Generously sponsored by our friends at Camera Casino, and inspired by local photographer Michael Esslinger's powerful images showcased in his book, Oshkosh Quiet, 2024's F-Stop photography contest asked image makers to capture the quiet essence of our small town.
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1st Place: Oshkosh's Place by Lydia Smith
This image was taken in Menominee Park and features a veteran's memorial. ~Lydia Smith
2nd Place: The Taste of Childhood by Ula Klein
Three children share black raspberries and secret conversations on a windy day this summer at Asylum Point. We were pleasantly surprised to find an endless supply of black raspberries for picking and eating when we took my son, niece and nephew there the week of the 4th of July. They threw themselves upon the berries with abandon, tasting, savoring, smiling, laughing, enjoying all the beauties of childhood. Oshkosh is the perfect place to raise kids; it's kid friendly and close to nature. What is more iconic than a walk at Asylum Point, wearing an Oshkosh hoodie?
~ Ula Klein
3rd Place: Full Moon Millers' Bay, Menominee Park by Sue Hyde
This is a photo of the full Moon illuminating Millers' Bay and Menominee Park. The park was purchased from Col.Lucious Miller in 1889. The park is a great place for picnics and other get togethers as it is fronted by Lake Winnebago on the east, has a walking/biking trail and a zoo. It also has a boat launch next to Millers' Bay and other docks where boats can be tied to.
~ Sue Hyde
Downtown Sidewalk by Lydia Smith
This image showcases the downtown views that have been timeless through every generation of Oshkosh. The store fronts, sidewalk, and streetlights captured here remind the passersby of the not so distant past.
~ Lydia Smith
Dancing Clouds by Shelley Struck
Shows the beauty of the sky that some people miss. Calm and cool!
~ Shelley Struck
Waiting for Sunrise by Jenny Smith
This particular picture captures the quietness that is dawn in Oshkosh. As the hours shift from night back to day we find ourselves in the quiet morning hours. We can't make the sun rise. We have to wait until the time comes. That waiting, in the quiet dawn, gives
opportunity to pause, ponder, or pray. The pulse of the city will increase as daily activities return but in these
moments at dawn Oshkosh is quiet.
~Jenny Smith
Lake Winnebago Quiet by Jenny Smith
Oshkosh is anything but quiet. Traffic roars down I-41. Trains rumble through town. Boats speed across the waterways. Air traffic gets really heavy in late July. Downtown is a bustle of activities. Music fills the air around various venues. Shops, restaurants, and parks are fulled with the laughter of locals and guests. Occasionally, however, a glimpse of quiet can be
caught. This picture is one caught early on a Monday morning in July.
~Jenny Smith
Shore Line Close-Up by Beth Stanton
The shore at Menominee Park has long been an interesting and beautiful destination on a Summer day.
~Beth Stanton
Foggy Morning at County Park by Vicky Redlin
Nothing is cozier than a walk through the fog bringing nature sounds closer and distractions further away. Winnebago County Community Park has a long walking trail to allow visitors to do just that.
~Vicky Redlin
The Evergreen Angel by Vicky Redlin
The Christmas Angel located on the grounds of Evergreen Retirement Community at sunset is a peaceful place to meditate.
~Vicky Redlin
Bare Essentials by Lisa Rudolph
Simplicity is sometimes the best image of all. This image struck me as I traveled on my bike near day's end. You would not find this scene in a concrete jungle. Oshkosh is a small town and we have everything we need here.
~ Lisa Rudolph
Drenched in Winter's Light by Lisa Rudolph
Though we are surrounded by great lakes Superior and Michigan, here in Oshkosh, Lake Winnebago is our great lake. I've found peace along it's shores. This shot was taken along it's northwest shore on a winter late afternoon.
~Lisa Rudolph
Windy Day on the Bay by Ula Klein
The catamarans on Miller's Bay are a sure sign of summer in Oshkosh. Here they stand at the end of the day against a background of windswept clouds, remind us that fall is coming. Few things are more iconic in Oshkosh than the bay and Menominee Park, and the catamarans by the boat ramp.
~Ula Klein
Nightfall of Oshkosh: A Night of Stillness by Keu See Lor
Oshkosh is well-known for their downtown area where many events takes place. The Opera House Square is part of Downtown Oshkosh and is one of the magnificent signatures that brings travelers to visit. During nightfall, Downtown Oshkosh is the place for people to meet and hangout at the bars and restaurants, but when you walk by the Opera House Square, it's silence. On this side of downtown, the trees are still, the street is bare, and the cars are motionless. Cars from the other side of the road becomes white noise, crickets are chirping behind grass blades, and the dim street lights are shimmering under the dark sky. The Opera House Square during nightfall is the perfect definition of "quiet," where you can come here, unwind, and breath from a long exhausting day.
~Keu See Lor