[Tamia]

My first reaction when you posted this thread was to say "no way am I going to post to this thread, this year was a lousy year for my photography and I don't have 10 reasonable ones." But I kept thinking about it. Then I looked through the thread and said to myself, "no way am I going to post to this thread, the quality is so much better than anything I've ever taken, not just this year but ever!" But I kept thinking about it. I spent a bit of time looking back at what I took this year and realized that while I didn't take advantage of many of my photo opportunities (and there were a fair amount of them) and I wasn't very creative when I did make the effort, I enjoyed looking back over the year and I actually did manage a few decent ones. I'm hoping that this exercise of looking back will give me the incentive to spend more time with photography next year as it's so wonderful to be able to visually look back and remember where I was when. ...

Thank you very much for starting this thread, looking back really changed my thoughts about this past year. ...

Bravo! Well said, and you give voice to much of what I feel about my own work this year, and my hopes for the coming year.

[dane.dawg]

Ramseybuckeye- Northern Saw Whet Owl and Free Ride are my favorites.
Mtngal- I am happy you posted. Number four really tells a story, nicely done.

[dane.dawg]

I think I might of got number Ten today.

[mtngal]

Bravo! Well said, and you give voice to much of what I feel about my own work this year, and my hopes for the coming year.

I have to agree with all you said pertaining to myself also.

Thanks! I didn't know that I would hit such a chord with others, it's heartening. There are tales that could be told about most of the pictures I posted. So many of my better shots are like that - something that I can relate to or that has some type of meaning to me beyond just what's in the viewfinder (could be the technical challenge or an interesting subject or a trip I was on or a pretty scene). I think that's the norm for amateurs like me, isn't it?

Larry, I'm hoping I'll be able to meet up with all of you again, soon. The Acorn Woodpeckers are relatively easy to find in the county park nearby, if you are ever have some extra time while driving the Grapevine. But I think they are common all over California, wherever big oak trees grow (I saw some around Bass Lake, near the south entrance to Yosemite, too).

[traderdrew]

My top animal photo this year is the face of a wild bobcat.

500px / Wild Bobcat by Andrew Richardson

My top warbler photo:

500px / Myrtle Warbler by Andrew Richardson

Best interaction between birds:

500px / Dogfight Maneuver by Andrew Richardson

Best raptor shot:

500px / Northern Harrier by Andrew Richardson

Best high noise shot (iso 4000) and I had to do some special noise reduction because I hate noise:

500px / Bobcat by Andrew Richardson

By the way, the K-5 II might be the cleanest APS-C camera on the market.

Best close up and I placed a photo of the entire hawk on 500px:




And possibly my best flight shot (thanks to the K-3):




Best butterfly photo of 2013:

[noelcmn]

Wow Andrew, those are awesome! as is that one of Dane.dawg.

[wolfiegirl]

There are some absolutely amazing shots here. Like many I feel very tentative about posting as I don't feel that my shots are up to everyone's standards.

Having said that, I feel it would be a good time to look back over the year. I've had a very busy one, with the arrival of my first wolfiepup. She basically sucked the energy/creativity out of me for the first half of the year and I have only gotten back into the swing of things over the last few months.

Having said that, going through my albums I've found a few shots that I had taken that I had completely forgotten about which I'm quite pleased with. So doing this exercise has already reaped its own rewards, showing me that I did manage to take a few shots that I'm happy with.

Obviously wolfiepup features heavily in my top ten, but interestingly so do flowers. Unfortunately my wolfies barely feature at all, with only one shot of Elsie making it. They truly have been neglected this past year...

Let's start with the flowers







A pretty birdie



Then comes Elsie,




And then finally, the subject that has been foremost on my mind this past year, wolfiepup

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Last edited by wolfiegirl; 12-29-2013 at 10:46 PM.

[noelcmn]

Wolfiegirl, awesome. Do tell why we have''nt seen that one with the hat? That first B/W must be from her baptism. Its lovely! Love that tulips- backlighting is awesome!

[wolfiegirl]

Wolfiegirl, awesome. Do tell why we have''nt seen that one with the hat? That first B/W must be from her baptism. Its lovely! Love that tulips- backlighting is awesome!

Hi noelcmn,

Thanks for the lovely comments.

Which hat one are you referring to? The flower one with the grumpy expression on her face or the smiley one in her playpen? I love that grumpy one. That was taken the week I spent in Sydney with my mum and was in a backlog of photos to be processed so probably by the time that happened potw had long come and gone. Re the hat one, that must have slipped through during one of the 'bad weeks' when I was too exhausted to post.

The black and white one was taken when we were in Sydney back in August. Unfortunately I don't have any portraits of her at her baptism. I was too busy getting to the church on time and going through the proceedings to take any shots. We borrowed a dress that her great aunt from America wore when she was young, and we had to return it fairly soon afterwards, so we were a bit rushed for time. Every shot of her that I took at the baptism has other people holding her etc.

Thanks re the tulips. That was taken at Floriade, an annual flower show we have in Canberra. I've been the last few years and always enjoy it. This year we went close to end of the season (I think like, 4 days before it closed) and there were many exhibits that were already on their last legs.

[dane.dawg]

Traderdrew- The eyes of the Bobcat are mesmerizing.
Wolfiegirl- Number two really works.

[wolfiegirl]

Wolfiegirl- Number two really works.

Thanks dane.dawg I'm really proud of that one. Interestingly wolfieboy didn't think much of it and suggested it would be better without the ferris wheel thingamajiggy. Goes to show everyone's mileage varies

[Fries]

Wow, great photography in this thread! My personal top ten at this moment.

Some seascapes

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6. Back after a 25 day wilderness trip


7. Sunset


8. Berries


9. Snowman


10. Bound

[civiletti]

Love the seascapes, Fries.

[civiletti]

Beautiful B&W lily image, Wolfiegirl.

[Fries]

Love the seascapes, Fries.

Thanks! And a thank you for Travis, for starting this thread.