedsole of Cheboygan attended the Tawas Point Birding Festival in East Tawas, held in May during spring migration. "The trees were filled with scarlet tanagers like nothing I had ever seen before," she said. "It was so beautiful to see a green pine tree filled with these red birds - it was like Christmas in May."

Matt Vailliencourt of Brighton had a plan when he set up his camera in Leland. "I chose to shoot the sunset from the harbor because the dock and breakwater led my eyes right to the sun," he said. A fishing boat in the fading light added the perfect bit of serendipity.

"The sunrise over Pickerel Cove was beautiful and the water was calm," said Kevin Krause of Lansing, who was enjoying a trip to Isle Royale with a group of 18. "Several members of my group decided to do some morning fishing. Soon after this, a fish broke a line, and it got cloudy and cold. Such is Isle Royale, where the weather can turn quickly."

“My wife and I have a cabin in the U.P. and she noticed a pair for these (dragonflies) emerging from their larva shells,” said Gregory Zigila of Brooklyn. “It took about two hours checking on them and when they spread their wings is when I took the photo.”

"I regularly photograph the freighters in Marquette," said Rod Burdick of Negaunee. This image of the laker Hon. James L. Oberstar loading taconite at the Upper Harbor in Marquette was captured about 15 minutes after sunset on a calm late spring evening. The ore dock has been in operation since 1912.

"Kensington Metropark has become my backyard nature center," said Sabrina Dao of Novi. Once she found a tree swallow's nest on a hiking trail, "I was fascinated by the beautiful bird flying in and out diligently to feed her baby chicks. I brought my long lens and I was able to capture this shot of the swallow with a dragonfly in its beak."

Tina Gartley of Howell drove two hours to photograph Lake Michigan lighthouses covered in ice. When she got to St. Joseph, the conditions were not ideal."Walking the pier to get this shot was the equivalent of walking the plank in a blizzard with ice-covered bowling balls all over." She used HDR and a filter program to create the special effect.

Bhusan Awate of East Lansing was at Kensington Metropark when he saw a great blue heron returning to its nest and its baby birds suddenly vying for attention. "I could only see their silhouettes in the evening light," he said, "but I knew it would make a wonderful image because of their movement - like dancers!"

James Noud of Wolverine was in Mackinaw City last September when this scene caught his eye. "I noticed the symmetry of the recently hauled out sailboats sitting up high awaiting to be buttoned up for the off season," he said. "I used a 200mm lens to help isolate the subjects."

“Mama Stood and Stretched Her Wings,” by Mudg Poster, shows a swan rising from her nest at Kensington Metropark, revealing the cygnets she was warming for weeks.

Regina Abraham of Plymouth used High Dynamic Range (HDR) software, which blends multiple images to add richness and depth to the colors of this still life captured in Leland’s Fishtown. "Beach Bike" is a finalist for the Best Digitally Enhanced Photo prize.

“Sunset in Troll Town,” by Cathy Bragiel of Pinconning, offers an unorthodox view of the Mackinac Bridge, shot from underneath it. She used a long exposure to smooth the water and capture all the colors of the sunset.

Jon Harrity of Troy was serving as a camp counselor at Interlochen Fine Arts Camp when he saw this scene at Green Lake. "Since the campers weren’t allowed in the water until the next week, the atmosphere of loneliness struck me when I saw the sailboat bobbing up and down, idly yet rhythmically," he said.

For “Wings Over Gaylord,” James Noud of Wolverine, Mich., positioned himself with the sun at his back at the air show. “With the planes swooping low and then pulling up, the timing was just right to get a nice close-up using a telephoto lens and a fast shutter speed,“ he said.

Regina Abraham of Plymouth came upon four classic cars when she was out doing some errands, pulled over and started photographing the cars. “I thought the white-wall tires were interesting so when I crouched down to photograph them I noticed the reflection of a home on a beautiful summer day,” she said. “The tricky part was to not get myself or camera in the shot.“

Jodi Byers of Allegan was taking photos of a friend competing at the Van Buren Youth Fair rodeo in Hartford. ”I ended up taking pictures of everyone that rode that night, and this was my favorite!” she said. Nate Olund from Hopkins, Mich. got a ride from a wild-eyed bull.

“Morning Flight,” by Robert Kliemann of Westland, oozes atmosphere as a row of Canada geese fly across a sepia-toned, misty Kensington Metro Park at sunrise.

Camping at South Higgins Lake State Park near Roscommon, Bill VanderMolen of Pittsfield Township got up before the rest of his family “to see if there were good photo opportunities at Marl Lake. Just as I arrived, two men set out on kayaks with fishing poles to try their luck on the peaceful and scenic pond. The rising sun and mist made for a great start of the day and perfect photograph.”

“Evolution Detroit,” by Terry Shear of Royal Oak, shows the city’s skyline being subtly changed by a giant mural by artist Shepard Fairey.

Jessica Steere-Yordy of Midland captured an unlikely scene when her 6-year-old niece Mayla put on her rainbow tutu, went outside and danced under an actual rainbow. "Mayla did her ballet routine while exclaiming, ‘My wish came true! I wanted a rainbow by my house right now!’ We all had to admit that it was pretty magical!”

"Zoe, 5, in the foreground, was a little worried that her mom, Jessamyn, wouldn’t return from her kayaking," said Barbara Bloom of Bloomfield Township, who shot "Lake Huron Sunset." "And who could blame Jessamyn? The lake was still and bright; the light was extraordinary."

Erin Rajter of Clinton Township took "Beauty of Fall" last October in Holland, Mich. "I lived in a house down the street and could look out my window every day and see this tree. I didn't think much of the colors since fall was in full bloom. It was one of the first snowfalls of the season. Always in a hurry on my way to class at Hope College and to work, I saw how vibrant the tree was against the blizzard, I reached out my car window and snapped the shot!" A finalist in the Best Enhanced Image category.

Jodi Byers of Allegan took "Morning Yoga" around 9 a.m. when meeting a friend to shoot photos at the W.K Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Augusta, Michigan. "I had crouched down on my knees as I watched a pair of Canada geese bring their babies down a hill. I was very still and they just walked right up close to me and went about their business. Pretty soon they started doing what looked like stretching to me, and I was able to capture this shot."

"Misty Seney Sunrise" was taken by Atlee Hart of Farmington Hills at the Seney National Wildlife Refuge near Seney in the Upper Peninsula. "The delicate pinkness of the rising sun accentuating the early-morning mist rising from the placid lake made a scene so beautiful I just had to try to preserve it for everyone to see," he said.

“Fire & Ice,” by Michael Palko of Traverse City, was shot while he was exploring an ice cave on the Lake Michigan shore in Empire, Michigan. “As the sun went down, the tiny pillar of ice took in the sun's light, and lit up as if it were on fire,” he said.

“Babies on Board,” by Mudg Poster of West Bloomfield, was her reward for a day of watching sandhill cranes at Kensington Metro Park in Milford. First one hatchling, then the other raised their heads from their feather bed. “The sandhills are very attentive parents and seem proud of their colts (the silly but official name for sandhill babies),” Poster said.

“It was a warm, muggy morning when I took this picture from an island on the Sni Bora Channel in northern Lake St. Clair,” said Edward Byrnes of Rochester. “I watched the light slowly creep across from the eastern horizon. When the old willow and small dock in the foreground and the cottages and cabins across the channel started to reflect back the light, it was time to focus and shoot.“

Justin Bradley of Shelby Township was relaxing early one morning at his family cottage in northern Michigan. “As I do on any given weekend when up north, I peer outside to see if I'm going to be treated with a grand sunrise,“ he said. This was his lucky day; he grabbed his camera gear and set up at the lake to capture the cloud-filled sunrise.

Lee Newcombe of Royal Oak was boating around Belle Isle with his son Ben 8, and daughter Abby, 11, when they hit a thick fog coming in off the lake. “We could hardly see,” he said, “so we slowed the boat to a crawl and then all of a sudden all these sailboats come out of the fog and they were everywhere around us. It was such a cool scene. All three of us were in stunned silence until all of the boats had moved on past us.”

David Marvin of Lansing shot “Eerie Moon Over the Capitol” on a very cold February night. “Because of the way the surrounding buildings are situated, the moon only lines up like this with the Capitol dome a couple times a year when you can get a good photo of the two together,” he said.

“I went on a hike with a roommate and some friends to a train bridge that we had heard has a beautiful view in Negaunee,” said Marah Seaver of Marquette. “We got to the bridge, and I was too nervous to walk out onto it, so I captured a photo (using a fisheye lens) from the edge of the valley while my roommate explored further.”