2025 06 Wisconsin State Fair Amateur Photography Competition

Every year I love to enter the Wisconsin State Fair Amateur Photography Competition with my brother-in-law Bob Crocker and our friends Lynn and Chris Prober. We gather at breakfast to get all excited and then spend the day watching the judging of the photographs.

The State Fair has 97 adult level categories that photos can be entered. Ribbons are given out for fourth through first place. Each photographer is allowed to enter a maximum of 35 photos for judging. 

Let's look at the 35 photos I entered and how they place. First, the photos that failed to win any award in their category (or as we like to think about them, fifth place!)

DID NOT PLACE

1002 Shovel

1004 Wisconsin

1010 Alluring amber ale 

1011 Beautiful blue water

1012 Construction cone orange

1013 Cotton candy pink

1015 Gravel gray 

1016 Lovely lavender

1113 Antique

1124 Building architectural – urban 

1129 Circles 

1132 Corners

1135 Eyes

1138 Geometric shapes

1140 Glow

1151 Leaves

1154 Opaque

1158 Repetition in nature

1159 Rest and relaxation

1160 Rust 

1163 Shadows

1164 Signs, street, etc. 

1165 Stained glass

1168 Transportation, air, land 

1171 Water 

1172 Waterfalls

1176 Yield sign

THIRD PLACE

1126 Cameras, as still life or in use 

1134 Doors

SECOND PLACE

1204 Fences black and white

FIRST PLACE

1115 Beads 

1131 Construction cone

1156 Portrait, head shot only

1175 Windows

FIRST PLACE AND JUDGE'S FAVORITE

1157 Railroads 

The Judge's Favorite award is the next step down from Grand Champion. I was thrilled to receive this recognition this year (the only other time I received a JF was in 2011). 

Another special treat for me was I had a chance to discuss with the judge who selected my photo as his favorite and another judge about this photo. I told them that it reminded me of a WPA photo from the 30s and they agreed. One judge told me she argued for it to be the Grand Champion with references to Robert Frank and Dorothea Lange. 

Dorothea Lange

It was another fun day of photo judging at the Wisconsin State Fair. Now to shoot more photos for a year to get ready for 2026.