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.

Visitor Center for the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Trenton, Michigan. Recreation. Richard Micka.
Sunset over the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area on the West Shore of Lake Erie. Brownstown Township in Wayne County, Michigan. Recreation. Richard Micka.
Ipperwash Beach on Lake Huron. Ipperwash, Ontario. Recreation. Jessica Van Zwol.
Rossport Harbour under the northern lights. Rossport, Ontario. Recreation. Paul Turpin.
A windy day along the eastern shores of Lake Huron. Wait until the wind dies down, or swim at your own risk and have fun in those waves. Port Elgin, Ontario. Recreation. Elizabeth Oldfield.
Our family cherished our passive, relaxing time spent drawing in the sand, listening to the swishing waves, and looking at beautiful rocks at sunset. Summer along the eastern shore of Lake Huron. Port Elgin, Ontario. Recreation. Elizabeth Oldfield.
Heading out for the sunset. Pointe au Baril, Ontario. Recreation. Frank.
Stern rail off the shipwreck "Alice G' in Tobermory. Tobermory, Ontario. Recreation. Kayla Martin.
My niece (Emilyn)'s first time fishing. Markham, Ontario. Recreation. Emmanuel Thomas.
Ship coming out of the fog Under the thousand island bridge while fishing. Alexandria Bay, New York. Recreation. Jeffery L. Orbaker.
Surfing on Lake Ontario in Oshawa Ontario. Oshawa, Ontario. Recreation. Angela Millard
Surfing on Lake Ontario at the Scarborough Bluffs. Scarborough, Ontario. Recreation. Angela Millard.