2024 in focus: Favorite photos of the year from MPR News’ lens
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Every day, I get to embark on a visual journey across Minnesota — and sometimes beyond — through the lenses of our talented photo team at MPR News. From forests drenched in rain to championship celebrations, my role is to bring these visual stories to life for you, our readers. These images aren’t just photos; they are moments of curiosity, connection and storytelling captured in their purest form.
Another year has passed, and with it, a whirlwind of news and events to cover in Minnesota and beyond. From politics to playoff dreams, unseasonable winters to moments of quiet resilience, the MPR News photo team did what they do best: follow their curiosity, chase stories and bring you along for the ride, one frame at a time. They climbed through forests in the rain, caught light breaking through clouds and, even tried not to scare pheasants in the governor’s hunting party.
It was a year of playoff runs, finals appearances and championship glory. The Minnesota Frost women’s hockey team brought home a championship title, and the Minnesota Lynx battled their way to the finals, giving us moments of triumph, heartbreak and pride.
From the bustling Minnesota State Fair to silent candlelight vigils, the joys of love renewed to solitary mushroom hunts, each image captured by our talented photographers is a testament to their relentless pursuit of connection and storytelling. Through their lenses, 2024 comes alive.
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Let’s take a look at the year together and relive these unforgettable moments.
Whimsy in the details
The auditorium was packed with unusual breeds by the dozens, champions bred for show as well as cherished household cats. It was a fun adventure to just wander and photograph the variety of cats, all the proud owners primping their cats for competition and the spectators that attended wearing cat apparel, simply due to their love of all things cat-related.
— Judy Griesedieck, freelance photojournalist based in the Twin Cities metro
Serendipity at the State Fair
I had that feeling of ‘I’m just not seeing photos,’ which is especially frustrating at a place that’s so visually rich like the fair. I sat on a curb to regroup and thought about what I could do with the spokes of the Ferris wheel.
Right then, a group of friends stopped in front of me, with Stevo and his big mohawk, and it lined up perfectly with those spokes. I rushed up to them fumbling with my flash and he was so patient, letting me pose him a few different ways with my red gel. I showed him and his friends the photo and they really liked it, which is always a great feeling.
That positive connection and moment of serendipity broke my photographer’s version of writer's block, and for the rest of the night I had a good time and was seeing photos easily. That photo now reminds me of that feeling of taking a second to breathe and ending up where I need to be because of it.
— Nicole Neri, freelance photojournalist based in the Twin Cities metro
Rain, mushrooms and a moment of calm
I loved this photo because so much of mushroom picking is solitary. You’re alone in the woods, maybe on your property and you’re just using your eyes, feet and hands to pick these mushrooms. It was so quiet these days and I began to think about what it would be like if Mike or myself were out here alone.
Thinking about how quiet it would be, where the only sounds are your footsteps and the raindrops ricocheting off leaves and branches before reaching the ground. And when you’re in the middle of the woods miles from any city or highway and the only sounds are the rain and the breeze, it’s so calming. As a photojournalist, it’s one of those photos that when you see it, you just know that it tells a story.
— Derek Montgomery, freelance photojournalist based in Duluth
Everyday life is anything but ordinary
My favorite photographs document everyday life. I’m curious about how people live and what’s important to them. This portrait of the Ripley-Jaakola family was made for a story about MiigWitches Brew, a Native-owned drive-thru coffee kiosk, on the Fond du Lac reservation.
Their interactions were so genuine and I could feel the love between them. I was struck by how Lyz Jaakola (far right) spoke about the coffee kiosk and how it wove into her other forms of self-expression. I’m glad I was able to document this moment in time.
— Erica Dischino, freelance photojournalist based in Duluth
Capturing resilience in disaster
Often times, people do not understand the effort it can take to get pictures at natural disasters. The authorities want to barricade the media into a small area where we are limited to tell the true story of what is happening.
After one of the roads to the dam was no longer being guarded by the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office, I drove as close as I could and I parked my car about a half mile away from the dam. As I walked closer, I saw a TV crew talking with some people near the dam.
The woman they were talking to was clearly emotional about the Dam Store family losing their house and their business. It turned out that her great-grandfather had started the Dam Store in the early 1900s. She walked up to the area where the business once stood and started crying.
I proceeded to talk to both Eric and Louise and listened to their story about how this natural disaster affected their life. It was truly heartbreaking.
— Jackson Forderer, freelance photojournalist based in Mankato
The unexpected side of campaign season
I did not have Gov. Tim Walz being chosen as Kamala Harris’ Vice Presidential running mate on my 2024 bingo card. This photo, despite not actually depicting Gov. Walz, stood out to me because it showed a behind-the-scenes look of the media circus while the campaign season was in full swing.
Observing the gaggle of journalists stalk Gov. Walz’s every move just felt so surreal. I imagined pheasant hunting with nearly two dozen members of the press was fairly low on the governor’s list of favorite hunting experiences. Nonetheless, it was a surprise privilege to cover one of Gov. Walz’s few visits to his home state during the campaign.
— Ben Hovland, MPR News photojournalist based in the Twin Cities
Sometimes, the best photos are about joy
This is just such a fantastic moment of love and happiness between two people. LaChonce and Felicia Buckner decided to renew their vows after ten years of marriage during the first-ever mass wedding ceremony at Ramsey County Courthouse on Valentine’s Day.
They had just kissed after their renewal and Felicia had this huge smile on her face and looked directly at me as I took the photo. To me, it’s a display of the power of the human spirit and the joy that love brings to our lives.
— Tom Baker, freelance photojournalist based in Twin Cities metro
Finding the light … and the right moment
I had a great time covering the inaugural Twin Cities Pride Youth Night. The event offered many Minnesota LGBTQ+ youth their first chance to be surrounded by peers and feel like they could let loose a bit and be totally unguarded. It was vibrant and flamboyant and full of community, which I knew I wanted to capture.
The weather was overcast when I arrived, but the clouds briefly parted before sundown, casting a beautiful light on the main stage. I felt I had something fun and emblematic when I made this photo of a drag queen performing as kids looked on.
— Tim Evans, freelance photojournalist based in the Twin Cities metro
Love and resilience, against the cold
To me, this photograph is a meditation on the fear, pain, and uncertainty felt by transgender and gender non-conforming individuals in our country, while simultaneously reflecting their love, hope, and resilience.
— Liam James Doyle, freelance photojournalist based in the Twin Cities metro
An unforgettable connection with the wild
As the MPR News senior visual journalist, I visited the city of Stacy with correspondent Dan Kraker to document efforts to protect wolves. Surrounded by wolves cautiously approaching as Peggy Callahan howled to call them, I closed my eyes to savor the moment. Slowing my heartbeat, I tried to feel the wolves — an experience I will never forget.
Healing begins with conversation
The country seems more divided than I can ever remember it being. Many friendships and family relationships have been strained or broken over politics … This photo symbolizes that return to civility, as parishioners from rural and urban churches who tended to vote differently, found common ground and peaceful conversation over their choices.
Seeing people discuss politics in a civil way, with smiles on their faces, no anger in the room, gave me hope that we can get past this difficult time in our country.
— Kimm Anderson, freelance photojournalist based in St. Cloud
Light, movement and a moment of joy
My favorite image came during the dancing near the end of the event when the participants could loosen up and enjoy themselves. The movement of the dancers along with the rays of light and graphic lines in the image all come together to make a nice photograph.
— Ken Klotzbach, freelance photojournalist based in Rochester
Small details, big stories
On a quiet stretch of land in Mahnomen, a cannabis seedling reaches for the sun — a small but powerful sign of growth and possibility. Moorhead-based freelance photographer Ann Arbor Miller captured this scene, showing how even the tiniest details can tell a much larger story.
Energy, passion and the beauty of connection
At the Minnesota United playoff game, the atmosphere was electric. Fans were on their feet, scarves in the air, fully immersed in the moment. Twin Cities-based freelance photojournalist Shannon Rathmanner capturing that collective joy and the way sports bring people together.
Moments of civic pride
There’s something universally hopeful about Election Day. At Lynden Town Hall, the simple exchange of an ‘I Voted’ sticker carried a quiet sense of accomplishment and pride. St. Cloud-based freelance photojournalist Paul Middlestaedt captured one of the small rituals that underpin democracy.
More photos from this year
2024 was a year of surprises, struggles and stories waiting to be told. From our team to you—thanks for coming along for the ride. Here’s to another year of seeing, listening and capturing life as it unfolds.
Correction (Dec. 31, 2024): A photo caption misidentified Ondine Cella in an earlier version of this story. The story has been updated.