Focus on Maple Grove photo contest

Rod Smoliak says that a part of capturing wildlife is luck; however, with a little patience and preplanning of the environment one can photograph something remarkable. “Composition is an important element of photography. The subject of the photo can be enhanced by what else you can include in the photo or how it is framed,” he says. “In this case, the sunrise reflection becomes just as important of an element as the two swans are.” 

Photographer: Rod Smoliak Read more about Lens on Central Park

Arbor Lakes Christmas placed first in the Activities and Events category of our annual Focus on Maple Grove photo contest.

It was taken early one evening at The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes with a Sony A7R4 camera with a 35mm lens by Rod Smoliak of Maple Grove. “I’ve always enjoyed nighttime photography, and Christmas lights can always make scenery so much more joyful,” he says. Read more about Bright Lights

Competition was stiff this year for the annual Focus on Maple Grove photo contest, but after the dust settled, the judges picked the winning images in three categories: Activities & Events, City Landmarks and Wildlife & Nature. Read more about Focus on Maple Grove 2021 Photo Contest Winners

We’re pleased to greet 2021 with a fresh round of photos from our annual Focus on Maple Grove photo contest, which was held in August. To start off, Rod Smoliak’s Eagle Lake Great Horned Owl, placed second in our Wildlife and Nature category. Read more about Whoo is this?

While Mark A. Schaffer has used both film and digital photography techniques, he prefers the latter. For this photo, Schaffer was able to use his Nikon D90—an “old model by today’s standards,” he says—along with a 50 millimeter lens with exposure for highlights. This causes the lights in a photograph to be vibrant and, in turn, causes shadows to look nearly black. Read more about Mark Schaffer Captures Colorful Fountain Lights at Maple Grove Central Park

Each year we are delighted to receive amazing images of Maple Grove during our photo contest, and here are our winners for 2015.

People
1st place A Little Girl’s Love for Weaver Lake by Mindy Gallagher
2nd place Perfect Day to Fly a Kite by Andy Gallagher
3rd place Summer Sisters by M. Gallagher Read more about Straight Shooters: Meet the Focus on Maple Grove Photo Contest Winners

It was a passion for outdoor photography and a keen eye for detail that allowed Kim Seeger of the Boundary Creek neighborhood to capture this tiny tree frog, which blended perfectly with its surroundings one warm summer morning. However, the significance of the photo goes much deeper than the natural beauty of this small amphibious creature. “I took this picture for my friend, Stacey,” Seeger says, referring to a close friend who lost her mother shortly before this photo was taken. “Stacey’s mom had always loved frogs,” Seeger says. Read more about Kim Seeger’s Photo Earns an Award in Our Annual Photo Contest

Last summer, Mick Wragg was sitting on his back patio enjoying the nice afternoon, when he noticed an abundance of chipmunks. He and his wife decided to throw a few nuts at them for entertainment. As the chipmunks became more and more excited, Wragg opened the Planters Mixed Nuts container and let the woodland animals have at it. This little guy decided to climb into the bucket, having his way with a few cashews. “He went in and out of the jar and looked at us, and then we put the cover on top and he hopped up and gave us a dirty look,” Wragg says. Read more about Photo Contest Winner Mick Wragg's Nutty Shot

During the 2012 Focus on Maple Grove photo contest, voters were unanimous in their selection of this photo for the reader’s choice award. Photographer Brianna Fortin was cleaning the house one day when her Canon T3i was in reach just in time to capture her precious pup, Ruby Begonia, named after a bar in Stillwater (which is no longer there). Fortin says Ruby will go to great lengths to eat just about anything when you're not looking, “raw hamburger, sandwiches...a stick of butter...we have learned our lesson. But she is as sweet as she is pretty.”
    Read more about Focus on Maple Grove 2013 Results