Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Pelican Rapids Press Entry Title: 25A Pelican Rapids Press: Advancing from adversity to awesomeness Entry Credit: Louis Hoglund Judge Comment: Of all the graduation photos I've seen, this is by far the most unique one. It's a great combination of silhouetted people and the angle. It also shows how much graduations had to change this year in a subtle, but obvious way.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Blooming Prairie Steele County Times Entry Title: Bakery Fire Entry Credit: Rick Bussler Judge Comment: A great shot by the photographer. I love how the pole held by the fireman and the shot of water from the hose frames the firefighter. Combine that with the broken glass and icicles, it all makes for a good photo of an unfortunate incident.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Blooming Prairie Steele County Times Entry Title: Up in Smoke Entry Credit: Howard Lestrud Judge Comment: The plume of smoke really helps make this photo pop off the page. The bright colors of the firetruck and stripes on the firefighter's jackets are an added bonus to pulling in the reader's attention.