Each month, we feature one of the winning photos from our 2019 Lens on Lake Minnetonka photo contest. This month, we asked photographer Ed Hewitt III to tell us about “Red Barn Near Purgatory,” which received second place in our City Landmarks category.
When and where did you take the photo?
I took the photo of the property just east of Highway 101, on Excelsior Blvd., after a snowfall in January or February 2019. The location is near the Purgatory Park entrance.
What kind of camera did you use?
Nowadays, cameras seem irrelevant. But if you really want to know, [I used] a 2005 Canon SLR with a standard lens. (Don’t tell anybody.) It’s the eye.
What’s your favorite thing about the image?
It’s always about the light… but sometimes, little light. In this case, little light. So, I focused on the barn, with blacks and white on the trees. Also, regarding the scene, I have always loved the property. I waited for the snow day, parked my car, and shot.
Tell us more about your photography background.
I’m a hack with strong visuals. I’ve watched Steve Griak, Jim Hinton, Buck Holzmer and Greg Winter [photographers associated with the late Twin Cities production company Wilson Griak] obsess over a food shot of a pea. How hard can it be?
Watch our Noteworthy and Last Glance sections throughout the year for more winners from our photo contest.
