Daily Herald photo contest winners for June 2026

Taking the top spot in June is Maralee Parker’s playful photo of her grandchildren enjoying a warm summer’s day at the lake. The Elgin resident writes, “I love this picture at our Michigan lake house of two of my grandkids competing on who can stand upside-down the longest in the lake. The grandson won!”

In second place, Sue Laugal’s slightly comical photo caught her avian visitor in a graceful contortion. The South Barrington resident writes, “Our yard had been home to the same pair of sandhill cranes each spring through fall for over 10 years. They are such fun to watch them.”

For the third spot, Mike Nielsen of Lisle captures a vibrant reflection of a muskrat pausing for a moment in the calm shallow waters.

Coming in fourth, Justine Braskich’s serene photo captures the quiet atmosphere of a night outdoors under the stars.

Contest rules

The Daily Herald invites readers to submit their own photos to our “Your Images” amateur photo contest.

Once a month, we showcase entries that feature one first-place winner and three runners-up. The contest is open to everyone in the Daily Herald readership area.

• To submit a photo of your own for consideration, email it in .jpg format at highest quality possible to yourimages@dailyherald.com. Please remove any date stamps on the photo.

• Include your name, mailing address and phone number, plus a detailed description of your photo. Remember to include a sentence or two on what you like about it and your hometown.

• One photo a week per photographer, but enter as many weeks as you’d like.

• First-place winners will receive prizes alternating between The Great Frame Up in Schaumburg and PJ’s Camera in Glen Ellyn.