2020 Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest winners: Critters, comets, fireworks and fun
With a record number of entries — 6,902 photos in all — it's no wonder the photo staff at the Detroit News had a difficult time selecting this year's winners in the Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest.
But it's done: Three Editors' Prize winners, three People's Choice winners, and three more Awards of Excellence for outstanding images. Each Editors' Prize winner and each People's Choice winner has won a $300 VISA gift card. Each Award of Excellence winner receives a $100 VISA gift card.
People and Places
The Detroit News photo editors agreed that Shravan Kumar Mummadi's amazing photo of light streaks drawn with fireworks was deserving of the People's Choice award in People and Places. Not only is it creative but it's executed perfectly, they said. It was the biggest vote-getter among all the winners in a field of photos that drew a combined 3,323 votes in all — also a Celebrate Michigan record.
But the category was difficult to judge because the two subjects — people and places — are vastly different. Ultimately the editors chose the photo Marybeth Kiczenski of Des Plaines, Ill., captured of the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse in the Upper Peninsula. "The photo is a unique twist on a Michigan favorite as she also captured the NEOWISE comet. It's literally a once-in-a-lifetime shot," the editors said.
Woods and Wildlife
For the Woods and Wildlife category our editors chose the photo by Brighton photographer Charles Gammon of a female Eastern bluebird with food for her young. "There were many fantastic photos in this category but this one really stood out. The photographer had to work hard to capture this moment and it paid off. It's sharp, well composed, and more importantly, captured an incredible moment," the editors wrote.
The People's Choice winner in Woods and Wildlife was an image captured by Barbara Gibson, of Oakland Township, of two carp spawning. The images was the result of being in the right place at the right time to capture nature in action.
Four Season Fun
Charlie Newman of West Bloomfield was driving the side roads of Genesee County looking for old barns when he made the Editors' Prize winner for the Four Season Fun category. The intense lightning strike behind the weathered barn makes this image.
The People's Choice winner ended up being a picture of South Lyon resident Kyla Murray's dog. She captured Friday in a happy pose among the flowers at the Holland Tulip Festival.
Awards of Excellence
Two images caused a lot of debate between the editors while deciding the top prize winners. Ultimately, Peggy Sue Zinn's shot of a photographer capturing rough weather and Peter Brown's shot of kite surfers were chosen as Award of Excellence winners
"We loved the feel of danger in Peggy's shot and the sense of mystery in Peter's shot," the editors wrote.
They added: "We also loved the whimsical nature of Aimee Fedore's shot from a family trip to Silver Lake." That creative image is our third Award of Excellence winner.
Overall the contest featured many outstanding photographs. "And it was amazing to see how many great photos were taken on cellphones too," wrote our editors. "It just proves you don't need thousands of dollars of equipment to make a great photo."
See all the entries at Celebrate Michigan. And start planning your best shots for next year.
