And the winner of the annual photo contest held by the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce is …

… Linda Larson of Lakewood Avenue in Albert Lea.

Like past winners, her photograph will be emblazoned upon ornaments, sold and hung on local Christmas trees.

Larson’s photo was taken last December and is a winter scene of the bike trail on the north side of Fountain Lake. The view faces east to a curve in the trail near St. Theodore Cemetery.

She said she was surprised she placed first. Larson, who works at Foto Factory, won a gift basket with more than $800 in items from local businesses.

Businesses donating items for gift basket:

Addie’s Floral

Anytime Fitness

Applebee’s

Big Island Grille

Big Island Rendezvous

Cold Stone Creamery

Expressions Salon & Spa

Green Mill Restaurant

Motor Inn Co.

Northbridge Mall

Ramada Inn

Pizza Ranch

Bergdale Harley-Davidson

Daisy Blue Naturals

Cheers Liquor

“I didn’t know there was a prize,” she said.

There were 40 entries in the contest. The public could vote online or at the chamber office, and 156 votes were cast.

“It’s nice that a winter photo won,” said Tami Riecke, operations manager at the chamber. “This is the fifth year that we’ve done it and the past winners have been from warm months.”

Riecke said she was impressed with the quality of submitted photos this year and said the improvement made for a better contest.

The ornaments are available for $6 at the chamber office, 701 Marshall St.

People can view all 40 contest entries at the Web site: www.albertlea.org/ornament.htm. Larson’s photo on the site is No. 5.

Previous ornaments featured the Fountain Lake fountains, the Fountain Lake Park gazebo, a Pickerel Lake sunset and downtown lampposts festooned with flags and petunias.