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.

Skiing on windswept snowy dunes on Park Point shore of Lake Superior. Duluth, Minnesota. Recreation. Lisa Fitzpatrick.
Taken while paddling on my SUP board on Humber Bay Toronto inside the breakwater. February 17 2026. I love to paddle in the winter and take photos of the ice formations wherever I find them. Toronto, Ontario. Recreation. Sharon Purdy.
Sunset on Little Traverse Bay in Petoskey, MI. Petosky, MI. Recreation. Emily Herard
We are Ice Swimmers - every Saturday morning all seasons, at various spots all along the shores of Lake Ontario. We love the cold and camaraderie of swimming together. Jack Darling Park Mississauga, Ontario. Recreation. Sharon Purdy.
Sunset over Lake Huron. Southampton, Ontario. Recreation. Margaret McGrady.