Great Lakes Photo Showcase 

The International Joint Commission (IJC) works to engage and educate people on the issues that shape Great Lakes water quality. To support this work, the IJC is seeking photos from around the Great Lakes showing the countless ways that people interact with the Great Lakes.

Submitting photos: Entries are accepted on an ongoing basis (up to six (6) photos per person). Public voting begins in early 2026. Winners will be contacted via email.

Cast Your Vote: Recreation

How voting works: Browse the gallery and tap the Like button to cast your vote. You may vote for as many photos as you wish, but only once per photo.

View the galleries for the other categories:

What’s next: Winning photos will be featured in a post card series, on the IJC’s homepage and on our social media platforms. Photos will also be incorporated into the IJC’s upcoming assessment report on Great Lakes water quality.

Sunrise summer paddles on Lake Ontario in Oshawa, Ontario. Oshawa, Ontario. Recreation. Angela Millard.
November the state park in Michigan opens the beach to horses. Awesome experiences. Silver Lake, Michigan. Recreation. Penny Callahan.
Bridgefest 2024 water skiing show competitor. Houghton, Michigan. Recreation. Sage Resh Chimner.
South Point, Rondeau Provincial Park, Predawn early January 2026. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario. Recreation. Ken Bell.
Split Rock lighthouse seen from boat. Beaver Bay, Minnesota. Recreation. Ryan Heule.
Ambassador Bridge at sunset. Taken on a dinner cruise just after it rained. Detroit, Michigan. Recreation. Rhonda Fadoir.
East Channel Lighthouse. Taken during a pictured rocks boat tour in the fall. Munising, Michigan. Recreation. Rhonda Fadoir.
Mouth of the Two-Hearted River at Lake Superior. Early morning fishing. Michigan. Recreation. Randy Fretz.
Enjoying the view just East of the log slide with Lake Superior dunes. Near Devil's Slide not far from Grand Marais., Michigan. Recreation. Randy Fretz.
Fun in the summer sun at Cedar Point beach in June 2025. Sandusky, Ohio. Recreation. Steve Holland.
A morning summer sunrise where I stopped to contemplate the day. Between Suttons Bay & Traverse City, Michigan. Recreation. Nick Longo.
A snowy day for a paddle on the western shores of Lake Ontario. Hamilton, Ontario. Recreation. Loren King.