What's The "Best" Photo You Took In 2014 ... Ready, GO!!!
- Thread starter BackdoorArts
- Start date
I shot this back in September when the wife had a business trip to Kansas City and I got to tag along. It was great to experience a new city and just go around for the entire day taking pictures. Not sure exactly why I like this, except for the fact it reminds me of that day of exploring.
Just-Clayton
Senior Member
Before I show and tell, I will say I like all the photos so far on this post.
I chose this picture, due to the popularity it got. To me, it was just another picture I shot. To others it was a fantastic shot. I just got done with work and a fresh snow was coming down and sticking to the trees. I rushed home and grabbed my camera. I headed to my favorite area to shoot. I ran into another photographer and as she and her beau walked away I took the shot. Well, two shots. The first one they were to far to the left. I sent the picture to the local weather man and they put it up on TV a couple nights later. From there it went viral. I have printed several canvas wraps and 750 greeting cards. When I finally got the cards and prints, I realized how well it looked.
I chose this picture, due to the popularity it got. To me, it was just another picture I shot. To others it was a fantastic shot. I just got done with work and a fresh snow was coming down and sticking to the trees. I rushed home and grabbed my camera. I headed to my favorite area to shoot. I ran into another photographer and as she and her beau walked away I took the shot. Well, two shots. The first one they were to far to the left. I sent the picture to the local weather man and they put it up on TV a couple nights later. From there it went viral. I have printed several canvas wraps and 750 greeting cards. When I finally got the cards and prints, I realized how well it looked.
As others have said, hard to pick just one shot. This is my choice as it represents my favorite type of photography: travel. Laurie and I were on a photography related tour on Oahu. This beach is a frequent stop on the tour but I tried to find some uniqueness. The man and his dogs all alone on the beach perfectly centered between trees while using the shadows as stairs to walk the eye towards the water - I was pleased with the composition. On top of this, it was my first trip with the (new to me) D800 and Tamron 24-70/2.8 VC. I've taken two huge jumps in my photography in my opinion - when I upgraded from the D70s to the D300 and again when I upgraded to the D800. This image - to me - confirms my gear choices and my ability to occasionally utilize the gear to its capability.
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love it !
This photo of Mrs. Ozarkite was taken on the spur of the moment. She puts up with my Photography whims, and she had just recovered her very first real doll she had when she was a little girl from among our *storage* area. Before this doll, she had paper dolls to "make believe' with. It is very fragile, and many memories surround it for her. This was in the late 1940's.
She and her folks lived on a small farm, when she got the doll, and the sacrifice made to buy it for her was great. The story of her family's life on that farm would make a movie...as would so many others.
We were high school sweethearts, and have been married 51 years this coming July.
When I look at this picture, there is a lifetime of Great Joy, and Great Tragedy and more...I am sure you understand. This image is the most meaningful I have ever taken, or more than likely will ever take.
This Forum's members are the most responsible for my learning to make my images portray the "inside my mind's eye" spirit of what I see through the viewfinder. I am at the point now that my photography is for my personal expression of what I see, and I really don't care what someone else thinks about it...I hope you take that in a good way.
My thanks to all who have helped me, and Mrs. Ozarkite and I both hope you all have a Great 2015.
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She and her folks lived on a small farm, when she got the doll, and the sacrifice made to buy it for her was great. The story of her family's life on that farm would make a movie...as would so many others.
We were high school sweethearts, and have been married 51 years this coming July.
When I look at this picture, there is a lifetime of Great Joy, and Great Tragedy and more...I am sure you understand. This image is the most meaningful I have ever taken, or more than likely will ever take.
This Forum's members are the most responsible for my learning to make my images portray the "inside my mind's eye" spirit of what I see through the viewfinder. I am at the point now that my photography is for my personal expression of what I see, and I really don't care what someone else thinks about it...I hope you take that in a good way.
My thanks to all who have helped me, and Mrs. Ozarkite and I both hope you all have a Great 2015.
View attachment 131353
Michael J.
Senior Member
Carroll, thank you so much sharing that story
Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
I can't say if this is my best but it is the photo that I invested the most effort in last year. Out of 100 or so images taken during the course of 6 or 7 trips to the location, this came the closest to what i was trying to capture. This day had the best light of all the days I was there.
We spent 3 weeks in the US earlier this year and I wanted to take one of those long roads vanishing into the distance for my son. Whilst I did see many longer vanishing into the distance roads, this one in Death Valley is a favourite as the 30mph twisty road warning sign just makes me chuckle. Perhaps it's because I spend my weekends in the Yorkshire Dales where 200 yards of straight road is called a motorway.
wud
Senior Member
This. My favorite model of all time, she was so natural and completely understood every small thing I told her to do - I got the chill, when the A3+ sized print came out of my machine.
I hope to experience this feeling of connection with a somewhat stranger another time, and to get that amazing feeling of: nailing it.
I hope to experience this feeling of connection with a somewhat stranger another time, and to get that amazing feeling of: nailing it.
After a lot of thought I decided on this one from the beginning of the year. I had gone to the lake because of the fog but as I was walking around the Heron flew in as if to say 'This is my Kingdom". This shot reminds me of my favorite Ansel Adams quote “Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter." It is not a photo I will ever be able to take again.
Englischdude
Senior Member
Hi all,
my first reaction when reading the topic was actually one of a little horror! "it is going to take me ages to look through all the photos ive taken this year!"
Of all the pics I take (somewhere between 1000-2000 each year), there are maybe only 5 or so that I would hang on the wall. These pics I can remember very easily so it was a relatively simple task. There were a number of portrait photos of the kids which I liked very much, but I want to post something a little different, a photo which has been the result of alot of experimenting and learning.
Last year I became acquainted with IR photography and so purchased a D70 and had it converted. The picture taking was the easiest part, the challenge with IR is always the post processing and the learning curve here still remains steep. This picture is of a small chapel in an Austrian village called Hittisau, located only about a 30 minutes away by car.
my first reaction when reading the topic was actually one of a little horror! "it is going to take me ages to look through all the photos ive taken this year!"
Of all the pics I take (somewhere between 1000-2000 each year), there are maybe only 5 or so that I would hang on the wall. These pics I can remember very easily so it was a relatively simple task. There were a number of portrait photos of the kids which I liked very much, but I want to post something a little different, a photo which has been the result of alot of experimenting and learning.
Last year I became acquainted with IR photography and so purchased a D70 and had it converted. The picture taking was the easiest part, the challenge with IR is always the post processing and the learning curve here still remains steep. This picture is of a small chapel in an Austrian village called Hittisau, located only about a 30 minutes away by car.
realuvsdolphins
Senior Member
I was at Sunday park testing out my Nikon. I love ducks and I spotted this one. This particular duck is unique to me because I have never seen one with a block of blue. Blue is my favorite color and felt that it just fit my personality so well. Sometimes you just don't get these opportunity's to catch something so different and unique. On any other day I don't think I would have noticed this particular duck. Sometimes you just have to slow down and live life to the fullest.
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SkvLTD
Senior Member
Honestly can't really decide on the best, but I'll post the favorite one due to sentimental value.
Decided to pull resources and hit up the biggest drifting event of the east coast to catch up w/ an old friend from my car days (in pic) and a few others I met along w/ him about 4 years ago. Was the first time shooting inside the track, finally using FX, and just feeling like a fish in the water albeit it being my first time. Whole event had incredible vibes and nothing but awesome characters.
The anecdote behind this shot is my friend saying he wanted me to try to do video since all the guys like watching them, but I insisted that I do still for a good reason. And after he saw this and a few other shots he basically shut up and told be to just keep at whatever I do best.
Decided to pull resources and hit up the biggest drifting event of the east coast to catch up w/ an old friend from my car days (in pic) and a few others I met along w/ him about 4 years ago. Was the first time shooting inside the track, finally using FX, and just feeling like a fish in the water albeit it being my first time. Whole event had incredible vibes and nothing but awesome characters.
The anecdote behind this shot is my friend saying he wanted me to try to do video since all the guys like watching them, but I insisted that I do still for a good reason. And after he saw this and a few other shots he basically shut up and told be to just keep at whatever I do best.
Danno_RIP
Senior Member
Re: What's The "Best" Photo You Took In 2014 ... Ready, GO!!!
Good stuff folks. I enjoyed the rezoning behind each photo as much as the photos. Thanks for these. I just started photography at 57. I am learning so much from this site. I see things differently. It has been a blessing. Health issues slowed me down God gave me this to see the world differently.
Good stuff folks. I enjoyed the rezoning behind each photo as much as the photos. Thanks for these. I just started photography at 57. I am learning so much from this site. I see things differently. It has been a blessing. Health issues slowed me down God gave me this to see the world differently.
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My best is always the one I enjoyed creating and the one that I could see before the shot, maybe not the exact detail, but the story the shot would tell. That is when I know I made the difference.
I also cannot escape from waxing/waning light and the transformation of the world as the sun sets or rises or even just passes through the trees or past a barn.
Took an afternoon back in the Summer for some hiking and shooting. Planned to end the day at an old fort atop a hill. I knew there was a canon and thought there might be a decent sunset, but as the evening moved toward the night, I could tell the sky would be lighting up as the sun set and I began working on the shot in my mind and hoping the canon would be in the right spot.
We made the top of the hill about 30 minutes before sunset, had a few minutes to rest and study the angles, watch the clouds move and imagine how they might transform. Worked it for about 20 minutes from different angles, horizons, fill and no fill, sun behind or to the right or left.
Working against the changing light is exhilarating, and when the sun, the clouds and the crossed jet trails of the modern age lined up over the canon from a time of crossed swords, one of my Best of 2014 was born.
I also cannot escape from waxing/waning light and the transformation of the world as the sun sets or rises or even just passes through the trees or past a barn.
Took an afternoon back in the Summer for some hiking and shooting. Planned to end the day at an old fort atop a hill. I knew there was a canon and thought there might be a decent sunset, but as the evening moved toward the night, I could tell the sky would be lighting up as the sun set and I began working on the shot in my mind and hoping the canon would be in the right spot.
We made the top of the hill about 30 minutes before sunset, had a few minutes to rest and study the angles, watch the clouds move and imagine how they might transform. Worked it for about 20 minutes from different angles, horizons, fill and no fill, sun behind or to the right or left.
Working against the changing light is exhilarating, and when the sun, the clouds and the crossed jet trails of the modern age lined up over the canon from a time of crossed swords, one of my Best of 2014 was born.
Wow there are some amazing photos and stories here. My favourite photo of the year would have to be the one below, that I took on vacation in September. While I do like the photo, I know that I have taken much better photos since then, but this one was more about the experience of the place and time rather than just the image. I was travelling on my 1st wedding anniversary and we went to a forest in Bali where we could interact with the monkeys. Neither my wife or I had ever done this before and the whole experience was amazing. The photo came about after seeing a moment of inquisitive expression from this little guy that seemed so human to me that it was spooky. I just love the expression on his face and it reminds me of the time we had with these funny little critters.
It was immensely hard to choose just one. To be honest, I waffled over about 7 photos, as I grew so much last year. I had SO MANY victories as I pushed myself into styles of photography and editing that I never imagined when I first dove in to the "serious" realm...
This is the picture that won out, from our Summer trip down to see Dad, and there are so many reasons...
1) I am so in love with Florida. With the sun, with the ocean, with the beach, with the birds... I could go on and on. This shot, in a small way, captures a lot of that "essence", and stirs a longing to be there almost as strongly as actually being on the beach. I have a lot from this last trip, but this one is the "one".
2) I spotted these old pier pilings during full daylight, knew what I wished I could capture in a picture, and despite the clouds, I waited... and waited... and waited... and the clouds broke on the horizon just enough for the sun to slip through and give me the pic I had in my mind's eye. The ocean hit low tide at just the right time, the birds moved in, and I waded out up to mid-thigh and got the shot I had been daydreaming of just hours before. SNAP. Ansel Adams came to mind... "Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter." I know, I know. I just said I waited for a couple of hours, but the way everything lined up perfectly seemed almost like God whispered in my ear to say, "I was hoping you'd be here today..."
3) It was one of the best trips I've ever had, as my Dad was healthy the whole week (a rarity these days), and active, and as we traveled here and there, he and my step-mom were laughing and reminiscing and having a blast right along with us.
4) It's personal. You see, my Dad left when I was just a little fella, 42 years ago. They stayed in the area for a while, but it didn't take long for them to disappear in an RV, and even though he tried a time or two to let me know why, I never understood. He came back at least once a year, called here and there, and as a typical kid, I worshiped him. Then, when I finally caused enough trouble at home (I was a bit... "ornery") I was banished to Dad's for the summer and discovered a love for the beach. From that point on, I went every summer that I could, which ended up being once every 3 or 4 years, but Dad's always been the quiet sort. Phone calls are 5-10 minutes, face to face convo's are a word here, a word there. Nothing major, no lack of love, just how he was. He's always been a very private person... until the last few years. He was diagnosed with horrible COPD, and the doctor told him "3 to 5 years". We've been down every summer since, whether it straps the finances or not. The last two years, he's really opened up, but his health has kept him from doing much, and although he was glad to see us, you could tell he was trying to do what we wanted even though it was uncomfortable. This last summer though, even though we ran all over creation, we kept an easy pace, and I could finally see the full LOVE that he has for the beach as well. These last 2 years, I finally came to understand the "why" he was always trying to explain, and that already strong connection was strengthened exponentially. When I showed him these pics, he got a bit misty eyed and said, "Yeah. That's it. You captured it, and that's what captured me." This pic is a connection with my old man, and fills my heart with love for not only the beach, but him too.
5) Dunno how many more summers I have, but even after he passes, I want to be there, on the beach. I wanna revel in my own love for the sand and waves, but I also wanna be able to sit there and feel the companionship of my Dad, because I know he'll be there. Unfortunately, trips down south are expensive. The only way we make it is with the lightened load of being able to stay with them, so once he is gone, we may never find the way to return. Not as often as I'd like, at least. I'd do almost anything to relocate, to live down there, but I have a career of 15 years here, and my wife has one of 10 or so as well. It took us a while to get where we are, and even though it's not an affluent lifestyle, it's horribly terrifying to think about starting over, transplanting my family to a new place without the tiny bit of comfort we've finally carved out for ourselves. These pics might be all I have, but with the emotion and memories behind them, with this being the "one"... how could it NOT be my favorite?
6) There's a small bit that says, "Nice composition! Rule of thirds! You learned enough to get the settings right for the shot, and enough about editing to draw out the feel!" but that's just a small part of it. I'm proud of all that, to be sure, but just because it helped me capture a memory.
Thanks for listening to an old redneck fool ramble.
This is the picture that won out, from our Summer trip down to see Dad, and there are so many reasons...
1) I am so in love with Florida. With the sun, with the ocean, with the beach, with the birds... I could go on and on. This shot, in a small way, captures a lot of that "essence", and stirs a longing to be there almost as strongly as actually being on the beach. I have a lot from this last trip, but this one is the "one".
2) I spotted these old pier pilings during full daylight, knew what I wished I could capture in a picture, and despite the clouds, I waited... and waited... and waited... and the clouds broke on the horizon just enough for the sun to slip through and give me the pic I had in my mind's eye. The ocean hit low tide at just the right time, the birds moved in, and I waded out up to mid-thigh and got the shot I had been daydreaming of just hours before. SNAP. Ansel Adams came to mind... "Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have someone click the shutter." I know, I know. I just said I waited for a couple of hours, but the way everything lined up perfectly seemed almost like God whispered in my ear to say, "I was hoping you'd be here today..."
3) It was one of the best trips I've ever had, as my Dad was healthy the whole week (a rarity these days), and active, and as we traveled here and there, he and my step-mom were laughing and reminiscing and having a blast right along with us.
4) It's personal. You see, my Dad left when I was just a little fella, 42 years ago. They stayed in the area for a while, but it didn't take long for them to disappear in an RV, and even though he tried a time or two to let me know why, I never understood. He came back at least once a year, called here and there, and as a typical kid, I worshiped him. Then, when I finally caused enough trouble at home (I was a bit... "ornery") I was banished to Dad's for the summer and discovered a love for the beach. From that point on, I went every summer that I could, which ended up being once every 3 or 4 years, but Dad's always been the quiet sort. Phone calls are 5-10 minutes, face to face convo's are a word here, a word there. Nothing major, no lack of love, just how he was. He's always been a very private person... until the last few years. He was diagnosed with horrible COPD, and the doctor told him "3 to 5 years". We've been down every summer since, whether it straps the finances or not. The last two years, he's really opened up, but his health has kept him from doing much, and although he was glad to see us, you could tell he was trying to do what we wanted even though it was uncomfortable. This last summer though, even though we ran all over creation, we kept an easy pace, and I could finally see the full LOVE that he has for the beach as well. These last 2 years, I finally came to understand the "why" he was always trying to explain, and that already strong connection was strengthened exponentially. When I showed him these pics, he got a bit misty eyed and said, "Yeah. That's it. You captured it, and that's what captured me." This pic is a connection with my old man, and fills my heart with love for not only the beach, but him too.
5) Dunno how many more summers I have, but even after he passes, I want to be there, on the beach. I wanna revel in my own love for the sand and waves, but I also wanna be able to sit there and feel the companionship of my Dad, because I know he'll be there. Unfortunately, trips down south are expensive. The only way we make it is with the lightened load of being able to stay with them, so once he is gone, we may never find the way to return. Not as often as I'd like, at least. I'd do almost anything to relocate, to live down there, but I have a career of 15 years here, and my wife has one of 10 or so as well. It took us a while to get where we are, and even though it's not an affluent lifestyle, it's horribly terrifying to think about starting over, transplanting my family to a new place without the tiny bit of comfort we've finally carved out for ourselves. These pics might be all I have, but with the emotion and memories behind them, with this being the "one"... how could it NOT be my favorite?
6) There's a small bit that says, "Nice composition! Rule of thirds! You learned enough to get the settings right for the shot, and enough about editing to draw out the feel!" but that's just a small part of it. I'm proud of all that, to be sure, but just because it helped me capture a memory.
Thanks for listening to an old redneck fool ramble.
cynajones83
New member
This is my newest baby. Resolution probably is crappy because I had reduced it to be able to email.
I chose this because it's a big deal to have a healthy happy baby