Lens on Lake Minnetonka photo contest

“A family tradition of going on springtime ice breaking missions started when my kids were 2 and 4 years old. We’d venture out in our canoe and chop away at the chunks of floating ice. It’s our way of ‘urging’ winter to release its grip on the lake. In this photo, my son (8 years old at the time) saw a fresh, thin sheet of ice had developed overnight one November morning, and he thought it was the perfect opportunity for some ice breaking before the lake froze over for good ... Read more about Lens on Lake Minnetonka

“I was driving past the beach in early winter and stopped to take a photograph of the watercolor sky. Then I noticed the picnic table. The light covering of snow looked almost like a tablecloth—the table all set for a winter picnic with the lake and the sky as the only guests.”

Title: Winter Picnic

Equipment: iPhone 11 Pro

Location: Surfside Park in Mound Read more about Lens on Lake Minnetonka

The Wayzata Yacht Club on Lake Minnetonka serves as the striking backdrop for Boats and Rainbows, which was taken by Cat Parker and placed first in the City Landmarks category of our annual Lens on Lake Minnetonka photo contest.

Taken around 5 p.m., Parker used a Nikon D850 with a Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 Lens, and utilized Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Read more about Anchored in Light

Competition was stiff this year for the annual Lens on Lake Minnetonka photo contest, but after the dust settled, the judges picked the winning images in five categories: Activities & Events, City Landmarks, Wildlife & Nature, Pets, People & Families.  Read more about Lens on Lake Minnetonka 2021 Photo Contest Winners

Excelsior’s Judy Voigt Englund often walks down to Crescent Beach on Lake Minnetonka in the summertime to watch the sunset. “This particular evening, I was enjoying the sun peeking in and out of the cloud bank and the rays of light emanating from the sun,” she says. Read more about Day’s End

This photo received an honorable mention in the Wildlife & Nature category of our 2017 Lens on Lake Minnetonka photo contest. Read more about Barred Owl Visits Shorewood Backyard and Makes for Picture-Perfect Day

This purrfect black-and-white smile belongs to Moana of Motunui, a foster kitten from the Carver Scott Humane Society. Moana was found when she was 10 months old in an overcrowded barn and rescued along with her four babies, Hei Hei, Pua, Tomatoa and Meow-ie, all names inspired by characters from the 2016 Disney film Moana.
  Read more about Lens on Lake Minnetonka: Moana of Motunui

Deb Zeller of Victoria won first place in the Pets category for 2014’s Lens on Lake Minnetonka photo contest. Her photo, “Water Dog,” features her nephew, John Kenison, and his dog, Buddy. Zeller says she captured the moment spontaneously at her birthday celebration.

“The whole family got together and we were having a fun day at the lake. Buddy loves to be on the water but not in the water,” she says. “He would not get off the kayak!” Read more about Deb Zeller Wins Lens on Lake Minnetonka Photo Contest in the Pets Category

In December 2012, Minnetonka resident Eric Raarup snapped the quintessential Minnesota winter shot: an almost iced-over lake. For Raarup and others, this sight signals the dawning of the winter season.

Raarup, who says he has “always leaned toward the simple images,” took this photo, which shows an eerie black-and-white background with the wooden dock jutting out onto Liz Lake. Despite the foggy chill, Raarup shot this particular scene before the first snowfall. “I thought it captured that bleak feeling,” he explains. Read more about Minnetonka Resident Eric Raarup Snaps Photo of the Winter Funk