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Annual Photo Contest

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Submit a photo to the 2026 Minnetonka Photo Contest

Show us Minnetonka from your point of view. From Sept. 2-23, residents may submit one photo that celebrates and promotes the beauty of Minnetonka.

Photo credit: Chris Murphy, "Sunrise Over the Minnehaha Headwaters", Landscape category winner of the 2025 Minnetonka Photo Contest.

Mission Statement

For more than 20 years Minnetonka residents have shared the beauty of the community and its people in the city’s annual photo contest. Whether it’s a landscape, an activity or event, the photo contest is a great way to celebrate and recognize all Minnetonka has to offer. We strive to promote and celebrate the Minnetonka community through this contest.

Submit a photo

Categories

Rules

All photos must be taken in Minnetonka.
Photographers may enter one photo in the contest.
Photos may be of cityscapes, people, activities, landscapes, plants, animals, pets, etc.
Must be a Minnetonka resident to enter.
If the photograph has identifiable people, the photographer must confirm permission for the city to use the photograph.
You will retain all rights to any photograph you submit – including joint ownership with the City of Minnetonka. If you submit a photograph to enter the photo contest, you grant the City of Minnetonka a royalty-free, nonexclusive right for the city’s social pages, website, newsletters, slide shows and other various city publications.
No editing other than color correction.
No AI use permitted for submitted photos.

Submissions

The city will begin accepting submissions Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026 online or by email.

Submit your photo online to the 2026 photo contest (link available starting Sept. 2).
All entries must be received by Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 4 p.m.
All photos must be taken in Minnetonka.
Photographers may submit one photo.

Email webmaster@minnetonkamn.gov for help, questions or accommodations.

Voting

All entries will be narrowed down to top finalists by city staff and professional photographers by Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. Finalist photos will be voted on by the general public Oct. 1-7, 2026.

Photographs are judged on overall impact, originality, creativity, composition, photographic quality, technical skills, how an image expresses the theme of the category and suitability for city publications.

The photos with the most votes will earn First, Second and Third Place in each category.
Winners will be announced on social media after voting ends.
The City of Minnetonka has the sole discretion on selection of finalists.

Awards

2025 Contest Winners

Landscape winner

Winner: Chris Murphy "Sunrise Over the Minnehaha Headwaters"

2nd place: Jessica Reina "The resolution to being stumped is reflection"

3rd place: Sue Merritt "Shady Oak Fall Splendor"

Animals winner

Winner: Cory Mondale "Do birds need pants?"
2nd place: Marlene Smith "Welcome to Minnetonka"
3rd place: Richard Sedgwick "River Otters on Spring Lake"

Uniquely Minnetonka winner

Winner: Katie Rajchert "Autumn Reflections"
2nd place: Jerold Wilson Selvaraj "Wrapped in morning mist"
3rd place: Paul Pilosi "Clouds Above, Clouds Below"

Thank you to the residents who submitted photos to the contest.