U.S. Bank Stadium at Night

from flickr user Logan Selinski
With traffic streaking through the darkened streets of eastern downtown Minneapolis, the recently opened U.S. Bank Stadium has its roof lit up in purple which adds an interesting element to the lit skyline of Minnesota's largest city.

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Ghostly Gold Medal Flour

from flickr user SPP Photography
Taken against a particularly dark night sky, this recent photo go the iconic Gold Medal Flour sing in Minneapolis looks rather haunting and ghostly which fits well with the tone of October itself.

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Victory Memorial Parkway - Winter Storm

from flickr user Tony Webster
A winter snow storm covers Victory Memorial Parkway at 42nd Avenue North near the border of North Minneapolis and Robbinsdale, Minnesota.

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Lightning over Duluth

from flickr user Samuel Wagner
Shot from the fifth floor of the Sheraton Hotel in Duluth, a quick lightning storm over the bity and adjacent Lake Superior shows the iconic lift bridge and the lights of the city.

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North Shore stars

from flickr user Devon Early
Far from the lights of the Twin Cities, a clear, calm and starry night on the north shore of Lake Superior is the perfect getaway when the rat race gets to be too much. 

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Cloudy Aurora

from flickr user imagenusphoto
The Northern Lights have been extremely active this year and even though conditions were partly cloudy, the vibrant display of greens, blues and yellows over Knife Lake did not disappoint.

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Storm clouds approach rural Minnesota

from flickr user Peter Stratmoen
Some wickedly ominous clouds approach over a silhouetted line of trees and adjacent farmland as the sun sets on an approaching evening of storms.

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When the stars come down - Duluth, MN

from flickr user Jeff Rennicke
A sky full of stars, paired with one very apparent shooting star, makes for a beautiful scene near Duluth, MN on a clear evening.

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Northern Lights in Minnesota

from flickr user Vicky Mahodaya
They started to wiggle and move from north to south like wind was blowing them away. It kept creeping up and soon covered half of the sky up top. The Northern Lights have erupted for two consecutive nights and have been visible into southern Minnesota. This photo is from the first night (late Monday / early Tuesday) but there may be an unprecedented third night of this spectacular light show tonight!

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Northern Lights - Scott County, MN

from Twitter user @Overnights_at_9
While it's not entirely impossible for the Northern Lights to be seen during the summer months in Minnesota, it's is rare for the Aurora Borealis to be seen this far south in late June. This photo - taken southwest of Minneapolis in rural Scott County - depicts a vibrant show overnight in a serene countryside setting.

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Hastings, MN bridge at night

from flickr user Vv_Kaz_vV
While the relatively new Hastings, MN bridge spanning the Mississippi River isn't a historically relevant piece of infrastructure like its predecessor, it is a striking piece or architecture in its own right - especially when lit up at night as it carries drivers to and from the city of Hastings.

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Stone Arch Bridge - Minneapolis, MN

from flickr user Ron Layters
Another view of the Stone Arch Bridge which crosses the Mississippi river in Minneapolis.

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Downtown Minneapolis, MN

from flickr user Noah Kleinschmidt
Taken from up high, the photographer is nearly eye level with portions of the downtown Minneapolis skyline on this particular evening.

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Hennepin starlights - Minneapolis, MN

from flickr user Bob Israel
Perfect stars of light eminate from each of the street lights spanning the Hennepin Avenue bridge in Minneapolis across the Mississippi River.

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Best of MinnPics - December 2014

from flickr user Aaron Groen
Wow. I don't even know where to begin to describe the stunning quality and skill that comes from the photographer behind the Best of MinPics for December 2014. Aaron Groen (the photographer) seemingly spends many nights each month stalking the perfect location (mostly rural) and matching that with the perfect celestial sky which makes for art (which he rightly sells). This photo of a rural church in Jackson County, Minnesota is that rare match of perfect skies and location. A signature of rural life -- the country church under a sky filled with a galaxy of stars.

Here we are, the last entry to the Best of MinnPics 2014. It's been a long journey through 2014. A year full of firsts and lasts. June brought historic floods to the Minnesota River Valley while January saw the deflation of the Metrodome. I showcased 192 photos here in 2014 and while that was less than in previous years, it was the best year yet as I brought in some fun with the Minnesota State Fair Bingo Cards in August and played around with a rural twist back in April.

Be sure to keep checking back through the end of the year and maybe even into 2015...

Thanks for being a reader of MinnPics!

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Best of MinnPics - November 2014

from flickr user Dan Anderson
November usually brings images of a stark, gray landscape which may or may not be blanketed in snow. Instead, the Best of MinnPics for November 2014 takes us northward to a very cold Duluth, MN on an abnormally cold evening for a look at the gorgeous John A. Blatnik Bridge as it stretches across St. Louis Bay at the beginning of Lake Superior. Whether the stunning stars from the bridge's lights come from post-processing or not, the vibrant blue in the sky and in the structure's steel make for not just a fine photo but a true work of art. I am envious of this capture and it truly deserves the title of the Best of MinnPics for November 2014.

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Best of MinnPics - August 2014

from flickr user Bob Israel
A long exposure taken up close as one of the many midway rides at the Minnesota State Fair spins rapidly while the ride operator leans in a casual manner. I love the action captured in this photo when contrasted with the nonchalant attitude of the ride operator. This is probably one of the most peaceful times captured at the Minnesota State Fair.

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Algoma Montrealais - Duluth, MN

from flickr user Dan Mackey
Night view of the Montrealais unloading at the Holcim Dock in Duluth

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Rice Park Tree Lighting - St. Paul, MN

from flickr user Jim Ericson
Smoke from the fireworks lingers in the air after the tree lighting ceremony at St. Paul's Rice Park on Saturday night.

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Vikings Stadium at Night

from flickr user Jim Strand
The under-construction Minnesota Vikings stadium, seen here with an illuminated backdrop of the city of Minneapolis, sits aglow as cranes tower over the billion dollar downtown football palace.

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