Scroll through five-dozen photographs of Iowa and Iowans, taken by Little Village readers and curated by LV Graphic Designer Kate Doolittle for the 2025 Reader-Submitted Photo Issue. The images have not been cropped or significantly altered, appearing here as the photographer submitted them. Submitted captions have been edited for style, length and clarity.
Photo by Adria Carpenter: Two pairs of white shoes adorn the power line beside my old apartment building off East College Street in Iowa City on Sunday, July 7, 2024.Juniper and Hannah Hollow get married under the gazebo in College Green Park on Monday, July 8, 2024, in Iowa City. Photo by Adria Carpenter.‘Last Road Trip of the Summer’ by Cameron Johnson: We had a free weekend in August and camped near Dubuque, went to the River Museum and stopped at the Field of Dreams on the way back. It was a very Iowa trip.‘Rainbow Over the Johnson County Poor Farm’ by Cameron Johnson‘Vincent Promo Outtake for Iowa City Community Theatre’ by Cameron Johnson: He was performing with Iowa City Community Theatre in “A Grand Night for Singing” as a sleepy little boy. It was very sweet. Of course, when we went outside to take pictures, he did ninja moves and raged like a lunatic because he’s 6. ‘Pippy in Fall’ by Carly McCoy‘Purple-pink skyline’ by Carly McCoy‘Saving the Cherry Tree’ by Connie Sherman‘Stanley Art Museum’ by Connie Sherman: Snowfall on Jan. 9, 2024. It took me an hour to walk home from the hospital. Buses were stopped. It was a wonderful walk!‘Doggy Bag’ by Dana Telsrow‘Pedestrian Bridge’ by Dana TelsrowPhoto by Daniel Brawner: Iowa City. A tropical orchid thriving in our living room window seems indifferent to the blizzard raging outside. ‘Water Tower #1’ by Dave LintPhoto by Ely Hopper: Hawkeye Wildlife Management AreaPhoto by Ely Hopper: Hawkeye Wildlife Management AreaPhoto by Ely Hopper: Hawkeye Wildlife Management Area‘Alley Way’ by Endrit Ramku: Downtown Iowa City at twilight.Photo by Ezra WelchPhoto by Ezra Welch‘Deer’ by Erasmus Sizer: This is a photo I took of a doe I saw along the trail of Jester Park, roughly 40 feet away. It stopped and stared for around a minute, letting me get his photo.‘Goose’ by Erasmus Sizer: This is a photo I took of a Canadian goose in Terra Park in Johnston. I used my 200x telephoto lens to get this photo as I was a couple feet away from it.‘Florence and Sweet Pea Wrapped in a Spider’ by Jamie Elizabeth Hudrlik‘Sardines’ by Jamie Elizabeth Hudrlik‘Richard the Bull’ by John ReillyPhoto by Jonathan Hansen: An unused building in Mt. Vernon.Photo by Jonathan Hansen: Abandoned structure near SolonPhoto by Jonathan Hansen: The crowd in motion at an Iowa City hardcore show.‘Atalissa Water Tower’ by Jordan Jasa: A photo from a project I’m doing focusing on the tiny towns of eastern Iowa.‘Red Truck, White Garage’ by Jordan Jasa: A photo from a project I’m doing focusing on the tiny towns of eastern Iowa.Photo by Jorge Marquez: Many hidden treasures, such as this mushroom known as the Mock Oyster, can be found in Ulrich Park, Cedar Falls.‘Balloon at Playhouse’ by Kate Doolittle‘May Dew’ by Kate DoolittlePhoto by Kate Revaux‘Hickory Hill’ by Kate Revaux‘Homecoming 2024’ by Kate Revaux‘Architectural Sutliff’ by Kristel Saxton: A historic bridge in rural Johnson County has a beautiful blend of structure and beauty.‘Cyrus’ by Kristel Saxton: A walk on a fall day down an Iowa trail with friends and pups is my ideal Iowa afternoon. I am in love with the layers of textures in this shot. This was taken on the Clear Creek trail outside of Tiffin.‘Old Time Farming’ by Kristel Saxton: The Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant offers a walk through Iowa’s farm history, full of interesting sights and lots of smoke smells.‘Rooted’ by Kristel Saxton: Corn is the most prevalent landscape in an Iowa summer. I have been playing with the idea of how to break apart and show it in a different and unique way.Photo by Kristi Marchesani: No visit to the beautiful Three Pines Farm in Cedar Falls is complete without a greeting from always-lovable Leonard the Llama.‘Blue and Cold’ by Leah Alexandra Kathleen Weaver: A landscape photograph of the pond when everything is freezing over but looking like a winter’s dream, representing true rural Iowa.‘Re-Invention of Life’ by Leah Alexandra Kathleen Weaver: A close-up photograph of a flower being gnawed on by tiny bugs, presenting the circle of life in the world of green.‘To Paint or Not to Paint’ by Leah Alexandra Kathleen Weaver: A heavily edited photograph that looks like it could be a painting with tis vibrant colors. A metaphorical Iowa spring in our minds.Photo by Mary Palmberg: I walked up Myrtle to my favorite wood bridge across that ravine south of the Law Building. I always look down into the ravine, and when I did that this afternoon, thee was a deer. I made a few squeaking noises in hopes it would look up at me. It kept looking around… right, backwards, left. Finally, it looked up and there I was.Photo by Mary Palmberg: My grandson is in track and cross country at City High School. I often attend his meets and take photos. I took this one at a cross country meet in August 2023, and when I looked at the photo that evening, I was impressed by how coordinated the runners are as the race starts.Photo by Mary Palmberg: I really enjoy catching photos of reflections. This photo catches reflections of the east end of the Iowa Memorial Union footbridge and the tree near it in the Gehry building.Photo by Peter Rodd: The childhood home of President Herbert Clark Hoover (1929-1933) in West Branch speaks to his humble background. ‘Iowa City resident, Skinny’ by Peter Rodd: Humans often think only of humans when they talk of residents. All animals and plants reside.Photo by Phil Ochs: High school senior Lila Stark in Jones County, Oct 27. Photo by Phil Ochs: Rain cloud, Louisa County, Sept. 15Photo by Raleigh Smith: An early morning view of dull suburbia in Johnston. 1/400, f/13, ISO 400.Photo by Raleigh Smith: A glowing view depicting the sprawling vegetation of Cottonwood Recreation Area in Ankeny. 1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 1600‘Hiking, Wildcat Den’ by Ric Reinbold: Some friends took me on a hike, and I was just enamored by the scope of the place, especially the rock formations.Photo by Ric ReinboldPhoto by Ruben Shoemaker: The Quad Cities have undergone many changes over the years. Through these two photos, I try and capture what once was—still frames in an ever-changing landscape. Slowing down and taking a moment to see the small things could change your perspective.Photo by Ruben Shoemaker‘Merry Christmas from the Family’ by Sandra Dyas: 2024. Thinking of the Robert Earl Keen song — I am sure you know it. We made this last weekend while cleaning out the attic at my dad’s rock house. Not sure what to think of it but my daughters love it.Photo by Sandra Dyas: Pieta Brown with Chastity Brown and Bo Ramsey. May 18, 2024, Codfish Hollow, Maquoketa.‘Giallows’ by Shale Sage: An Iowa-based band known for their Midwest Gothgaze‘Justice’ by Shale Sage: An homage to Solange’s ‘A Seat at the Table’ album.‘Portrait of a Chestnut Farmer’ by Shale Sage: Tom Lawson on his newly planted chestnut farm.Photo by Trenton Chesling: Image was taken at the Adel Rodeo here in Adel, Iowa.
As I exited the gates at the rodeo I had a chance encounter with a cowboy with an eyepatch.Photo by Yuchen Liu
These photos were originally published in Little Village’s January 2025 issue.
