VOTE: Patch's Summer Vacation Photo Contest—Week 1
Here are your finalists. Who has your vote?
Sharing snapshots from a recent vacation isn't a new idea. But being rewarded for it is.
Patch has partnered with Caribou Coffee, Water Street Inn, Foodies on Foot and Northern Vineyards Winery to sweeten the idea of sharing.
On Monday, we asked Patch users to upload their favorite vacation photos from this summer. After nearly 200 submissions in less than three days, Northfield Patch Editor Corey Butler Jr. and Minnesota Associate Regional Editor Kevira Voegele selected 10 photos as finalists.
Now we're asking you to leave a comment at the bottom of this page telling us which is your favorite photo (numbered 1-10 above). You surely could just leave the number, but go ahead and tell us why you liked the photo. Be sure to share the page with all your friends to see if you can drum up more support for your favorite snapshot. Voting ends 9 p.m. Sunday.
Then on Monday we'll announce the winner from the first week. He or she will receive a $25 Caribou Coffee gift card. We'll also kick off the second week of nominations on Monday. There were a lot of great photos the first week, so don't be discouraged if you weren't selected and be sure to try again next week because we're having four weekly contests all for $25 Caribou Coffee gift cards.
After the four weeks, the winners face off for seven days of voting. The photo that collects the most comments of support gets the photographer a grand prize getaway to Stillwater valued up to $500 with an overnight stay at Water Street Inn, a Foodies on Foot adventure and a tour at Northern Vineyards Winery.
And, some of the legal details:
- Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
- To enter, upload your summer vacation photos to the “Patch's Summer Vacation Photo Contest“ post on any of the 25 Minnesota Patch sites. Entrants can only submit photos of their own original photos, which must be from this summer. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person.
- All entries must be received by 9 p.m. CDT Wednesday of the competing week.
- Four weekly winners will receive a $25 gift card to Caribou Coffee.
- One grand prize winner selected from the weekly winners will receive a grand prize valued up to $500. The grand prize includes an overnight stay at Water Street Inn, a Foodies on Foot adventure and a tour at Northern Vineyards Winery, all located in Stillwater. Transportation to/from Stillwater is not included in the prize and will be the responsibility of the winner.
See the attached PDF for complete Official Rules.
Of course, we encourage you to share the link with your friends and family and brag about your great photo. Tell Patch and community members something awesome about your photograph in comments section below.
Teri Johnson
8:15 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#1 is summer at its best!
S Villaverde
8:16 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I vote for #3. I think it captures the MN summer vacation perfectly.
Nancy G
8:21 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#2
Corey Butler Jr.
8:27 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Bill, those were great photos. Unfortunately, we're in the voting portion of this week's contest. Be sure to submit your photos to Week 2 when it starts on Monday. Thanks!
Rob Hardy
8:39 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#4 has everything: earth, sky, water, a sense of thrill.
Nancy Betzinger
8:48 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#6, reminds me of the serenity of long summer days!
Tricia Daniels
9:18 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#7! I love the colors and it makes you want to go and have the fun they are having! :)
Frank Jackson Jr.
9:39 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
It's a toss up between #6 & #7 but I vote number #6. Minnesota has short summers so you have the busy rush times up front in the spring early summer (gardening, sports, vacations, open fishing.. what have you) followed by the calm (picnic, blooming flowers, fall colors, cooler weather rolls back in). The picture of the Minnehaha Falls captures that perfectly! Great shot!!
Erin Bachmann
9:40 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#7. As a girl, I know how hard it is to time this sort of thing!
Shannon K
9:54 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#7 - Doesn't look like it's been altered and is just great photography with a really cool subject. It's an awesome photo. Also sticks with the vacation theme.
DeAnna Zink
9:58 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#2...oh, the joy of summer and fishing and fun !!!Little guy says it all !!
Betty Kretchmer
10:29 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Number 2 is my first place choice. MN is a family state. Number 6 is my second choice.
CDJ
10:37 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Hard choice but I like #1.
Alexis
10:54 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#2 LOL
Amira Holden
10:58 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#2
Cheryl McCarten
11:13 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#2 best fits the criteria... the boy is holding that fish tight and does NOT want to lose it!
K Dempsey
11:18 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#3!
Mary Jo Peterson
11:25 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Kids, water & sunshine.....#1 is my choice
Michelle Carper
12:30 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#1 Slip N' Slide fun is the best summer picture!
Laura Kehrberg
12:42 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#7
AV
12:53 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#2
Stacy Nelson
1:12 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#3
marlis
1:16 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#9 great picture! Riding the Waves!
Frank
2:32 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I like #3
MJB
2:55 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#7! Love that picture! I might even try it out next weekend at the cabin. :)
Tommie Powell
3:12 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I love number 6 thats so awesome!!
Char Lee
6:59 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I like #8! Looks like an exciting, fun way to cool off from our hot summer!
April Robbins
8:04 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
I like #6, it is very pretty!
Mary Swenson
11:22 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
#7 :)
Andrew Bardando
12:02 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
# 5 is breathe taking
Jill Thiebault
1:23 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5 beautiful!
Patricia Volkert
6:16 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5 What a view!
Allison Rupp
7:12 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
It's a toss-up between numbers 4 and 7 for me, but I have to go with number 4 because it's an amateur photographer. Seven is GORGEOUS but appears to have been taken by a studio... which is less about the essence of MN summertime than just grabbing a great moment.
Krista Englemann
8:28 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5
kelly zweber
8:31 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
Great photos. #5.
Chris olson
8:46 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5 wow!
Dominic Chromey
9:22 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5
Bette
9:26 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
Many great photos! Because we are looking at summer, vacation, Minnesota - my vote is for #4.
To me it shows what summer should be for kids. You can almost hear the excited scream as the kid jumps into the water. Summer is for outdoors, exploring nature and enjoying our environment from sun-up to sundown.
Mandy C
9:26 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
All these pictures are great but I'm going with #5
Lisa Gulliver
9:48 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5...Nature, serenity, relaxation all captured in a shot!
Christie Frank Balster
9:57 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#1 for sure!
heather aldrich
9:59 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
I like #7!
Susan Estill
10:11 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
tough choice. #1
Melanie Herberg
10:28 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#1 - all kids (big and small) can relate
Sally Thompson
10:29 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5 has my vote!
Stafford Christensen
10:33 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
All of the photos are great but #7 is definitely my favorite; it has the most interesting coloring and imagery.
Linda
10:48 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
I like #7.
Katy Strenge
11:11 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5! Awesome pic!
Dave G.
12:57 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Purely for subject matter, I'm going to go with #2. Also, my kids would be thrilled if a photo of them won a contest.
I'd also like to say thanks to the kind comments on my photo (which I actually think is very mediocre from a photography standpoint). I appreciate the nice words!
Susan
8:53 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
For this IMHO, the quality is not what's important...the happy kid on a dock holding a big fish...fabulous!
greta Anderson
3:29 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
I like number 3
Mary Closner
3:37 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Number 1 says it all for me. Who doesn't love a Slip&Slide?!
AmberG
3:43 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
I vote for #7. The color and movement inspires me. #1 and #4 tie for second. All of them could be in a travel brochure. Great shots everyone!
Mom in Oakdale
5:10 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
#1 and #2 are both awesome with the excitement in both of their eyes - but I vote for #3 as it shows fishing, boating, the lake - a perfect summer vacation!
Joan
8:08 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5. Quiet & serene.
Ken Perry
8:19 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Picture #3 of the boy fishing on the dock at sunset is the best. Nothing like a young kid enjoying fishing in Minnesota.
Susan
8:51 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
I think there are six that I think are fantastic, but my favorite of a 'summer vacation photo' has to be #2. It's not the best quality, but it is a splendid depiction of a happy child on a dock with a fish....is this Minnesota, or what?
Melissa Machart Arndt
10:41 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
#5.... who wouldn't want to sit in that picture and just relax?...breathtaking!
Karen Adams
6:40 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
#3 the perfect minnesota summer vacation.
Kirby Puckett
8:20 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
#5
Nancy
8:06 am on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#6-Beautiful shot of the same place I spent my vacation...in MN at various state parks and waterfalls!!
Brock Alexander Locker
11:38 am on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#6! Pretty awesome shot!
mamie
5:46 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#5
Jen Adams
6:01 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
Number 5
Laurie
6:32 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#5....breath taking
ACE
7:15 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#6
Daryl silva
7:49 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#5 wow sweet picture!!!!
NRB
8:27 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#6
Jacob Locker
8:32 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
#6!
amy
8:56 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2012
Beautiful #5
Vonnie
11:04 pm on Thursday, August 30, 2012
#'s 2 & 4 are both great shots, but I'll go with 4 as being more aesthetic.