CELEBRATE MICHIGAN2020 Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest Weekly FinalistsThe Detroit NewsAllen Park photographer John Fortener made a wonderful photo of these fox kits playing outside their den in Muskegon.John FortenerTrish DeFrain of Port Huron caught a northern wind driving and angry Lake Huron into the pier at Lexington Harbor on New Year's Day.Trish DeFrainSean Backer of Warren captured the moment a young angler caught her first walleye during a fishing trip on the St. Clair River in Marine City.Sean BackerThe Northern Lights were out in full force for Rockwood photographer Dale Niesen at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.Dale NiesenJames Woolcock of Davison found the Point Betsie Lighthouse iced over after an early winter storm.James WoolcockJoseph Minnella of Macomb caught the serenity of an early morning paddle on Douglas Lake in northern Michigan.Joseph MinnellaFarmington's Abhijit Muduganti sat down on this boardwalk in Kensington Metropark to take pictures of a few songbirds when a group of turkeys brought nature to his feet.Abhijit Muduganti, The Detroit NewsPeople’s Choice Winner - Barbara Gibson of Oakland Township made a fine photograph of these carp spawning in front of her Houghton Lake cottage.Barbara GibsonSeth Polfus of Hermansville received this welcome home after being gone for a few days in January that made for a perfect winter picture.Seth PolfusDexter photographer Benjamin Lucking got down low for this photo of a greater yellowlegs in the shallows of Four Mile Lake at the Chelsea State Game Area.Benjamin LuckingVita Wolschleger of Harbor Beach captured this young farmer in a field near harvest time up in the Thumb area of Michigan.Vita WolschlegerJessica Baran of Riverview captured quite a view of this bald eagle floating down the river.Jessica BaranJudges' Prize Winner - Marybeth Kiczenski of Des Plaines, Ill., said of this finalist, "What a night! After checking five or six different weather sources, I decided to make the seven-hour trek to Eagle Harbor. It was iffy, as none of the forecasts were calling for completely clear skies. However, when a comet is involved, you just take a chance! I love this little lighthouse — it is very storybook-like, to begin with. Having the Comet grace the image makes it that much more special. This was taken at the height of NEOWISE's brightness."Marybeth KiczenskiSuriya Prakhash Deenadayalan of Canton captured this striking close up of a great horned owl.Suriya Prakhash DeenadayalanBrittany Todd of Sand Lake, Mich., captured this shot during a "fun day of tubing on Long Lake in Alpena. Their faces say it all, as they hang on for their lives!"Brittany ToddSierra Danowitz of Charlotte, Mich. captured this cute photo of Kai, her boyfriends' niece at the Country Mill in Charlotte last October.Sierra DanowitzCourtney Welch of White Lake, Mich., captured this misty morning view from her paddleboard at sunrise on Walloon Lake.Courtney WelchDale Niesen of South Rockwood calls this photograph "Pouring on the Coal." It captures the Pere Marquette 1225 passing through some Michigan countryside last December.Dale NiesenEthan Allen of St. Clair Shores calls this shot of the lights of Detroit's skyline reflecting across the smooth surface of the Detroit River "Motor City Lights."Ethan AllenTom Ukai of Commerce Township wrote of this entry. "I took this photo during golden hour at Long Lake, Mich. in July, 2020. A quiet lake after the thunderstorm created a beautiful view?Tom UkaiEric Woelkers of Flat Rock took this photo of the NEOWISE Comet from the Lake Michigan shore in Covert, near South Haven along with his daughter, Megan. "Our chase to see the NEOWISE Comet in a dark and clear sky led to our first camping trip together, a memory that will last a lifetime!"Eric WoelkersSteve Elzerman of Lapeer captured this "friendly backyard garter snake in Lapeer and called the photo 'Snake in the Grass.'Steve ElzermanDale Niesen of South Rockwood calls this photo 'Root Beer Water.' It captures the autumn colors and root beer-colored water of the upper Tahquamenon Falls at Tahquamenon Falls State Park near Paradise, Michigan.Dale NiesenJuan Sauceda of Metamora Michigan captured this image of a familiar tree near his home in the early morning light of sunrise. Its beauty is accentuated by the misty morning fog.Juan SaucedaHoffmaster State Park in Muskegon is the setting for this wonderful photograph by Shannon Jenkins of Muskegon.Shannon JenkinsEveryone can hear the tree swallow on the right as Jeff Mesko captures this hilarious backyard scene in Manchester.Jeff MeskoA wood lily found in the woods of Schoolcraft captured the attention of Deborah Mroz of Northville.Deborah MrozRachel Willaert of Mount Clemens caught Charlie and this monarch butterfly getting aquainted.Rachel WillaertJohn McGrath of Marquette photographed this haunting image of the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse.John McGrathDale Niesen of South Rockwood captured the beauty of fall colors as seen from the High Rollaways above the Manistee River in Wexford County.Dale NiesenEthan Allen of St. Clair Shores made this ethereal winter scene at Porcupine Mountains State Park.Ethan AllenDava Antoniotti of Kalamazoo caught her three children running towards the Ludington Breakwater lighthouse for a classic summer image.Dava AntoniottiSteve Elzerman of Lapeer gets up close and personal with this bullfrog at Pigeon River State Forest.Steve ElzermanA stop for ice cream paid off in more ways than one as Gretchen Trudeau of Clawson spotted a koi pond with lily pads near the seating area and made this eye-catching photograph.Gretchen TrudeauRoyal Oak photographer Charlie Ecker made a great photograph of this truck racing over the Silver Lake Sand Dunes.Charlie EckerThis sunset in Three Rivers captured the attention of all onboard this pontoon for photographer Hannah TenCate of Schoolcraft.Hannah TenCateJudges' Prize Winner - Brighton photographer Charles Gammon made a great photo of this female Eastern bluebird with food for her young.Charles GammonGregory Lechowicz of Livonia made an original photo at Turnip Rock with this paddle boarder, the clouds and sun in Port Austin.Gregory LechowiczA once-in-a-lifetime shot is cool, but how about a once-in-6,800-years shot? The NEOWISE comet was visible to the naked eye in July 2020 as it makes its 6,800-year orbit. Ethan Allen of St. Clair Shores made this image just as the sun was starting to light up the clouds over the Grosse Point Yacht Club.Ethan AllenKaylin Adams of Lapeer made this sweet photo at the Holly State Recreation Area.Kaylin AdamsBrooke Thomas of West Bloomfield made a great photo with this Havanese puppy named Brody frolicking in the grass.Brooke ThomasDale Niesen of South Rockwood caught this epic photo of the Northern Lights dancing over the AuTrain River in the Upper Peninsula.Dale NiesenA bullfrog called out to Charles Gammon of Brighton so he could make this great image at For-Mar Nature Preserve.Charles GammonBenton Harbor photographer Joel Johnson caught this paraglider flying over the lighthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan at sunset.Joel JohnsonEthan Allen of St. Clair Shores caught a bald eagle on the hunt on Belle Isle.Ethan AllenLeigha Hills of Grand Rapids found and photographed these Petoskey stones in Charlevoix, Michigan and made a wonderful photo.Leigha HillsAndrew Zyrowski of New Baltimore, Michigan photographed his 5-year-old daughter enjoying jumping over the waves of Lake Huron on the July 4 weekend in Lexington.Andrew ZyrowskiMichael Palko of Kingsley, Michigan caught this epic post-storm sunset at Point Betsie Lighthouse in Frankfort.Michael PalkoTom Ukai of Commerce Township calls this photograph "Pause like the Michigan Flag." He was taking pictures in Heritage Park and "two deer suddenly stood up and started to play."Tom UkaiEthan Allen of St. Clair Shores made this gorgeous photo on July 4. The full moon in July is known as the Buck Moon because it's when a buck's antlers are in full growth mode. This Buck Moon hangs in the sky over the Harbor Beach lighthouse.Ethan AllenRandy Ross of Ann Arbor captured Fourth of July campfire fun beneath a full moon.Randy RossMohit Soni of Westland used a super-fast shutter speed, a narrow depth of field and a long lens to freeze the mid-air action of this ruby-throated hummingbird feeding on Summer Jewel Red SalviaMohit SoniNola Skoglund-Lopez of Grass Lake took this picture of her cat Zoe Bear and called it "Dragon Eyes."Nola Skoglund-LopezLeigha Hills of Grand Rapids photographed these younsters helping to clean up downtown Grand Rapids after protesters clashed with police the night before.Leigha HillsGlen Suszko of Shelby Township made this cool photo of the Detroit skyline reflected in the calmly flowing water of the Detroit River as seen from Belle Isle.Glen SuszkoGretchen Trudeau of Clawson calls this self-portrait "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," a reference to Elton John and his flamboyant sunglasses. She was having fun trying on vintage shades (with mandatory mask accessory) at the Oddfellows Antique Mall in Berkley — after reopening from coronavirus lockdown.Gretchen TrudeauAmber Cornelius of Dowagiac captured a fun silhouette of "The Cornelius Children" playing at the beach in St. Joseph.Cynthia DixonEamheng Taing of Dearborn used a long exposure to capture this stunning shot of Stepping Stone Falls in Flint.Eamheng TaingEthan Allen of St. Clair Shores calls this photograph Kitch-iti-kipi and says the Upper Peninsula's Kitch-iti-kipi, or Big Spring, pumps out 10,000 gallons of crystal clear water per minute. A ride on the self-operated raft allows visitors to peer down to see schools of trout swimming.Ethan AllenBrandon Doran of Rockford says "Being inside the Eben ice caves near Munising is like stepping into another world."Brandon DoranEric Krieger of Canton photographed his daughter practicing her synchronized skating routine at home while getting ready for her Arctic Edge synchronized skating event.Eric KriegerSwan's Morning Stroll at Little Platte Lake in Honor, by Bobbi Jo Kenyon, Wyoming, Michigan.Bobbi Jo KenyonPeggy Sue Zinn, Traverse City, found this mother and colt enjoying summer.Peggy Sue ZinnLiving his best life, Kaleb jumping in for a swim while boating on Portage Lake in the Upper Peninsula as captured by Becky Bish of Tiffin, Ohio.Becky BishLen Tessmer of Belleville captured this "Moment in Time" at a wetlands marsh.Len TessmerHeidi Wright of Rogers City captured a leaf in her yard that got stuck neatly in a sheet of ice on top of a bucket of water.Heidi WrightKatelyn Cochran, Belmont, N.C., captured Colette Cochran, 3, eating a S'more that she cooked with her dad at the Clearwater Lakeshore Motel in MackinacKatelyn CochranAn Icy Valentine's scene at Holland State Park by Bobbi Jo Kenyon, Wyoming, Mich.Bobbi Jo KenyonShravan Kumar Mummadi of Dearborn got super creative with the Milky Way, some steel wool and a long exposure to capture this gorgeous image at Lake Hudson Recreation Area.Shravan Kumar MummadiEric Woelkers of Flat Rock captured this sandhill crane enjoying a grub at the Kensington Metropark in early spring.Eric WoelkersA winter walk at Stony Creek Metropark is always enjoyable, and it paid off for Glen Suszko of Shelby Twp. as he captured these mute swans making a heart.Glen Suszko"Frozen Trees" on Lake Superior in Marquette make for an incredible photograph by Frances Smith, Macomb Twp.Frances SmithTyler Leipprandt of Bad Axe, Mich. calls this photograph "Tranquility at Turnip Rock!" Turnip Rock in Port Austin is such a unique location because of the difficulty of getting there. All of the property around it is private, so the only way to access it is by water.Tyler LeipprandtShelly Marcusse of Lake City, Mich. writes of this image, "In northern Michigan, granddaughter Rosie released a newly hatched monarch butterfly. It landed on her nose and then spread its wings. She's repeating, "It tickles Grandma!Shelly MarcusseTom Sovereign of St. Johns captured a glowing Yooperlite rock on the Grand Marais beach along Lake Superior at sunset.Tom SovereignRichard Bagdasarian of Wixom captured this mute swan taking off at Kennsington Metropark in the early morning hours of a sunny summer day. The reflections of the water ripples lit up the underside of the swan with an incredible pattern.Richard BagdasarianChris Hearn of St. Johns made this classic "summertime in Michigan" image of daughter Milana holding her nose while diving into the lake.Chris HearnRuffa Villota of Marquette, Mich. captured this images during "a spectacular night spent under the stars in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan."Ruffa VillotaChase Gagnon of Madison Heights photographed this red-winged blackbird at Lake St. Clair Metropark.Chase GagnonAmey Karade of Detroit made this picture of a quite family moment while traveling through downtown Detroit on the QLine. Of it, she writes, "The girl is in the most comfortable place in the whole world, her mother's lap!Amey KaradeLiliia Shoenherr of Saginaw captured golden light illuminating a country road in Thomas Twp., Mich.Liliia ShoenherrHeather Kilpatrick of Bloomfield Hills writes of her raccoon picture, "It's amazing what you see when you pause and look around you. This little guy lives in our backyard. We discovered each other while staying at home these past few months. Beauty is everywhere if we take time to notice it. I call him Peeping Tom.Heather KilpatrickA freighter makes its way on the Detroit River at sunset in this image by Chris Burton of Detroit.Chris BurtonMark Dittmer of Clinton Twp. captured the beautiful red of the changing leaves in front of the Grand Hotel during autumn on Mackinac Island.Mark DittmerA pair of horses at the DeYoung Family Zoo in Wallace, Mich. gave Philip Hale of Peshtigo, Wisconsin a perfect pose.Philip HaleKevin Grimes of St. Clair Shores found a perfect spot to photograph his wife Hunter on a backpacking trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.Kevin GrimesCourtney Patrick found mud and boys on their Ashley, Mich. farm make for a perfect picture.Courtney PatrickPaul Mrozek of Sterling Heights photographed early ice formations along The Straits of Mackinac shoreline in St. Ignace.Paul MrozekThis frog is perfectly camouflaged in duckweed in a nature pond at Kensington Metropark making for a wonderful photograph by Melanie Nebbeling of East Lansing.Melanie NebbelingMonica DeLisle of Leroy captured the perfect moment of her son and his favorite kitten.Monica DeLisleThis 'Bone-Chilling Beautiful' view of Tahquamenon Falls State Park was captured in winter by Livonia photographer Gregory Lechowicz.Gregory LechowiczThe Northern Lights and Milky Way along the shoreline of Lake Michigan near Mackinaw City was captured by Samer Hariri of Keego Harbor.Samer HaririPeople’s Choice Winner - What could be a better combination than a puppy and the Tulip Festival in Holland? Kyla Murray of South Lyon caught her chocolate lab puppy Frida in a perfect pose among the tulips.Kyla MurrayWendy Mets of Macomb Twp. captured a beautiful sunset over a meadow on top of Brockway Mountain Drive in Keweenaw CountyWendy Mets"Baby Swan on the Huron River" by Eric Woelkers of Flat Rock. This shot of a cygnet was made on the Huron River near Oakwoods Metropark.Eric WoelkersTiffani Fowler of Southfield made this excellent photo of "Mom 'n' Dad on Carp Lake.Tiffani FowlerJudges' Prize Winner - "Lightning Strike" by Charlie Newman of West Bloomfield.Newman captured this amazing image while driving the side roads of Genesee County looking for old barns.Charlie NewmanEric Woelkers of Flat Rock made this photo of an adorable squirrel "enjoying dinner while perched on a branch" at Lake Erie Metropark. Park.Eric WoelkersGlen Suszko of Shelby Township captured this moment of pure joy at the Armada Fair, which he calls "the best country fair around."Glen SuszkoAward of Excellence Winner - Peter Brown of Benton Harbor captured this image of a father trying to hold his son down as a gust of wind lifts the boy and his kite surfing kite into the air.Peter BrownMegan Schultz of Alpena captured this image titled "Waves Frozen in Time" along the shore of beautiful Lake Huron in Presque Isle, Michigan.Megan SchultzJoe Chevalier of Rochester captured this striking image of a heron perched near its nest as darkness falls ending another day.Joe ChevalierPrasun Roy of Rochester Hills captured this beautiful example of fall colors while driving on scenic M-22 in northern Michigan.Prasun RoyMatthew Corey of Garden City captured this emotional moment of nearly 400 people crossing the MacArthur Bridge during the Belle Isle Freedom March.Matthew Corey"Coming in for a landing" by Amy Bowes of Farmington Hills. Bowes writes, "I took this photo in my Farmington Hills backyard. This little house sparrow was making his approach to the feeding station for his afternoon snack."Amy BowesMichael Palko of Kingsley, Mich., was driving to Frankfort with his son when they spotted three baby raccoons along the side of the road. "We pulled over to keep an eye on them, to make sure they didn't wander into the road," he said. And Palko captured this images of one of the raccoons peering out through the camouflage of leaves.Michael PalkoRahul Kokate of Farmington Hills captured this "Dandelion flower like a giant wheel" at sunset.Rahul KokateCohen Schroeder captured an iconic scene as his family enjoyed a Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of summer, with a personal watercraft on Long Lake in Cheboygan.Cohen SchroederSamantha Sutton of Grosse Pointe Woods captured the mood at this concert in Grand Rapids.Samantha SuttonKenneth Nguyen-Phan of Dearborn Heights captured this scene at the movie theater in Plymouth.Kenneth Nguyen-PhanMukesh Nyati of Superior Township clicked this ruby-throated hummingbird from his window. "I had full eye contact and felt as if he way saying - good to see you again!"Mukesh NyatiBrian Hilton of Highland captured his adopted puppy napping quietly on a chair only months after weeks of critical care where anaphylactic shock nearly took his life.Brian HiltonKaty Land of Redford photographed this spectacular sunset over Lake Superior in Munising, Mich.Katy LandTaken from Point Betsie, the Milky Way dominated this August night over Lake Michigan in this long exposure by David Solce of DeWitt, Michigan.David SolceAward of Excellence Winner - Traverse City photographer Peggy Sue Zinn photographs fellow photographer Clark Most photographing huge waves.Peggy Sue ZinnThe Auroras are captured in stunning display by Traverse City photographer Peggy Sue Zinn over the Greek Orthodox Church in Traverse City.Peggy Sue ZinnJoshua Colegrove of Hudsonville manages to make the Mackinac Bridge look small during a lovely sunrise with blue ice.Joshua ColegroveMadison Heights photographer Chase Gagnon captured the Michipicoten sailing into Port Huron through sea smoke on a frigid November morning.Chase GagnonBill Creteau of Redford captured this mother's touch with a mute swan and cygnet.Bill CreteauDebra Ridsale of Brighton catches the wakesurfing action on Lake Missaukee.Debra RidsdalePaula Badour of Cedarville took "Fox Hoarding Food" from her bedroom window on April 23, 2020. "We live on 60 acres so you never know what wildlife we will see."Paula BadourSweet, sweet summertime. In "Splash Party" by Erica Giordano of Clarkston, cousins have a blast together in Bald Eagle Lake, Ortonville, on June 11, 2019.Erica GiordanoIce hangs from a tree battered by winter storms in "Ice Chandelier" by Cameron Wilcox of Marquette. The photo was taken at Picnic Rocks in Marquette.Cameron Wilcox"Morning Glory" by Thayer Morton of Detroit is a long exposure of the Detroit skyline illuminated by the rising sun.Thayer MortonJeff Morton gains access to the water under icy Platte Lake in "Fire and Ice" by Thayer Morton of Detroit.Thayer Morton"A Mother's Love" by Misty McKenzie of Onaway, Mich.Misty McKenzieDuring a family trip to Silver Lake, members of the Blodgett Family are "captured" by a giant plastic cup. "The lake gets you every time!" by Aimee Fedore of Jackson.Aimee FedoreA mallard gets comfy at Lake St. Clair Metropark in "Splash, Splash" by Daniel Moceri of Eastpointe.Daniel MoceriIn "Summer Solstice" by Erica Giordano of Clarkston, the first day of summer is celebrated with a sunset splash into Lake Michigan at Grand Haven on June 21, 2019.Erica GiordanoMating cardinals are glimpsed at Kensington Metropark in "Love is in the Air" by Daniel Moceri of Eastpointe.Daniel Moceri"Betsie Rocks" by Thayer Morton of Detroit, is a new perspective of the Point Betsie Lighthouse at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in December 2019.Thayer Morton"Petosky Stone Cairn" by Tom Sovereign of St. Johns, Mich.Tom SovereignEnter your own photos in the Celebrate Michigan Photo Contest. Learn more.Detroit News