A hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) in wildflowers at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park in Montana.

I’m excited to share the results of my 13th annual Best of Photos project.  112 photographers from around the world (amateur and professional alike) have shared their best photos of 2019.  I’m always amazed at the quality of work shared and I hope it’s a source inspiration to you for the coming year.

For those who are new to my blog project, photographers taking part span the gamut of photo enthusiasts to professionals. The great thing about photography is that no matter what your skill level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer.

If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2020” blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently.

Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers.

Best Photos of 2019

1. Best Photos of 2019 – JMG-Galleries – Jim M. Goldstein
2. My Top 10 Photographs Of 2019 – Michael Russell
3. My Ten Favorite Photos of 2019 – ADVENTR – Randy Langstraat
4. Favorite Photos of 2019 – T.M. Schultze
5. My Favorite Photos from 2019 – Alexander S. Kunz
6. Best of 2019 – Dave Wilson
7. Harold Davis—Best of 2019 – Harold Davis
8. 2019: A Photographic Retrospective – Johann A. Briffa
9. Top 10 Favorites of 2019 – Stefan Baeurle
10. My Best Natural History Photos of 2019 – Phil Colla
11. My Best Photos From 2019 – Daniel Brinneman
12. Best Photos of 2019 – Peter Tellone
13. Rétrospective des meilleures photos de l’année 2019 – Francis Gagnon
14. Best of 2019 by Rachel Cohen – Rachel Cohen
15. Photo Highlights 2019 – Alan Majchrowicz
16. My Top 10 Nature Photos of 2019 – Greg Vaughn
17. 2019 – The Year in Pictures | Russ Bishop Photography – Russ Bishop
18. 2019 Favorites – A Split Year – Joseph Smith
19. My 12 Favorite Photos of 2019 – Chuq Von Rospach
20. Wild Drake Photography – Drake Dyck
21. Matt Payne Photography – Matt Payne
22. My Favorite Images Of 2019 – Werner Priller
23. Favourites from 2019 – Bryn Tassell
24. My Favorite Photos of 2019 – A Year-End Retrospective – Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images
25. 2019 Favorite Photographs – Pat Ulrich
26. Without reflection we go blindly on our way – Bjorn Kleemann
27. 2019 – Ten moments – Ramen Saha
28. top photos :: 2019 – Denise Goldberg
29. Changing Perspectives – Best of 2019 – Jenni Brehm
30. Island in the Net – Khürt Williams
31. Best Photos of 2019: My Favorites of the Year – Todd Henson
32. My Ten Best of Images of 2019 – Mike Chowla
33. 2019 Favorite Photos – Alan Dahl
34. Tech Photo Guy – Best Photos 2019 – Aaron Hockley
35. 2019 Favorites – Martin Quinn
36. Best of TheDarkSlides 2019 – TheDarkSlides
37. 2019 Jim Goldstein Project – J.J. RAIA
38. My Favorites of 2019 – Rich Greene
39. My Favorite Images of 2019 (aka ‘Best of 2019’) – Pete Miller
40. 2019 Year in Review, Decade in Review – Robin Black Photography
41. Under Pressure Photography – Scott McGee
42. My favorite Slovenia photos of 2019 – Luka Esenko
43. 5 Moments in Time – 2019 – Gavin Crook
44. My favorite photos of the decade – Matt Payne
45. My Ten Favourite Images of 2019 – Jens Preshaw
46. 2019 in Pictures – Milan Hutera
47. Twelve from 2019 – Tom Whelan
48. My Favorite Photos of 2019 – Jeff Hubbard
49. 2019 Favorites – Rick Holliday
50. Best of the Best 2019 – Richard Valenti
51. Best Landscape and Nature Photos of 2019 – Clint Losee
52. Best of 2019 – My Favorite Images of the Year – Rob Tilley
53. 2019 Year in Review – Greg Russell | Alpenglow Images
54. Best of The Decade Including 2019 – Adrian Klein
55. Best of 2019 – Brian Knott
56. Natural History Photography – Highlights from 2019 – Gabor Ruff
57. Best of 2019 – Jeff Dupuie
58. Top 2019 – Eric Chan
59. Best of 2019 – Greg Clure
60. Twenty Nineteen: In retrospect – Charlotte Gibb
61. Favorite Blog Photos of 2019 – Jim Coda
62. My Favorites 2019 – Beth Young
63. Living Wilderness: Best of 2019 – Kevin Ebi
64. 2019 Favorites – Mike Cleron
65. Best of 2019 – Romain Guy
66. 2019 Favorite Images – Sam Folsom
67. Michael Katz Photography – Michael Katz
68. Twenty Nineteen – Mark Graf
69. 2019 in Review – and Happy New Year”
70. Photography & Travel – brent huntley
71. Top 10 Favorite Images from 2019 – Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston
72. My Photo Highlights of 2019 – Caleb Weston
73. Lagemaat Photography – Best images of 2019 – Jao van de Lagemaat
74. Favorites from 2019 – Kyle Jones
75. A Baker’s Dozen – Mike Christoferson
76. 10 Favorites of 2019: An Amazing Year – Kurt Lawson
77. Top 20 Photographs of 2019 – Year-End-Retrospective – Landscape Photography Reader/David Leland Hyde
78. Favorite Photos of 2019 – Deb Snelson
79. Favorites – 2019 – Daniel Leu
80. Best of 2019 – Steve Cozad
81. Fog from Above in 2019 – Andrew Thomas
82. Favorites of 2019 – Mick McMurray
83. Some Favorites from 2019 – Josh Meier
84. Top 10 Images of 2019 – Stephen L. Kapp
85. Top Ten of 2019 – Holly Davison
86. Best 2019 – Barbara Michalowska
87. The Creative Photographer – Andrew S. Gibson
88. My Favorite Photos of 2019 – Patricia Davidson
89. A Thousand Words – Lucy Autrey Wilson
90. 2019 Top Twelve Photographs – David J Grenier
91. Urban Dinosaurs – Steven M. Bellovin
92. Best of 2019 – Thomas Yackley
93. Carol’s Little World – Best of 2019 – Carol Schiraldi
94. My favourite shots of 2019 – Catalin Marin
95. Top 2019 Photos – Matt Conti
96. Top Ten 2019 – Phyllis Whitman Hunter
97. Favorites from 2019 – Tim Aston
98. Robb Hirsch- Best of 2019 – Robb Hirsch
99. 2019 Top 25 Images – Yesitis – Harold Klein
100. Environment Alyssa – Alyssa Bueno
101. Jeff Sullivan Photography – Jeff Sullivan
102. My Top Favorites of 2019 – Sara M. Photos
103. 2019 Year in Review & Favorite Black & White Photos – Sarah Marino
104. 2019 Year in Review & Favorite Photos – Ron Coscorrosa
105. Favorite 8 Photos from 2019 – Maria Struss
106. Top Photos Of 2019 – Bryan William Jones
107. Favorite Photos 2019 by Lori Hibbett – Lori Hibbett
108. Bob’s Best of the Best 2019 – Bob Blakley
109. Best Overall 2019 on Flickr – Sue Shuey
110. 2019 A Year in Review – Jim Patterson
111. Photo Blog – Ron Niebrugge – Ron Niebrugge
112. Expeditions Alaska 2019 Tour Ramblings – Expeditions Alaska

Have a great 2020!

Landscapes & Wildlife

Much of my time outdoors this year was spent showing the boys more of my favorite locations and experiencing the great outdoors while indulging them with great views and of course many evenings of campfires and s’mores. The following view at Two Medicine lake in Glacier National Park was incredibly memorable as we explored the shore and skipped rocks.

A serene moment at Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park

Of all my time at Glacier National Park I’ve never once seen a Pika… until this year. Not only are they well camouflaged and hard to see, but they’re incredibly fast. Being small even photographing them with a 400mm lens isn’t nearly enough magnification. The first photo below is a severely cropped photo taken at 400mm. The uncropped photos, 2 down, is included to give you an idea of how hard it is to find them in a rock pile. Add in their constant state of running, to forage food for the winter, you have an even tougher subject to photograph. That said I do have a good number of Pika butt photos now.

North American pika (Ochotona princeps) at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park

North American pika (Ochotona princeps) at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park

While in Glacier National Park it’s always fun to see marmots scurrying about. On a hike at Logan Pass my boys and I saw several. One of the more interesting was perched in a tree surveying his territory.

A hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) in wildflowers at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park in Montana.

A hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) resting on a fallen tree – Glacier National Park

Adventures with the Kids

My boys enjoying a brief encounter with a curious ground squirrel was amusing. Even more amusing was the play structure my youngest son built for him with rocks near his den.

My kids meeting a ground squirrel while on a hike at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park in Montana

My youngest still has not shaken his interest in photography. While he wasn’t as steadfast about using a tripod this year he still seemed to enjoy taking some ‘serious’ photos.

My son photographing a waterfall in Glacier National Park

A brief moment my kids weren’t a blur from running around, tackling each other, and/or tackling me.

A personal favorite of mine taken by a passing hiker. Thanks unknown hiker, I salute you and your ability to capture a well framed photo while maintaining focus. You’d be surprised how hard it is to get that even with an iPhone.

Thanks for checking in and Happy New Year!

So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2019.

How to Participate (Read Carefully)

1. Review & select your best photos from 2019.
   Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers.
2. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr set containing your best photos from 2019.
3. Complete the form below by Sunday JANUARY 5th at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts.

Spread the Word!
Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited.

For those who are new to my blog project, photographers taking part span the gamut of photo enthusiasts to professionals. The great thing about photography is that no matter what your skill level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer.

If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2019” blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently.

Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers.

Best Photos of 2018

1. Jim Goldstein – Best Photos of 2018 by Jim M. Goldstein
2. Michael Russell – My Top 10 Photographs Of 2018
3. Dave Wilson – Best of 2018
4. Joseph Smith – 2018 Favorites – A Baker’s Dozen
5. Randy Langstraat – My Ten Favorite Photos of 2018
6. Chuq Von Rospach – Chuqui 2018 Best Of Photos
7. Rachel Cohen – Best of 2018
8. Lucy Autrey Wilson – A Thousand Words
9. Romain Guy – Best of 2018
10. Alexander S. Kunz – My Favorite Photos from 2018
11. Stefan Baeurle – Top 10 Favorites of 2018
12. QT Luong – 2018 in Review
13. Jenni Brehm – Best pf 2018 – Changing Perspectives
14. Sean Bagshaw – My Favorite Photos Of 2018
15. Johann A. Briffa – 2018: A Photographic Retrospective
16. Exploring Light – 2018: A Year In Review
17. Drake Dyck – Top Ten (favourite) Images of 2018
18. Richard Wong – Fine Art Photography Prints – 2018
19. Ramen Saha – 2018 – Ten moments
20. Martin Quinn – Quinn Images 2018 Favorites
21. TheDarkSlides – TheDarkSlides Best of 2018
22. Denise Goldberg – top photos :: 2018
23. Peter Carroll – Favourites of 2018
24. Jeff Hubbard – Ten Favorite Photos 2018
25. Gary Crabbe – My Favorite Landscape Photos of 2018 – A Year-End Retrospective
26. Harold Davis – Harold Davis – Best of 2018
27. Werner Priller – My Favorite Images of 2018/
28. Phil Colla – Natural History Photography – Best Photos Of 2018
29. Aaron Hockley – Tech Photo Guy: Best Photos of 2018
30. Dan Baumbach – 2018 in Review
31. Jao van de Lagemaat – Jao’s best images of 2018
32. Pete Miller-USKestrel Photography – Favorite Images of 2018
33. Shikha – Eastern Sierra – My favorite images of 2018
34. Bruce Leventhal – Reflecting on 2018
35. Christopher Sheppard – The Stories Behind My Favorite Photographs of 2018
36. Alan Majchrowicz – Photo Highlights 2018
37. Tom Whelan – Nature Diary
38. Todd Henson – Best Photos of 2018: My Favorites of the Year
39. Khürt Williams – Island in the Net
40. Patricia Davidson – My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2018
41. Russ Bishop – 2018 – The Year in Pictures
42. Jim Coda – Some of My Favorite Images from 2018
43. Steve Cole – Birds Eye View of 2018
44. Fred Mertz Photography – Best Photos of 2018
45. Martijn van der Nat – Best of 2018
46. Graf Nature Photography – Twenty Eighteen Wanderings
47. Scott Thompson – My Top 10 Tahoe Area Photos of 2018
48. Kyle Jones – 2018 Favorites
49. Clint Losee – My Best Landscape and Nature Photos of 2018
50. Caleb Weston – Caleb Weston – Dubland Media
51. Greg Clure – Best of 2018
52. Rick Holliday – Favorites from 2018
53. J.J. RAIA – J.J. RAIA Best Photos of 2018
54. Francis Gagnon – Francis Gagnon Best Photos of 2018
55. Mike Chowla – My Ten Best of Images of 2018
56. Carl Donohue – 2018 in photos
57. Kurt Lawson – 10 Favorites of 2018: From Lava Rivers in Hawaii to Yosemite Snowstorms
58. William Bean – William Bean
59. T.M. Schultze – My Favorite Photographs of 2018
60. Andrew Thomas – Aerial Adventures – Best of 2018
61. Matt Conti – 2018 Top 20 Photos
62. Daniel Leu – Favorites – 2018
63. Carol Schiraldi – Best of 2018 from Carol’s Little World
64. Alan Dahl – 2018 Favorite Photos
65. Milan Hutera – 2018 in Pictures
66. Kathy Barnhart – Flickr Sensing Light Best of 2018 Album
67. Greg Russell – Alpenglow Images 2018 Year in Review
68. Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston – Top 10 Favorite Images from 2018
69. Kevin Ebi – Living Wilderness: Best of 2018
70. Jackson Frishman – Favorites of 2018
71. Greg A. Lato – My Favorite Photos of 2018
72. Mike Shipman – Mike Shipman’s Best of 2018
73. Beth Young – Best Photos of 2018
74. Dale Grosbach – My Favorites – 2018
75. Brent Huntley – Photography and Travel
76. Charlie Russell – Best Wildflower Photos for 2018
77. Bryan William Jones – Jonesblog
78. Tony Wu – Favorite Photos of 2018
79. Adrian Klein – 2018 Photo Retrospective
80. Scott McGee – Top 10 of 2018
81. William Neill – My Favorite Photographs of 2018
82. Thomas Yackley – Yackley Photo
83. Anne McKinnell – Best Photos of 2018
84. Holly Davison – Top Ten of 2018
85. Brian Knott – Brian Knott Photography 2018 Year In Review
86. Anna DeStefano – Affirmation Photography’s Best of 2018
87. Ingeborg Fernau – Magicalglow Photography Blog
88. Emil Powella – Top 10 of 2018
89. Elduro Tuco – Elduro Tuco
90. Eric Chan – Favorites From 2018
91. TP Chapman – Best of 2018
92. Ilias Katsouras – Okrivadas
93. Molly Dean – Best Photos of 2018
94. Sarah Marino – 2018 Wrap-Up and a Few Favorite Photographs
95. Michael Frye – My Top Photographs of 2018
96. Jim Stamates – Memories of 2018
97. Tim Aston – Favorites from 2018
98. Samantha Decker – My Best Photos of 2018
99. Bryn Tassell – Bryn Tassell favourites of 2018
100. Mike Cleron – 2018 Favorites
101. Carla Overduin – Best Photos of 2018
102. Peter West Carey – Best Photos of 2018
103. Simon C Ponder – SponderPoints
104. Ron Niebrugge – Favorite Photos from 2018
105. Steve Cozad – Best of 2018
106. Björn Göhringer – My Top 15 Photos From 2018
107. Neil Corman Photography – 12 Favorite Images from 2018
108. Maurice O. Weaver – Best Photos of 2018
109. Michael McCloskey – Best Photos of 2018
110. Stephen L. Kapp – Best Photos of 2018
111. Robin Black – Best Photos of 2018
112. Kelly Castro – 10 FROM 2018
113. Jeff Sullivan – My Top 10 Photos of 2018
114. David Leland Hyde – Landscape Photography Blogger/Best Photographs of 2018
115. Larry Angier – A collection of my best/favorites from 2016

Have a great 2019!

Another development this year was my acquisition of the domain calphoto.com and the CALPHOTO California photographic condition mailing list associated with the domain. Interested in real-time photo conditions across California? Then be sure to join. CALPHOTO is comprised of a great community of people who share a common interest in photographing and preserving the beauty of our state.

With limited time this year I focused on trips for my kids versus dedicated photo trips. In years past I’ve mentioned how my focus was to foster a deep appreciation of nature and the outdoors with my boys and that has firmly taken hold. I am regularly asked when our next camping trip will be and what other cool places we can visit. I also get a great deal of joy from the kids when we’re driving around town and an epiphany hits that we haven’t been to Yosemite in a while. I suppose that adds to the prospect of more photography and photo trips as they’ve been picking up an interest in taking photos too.

That should give you an idea of 2018 in a nutshell. Here are my 8 best photos of 2018…

Landscapes

Family Fun

Thanks for looking and have a great new year!

So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2018.

How to Participate (Read Carefully)

1. Review & select your best photos from 2018.
   Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers.
2. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr set containing your best photos from 2018.
3. Complete the form below by Friday JANUARY 4th at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts.

Spread the Word!
Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Google+ (even if it is about to die), photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited.

Get ready to start 2018 off on the right foot with some creative inspiration. The results of my 11th annual Best of Photos project hopefully will provide just that by introducing you to photographers and their work from all over the world. Get ready to travel around the world in 100+ links.

For those who are new to my blog project, photographers taking part span the gamut of photo enthusiasts to professionals. The great thing about photography is that no matter what your skill level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer.

If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2017? blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently.

Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers.

Best Photos of 2017

1. Jim M. Goldstein – Best Photos of 2017 by Jim M. Goldstein
2. Randy Langstraat – My Ten Favorite Photos of 2017
3. Michael Russell – My Top 10 Photos of 2017
4. Phil Colla – Best Natural History Photos of 2017
5. Greg Russell | Alpenglow Images – 2017 year in review
6. Mike Matenkosky – My Favorite Photos from 2017
7. Khürt Williams – 2017 Favourites
8. Carl Donohue – Expeditions Alaska
9. Kevin Ly – Kevin Ly | Best of 2017
10. Martin Quinn – Quinn Images – Best of 2017
11. Robin Mayoff – RHM Images Best of 2017
12. Craig L. Howe – On the Move
13. Johann A. Briffa – 2017: A Photographic Retrospective
14. Harold Davis – Harold Davis—My Best of 2017
15. Denise Goldberg – top photos :: 2017
16. William Bean – Bill’s Blog
17. Greg Clure – Best Images of 2017
18. Rick Holliday – Best Images of 2017
19. Peter Carroll – Peter Carroll – Favourites of 2017
20. Mike Chowla – My 10 Best Photos of 2017
21. Wendy M. Seagren – wendy seagrens best photography 2017
22. QT Luong – 2017 in Review, Favorites, and Seasons Greetings
23. Jenni Brehm – Changing Perspectives
24. Rachel Cohen – Rachel Cohen Photography
25. Brian Knott (FMKphoto) – 2017 year in review
26. Shikha Shrivastava – My favorite photos of 2017
27. Dave Wilson – Dave Wilson Photography – Best of 2017
28. Larry Millican – Millican Photography
29. Alexander S. Kunz – My Favorite Photos from 2017
30. Mark Duffy – 500px
31. Stefan Baeurle – Top 10 Favorites of 2017
32. Adrian Klein – Favorite Photos of 2017
33. Alan Majchrowicz – Photo Highlights 2017
34. Russ Bishop – Russ Bishop Photography | 2017 – The Year in Pictures
35. Todd Henson – Best Photos of 2017: My Favorites of the Year
36. Peter Tellone – My 2017 Top Ten Best Images
37. Aaron Hockley – thisGruntled – Best Photos of 2017
38. Tony Wu – Favorite Photos of 2017
39. T.M. Schultze – T.M. Schultze Website
40. Andrew S. Gibson – My Favorite Photos From 2017
41. John Pemberton – JPSquared – Images of 2017
42. Scott Thompson – Scott Shots Photography’s Top 10 Tahoe photos of 2017
43. ElDuro Tuco – ElDuro Tuco
44. The DarkSlides – The DarkSlides
45. Jon McCormack – From Ancient Cities to Endangered Animals – 2017 in Photographs
46. Fred Mertz Photography – Fred Mertz Photography
47. Richard Valenti – Richard Valenti Photography
48. Jeff Hubbard – My Favorite Photos of 2017
49. Andrew Scharlot – 2017 Best Pictures
50. Deb Snelson – Favorite Photos of 2017
51. Richard Wong – Favorite Photos From 2017 – Richard Wong
52. Caleb Weston – Dubland
53. Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images – My Favorite Landscape Photos of 2017 – A Year-End Retrospective
54. Tom Whelan – Nature Diary
55. Robert Varley – Robert Varley
56. Kyle Jones – Favorites from 2017
57. Neil Creek – Neil Creek – Photographer
58. tim fiddimore – North Devon 2017
59. Richard Murphy Photography – Best of 2017
60. Alan Dahl – Favorites of 2017
61. Gabor Ruff – Natural History Photography – Highlights from 2017
62. Kevin Ebi – Living Wilderness: Best of 2017
63. Clint Losee – 10 Best Landscape and Scenic Photos of 2017
64. Mark Hespenheide – Best of ’17
65. Ilias Katsouras – Okrivadas
66. David J Grenier – 2017 Top 12 Photographs
67. J. J. RAIA – 2017 Jim Goldstein Project
68. Rob Tilley – Best of 2017 – My Favorite Images of the Year
69. Björn Göhringer – Top 14 From 2017
70. Bernt-Inge Madsen – Bernt-Inge.com
71. USKestrel Photography (Pete Miller) – My favorite images of 2017: A Different Perspective
72. Milan Hutera – 2017 in Pictures
73. Fred Murphy – Fred Murphy Photography
74. Harry Hitzeman – My Top Photographs of 2017
75. Andrew Thomas – Best of 2017 – Aerials
76. Dean Foster – 2017: Year in Review
77. Simon Ng – 2017 A Year of Water
78. Michael Katz – Michael Katz Photography
79. Drake Dyck – Top Ten (favourite) Images of 2017
80. Jose Manuel Santos – The Magnificent Douro Valley
81. Gary Buzel – Gary Buzel Studios
82. Bryan William Jones – Top Photos of 2017
83. Peter Knott – 2017 Favourites
84. Kamala Venkatesh – Kamala Venkatesh
85. Jason Frye – My Top 10 of 2017
86. Jackson Frishman – Favorites of 2017
87. Thomas Yackley – Top Ten Landscape and Nature Photos of 2017
88. Mark Graf – 2017 – A Year of Despair and Dragons
89. Kurt Lawson – 10ish Favorites of 2017
90. Jorge Ramirez – Selection 2017
91. William Neill – William Neill’s Light on the Landscape Photoblog
92. Daniel Leu – Favorites – 2017
93. Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston – Top 10 Favorite Images from 2017 ~ Journey of Light
94. Photography
95. Mike Christoferson – 2017 Has Come and Gone
96. Carol Schiraldi – Best of 2017 – My Top Images
97. Robin Black – My 10 best photos (or personal favorites, anyway) of 2017
98. Bryn Tassell – Favourites of 2017
99. Steve Luther – SkyVista Photography Best of 2017 Images
100. George Stark – George Stark Images
101. Josh Meier – Josh Meier Photography Best of 2017
102. Werner Priller – My Favorite Images of 2017
103. Peter Krogh – Best of 2017 Photographs by Peter Krogh
104. Under Pressure Photography by Scott F McGee – Top 10 Photos of 2017
105. Joseph Smith – 2017 Favorites – A Year’s Review
106. Chuq Von Rospach – 2017 BEST PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
107. Charlotte Gibb – Twelve Months – Twelve Photographs
108. Holly Davison – Holly Davison Photography
109. Colleen Miniuk-Sperry/CMS Photography – Favorite Photos From 2017
110. Anne McKinnell – Top 10 Landscape Photos of 2017
111. Jim Stamates – My Favs of 2017
112. Neil Corman Photography – Ten Images from 2017
113. Eric E Photo – Analog: 2017
114. Phyllis Whitman Hunter – Phyllis Whitman Hunter Photography
115. Catalin Marin – My favourite shots of 2017
116. Catalin Marin – Corporate work – My favourite client shots of 2017
117. Simon Ponder – Sponderpoints
118. Greg A. Lato – latoga photography Favorite Photos of 2017
119. Paul Rosenblum – Best Shots of 2017
120. Patricia Davidson – My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2017
121. Tim Aston – Favorites from 2017
122. Yosemite and Bay Area Photography by John Harrison – “My Best Nature
123. Sue Shuey – Best Overall 2017
124. Ron Niebrugge – My Photo Blog
125. Michael Frye – My Top Photographs of 2017
126. Jao van de Lagemaat – Jao van de Lagemaat’s Best images of 2017
127. David Leland Hyde/Landscape Photography Blogger – Best Photographs of 2017
128. Mike Cavaroc – Free Roaming Photography
129. Patrick Endres – 2017 Favorites
130. Alex Buisse – Best of 2017

Have a great 2018!

In past years yearly recaps I’ve emphasized how much of my focus has shifted from taking nature photos to instilling a sense of wonder about and deep respect for nature in my two young sons. That continues to be the case.   I’ve never delved into it too deeply in past yearly recaps why my prioritization has shifted. In part it’s likely very obvious for some. That said I do want to call it out. I became a photographer because of my love for nature. If I hadn’t been so intrigued by nature I’d never have had a reason to pick up a camera. With the onset of social media and mobile phones with cameras I’m not sure that can be said of many young photographers today. More and more as I view photography online I wonder whether people are truly interested in their subjects (all styles of photography not just nature) or just trying to increase their follower stats because that’s the thing to do in this day and age. Perhaps my cynicism is getting the better of me after working at Borrowlenses where I dealt with photography talking heads & professional and aspiring professional photographers on a daily basis. An element of my becoming a jaded photographer I’m sure (kudos to my friend Richard Wong for writing that post). I’ll avoid going down the path of airing dirt for now as that’s a series of posts unto itself. Anyhow once my boys got old enough it was quite natural for me to want to go back to my roots enjoying nature over photography. I’d like my children to deeply respect and value our natural world. What would I be teaching them, about nature and in general, if I was always taking photos on our trips versus living the moment?

For that reason my yearly recap photos have and will continue to be split between family photos and everything else. While my boys are in their most formative years I’ll continue to put my emphasis behind experiencing nature versus artistically capturing it. The fact that my boys regularly tell me, often out of the blue, they want to go camping again means the world to me. I’m incredibly grateful one aspect of my professional outdoor photographer mind has not lost a beat and that is timing our trips for optimal conditions. This used to torment me as I’d leave my DSLR behind, but the more my boys reminisce and ask for more nature experiences the more I know I’ve made the right call.

Now that that’s out of the way… my favorite photos, in no particular order are below. Enjoy and thanks for taking the time to view this post and my blog in general.  If you happen to have a recap of your best photos of 2017 I invite you to submit it to my blog project, where I list the best photos of photographers who read my blog. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to get inspired at the beginning of the new year.

Best of  Landscape & Nature

I took my boys to witness the total solar eclipse in August of 2017. We went off road to an isolated mountaintop with 360 degree views in eastern Oregon. My focus for the eclipse itself was on the experience with my boys, but we did star gaze a lot at night before the big day. In trying to explain how the earth moves I set up a quick star trail sequence to show the boys. This was the result.

Water levels were near record levels this spring in Yosemite Valley. I made what has become a regular hike to Upper Yosemite Falls to take time-lapses of moonbows with my friend, Brian Hawkins. Like me, he seems to have enough screws loose to think this night hike is a good idea along with huddling in ice cold mist to capture this view.

At the beginning of the year I timed a trip to Yosemite Valley to capture some long overdue winter star trail photos. This was a single 2+ hour exposure taken with my Canon 5D Mark II. Pictured is Three Brothers with star trails reflected in the Merced River.

Another single 2+ hour exposure taken with my Canon 5D Mark II. Pictured is Upper Yosemite Falls as seen from the valley floor.

For most of my family trips this year I’ve rented an SUV outfitted with a rooftop tent via PacificOverlander. I took this photo on the first night of one of my trips with the boys as we explored the Owens Valley. While they slept I snuck in this photo of our truck/tent under the Milky Way. If you’re unfamiliar with PacificOverlander it’s well worth investigating. I’ve had several amazing experiences and my boys keep asking me why I keep giving the truck back. They regularly have so much fun on these trips it would seem they’re sold on having a truck/rig like this of their very own.

Best of Family

Taken on our trip to see the total solar eclipse, the boys enjoy hanging out in the tent atop our PacificOverlander SUV. This photo sits atop both my home and work desk. It’s probably my favorite photo of the year as it captures the raw joy my boys have on our camping excursions.

I spoiled my kids with ice cream atop the Glacier Point lookout in Yosemite National Park. A moment I enjoy remembering through this quick snapshot.

Wrangling family for a group photos is… a challenge. This is especially true when the boys enjoy making faces and test the patience of my wife. Every so often though a photo comes out just right. This was one that I took while we enjoyed a sunny day at a beach near Half Moon Bay.

Not a technically great photo, but the fact it captures the raw excitement of my youngest son exploring new places makes it one of my favorite of the year. The had a fun time rock hopping at Olmsted Point in Yosemite National Park.

Trains… my boys love trains. Given the opportunity they’ll always jump on a train and lucky for them the commuter train, Caltrain, is very close to where we live. Bright eyed and excited I couldn’t help but take this photo of my son as we started to roll.

Bonus Images / Honorable Mentions

I didn’t take this first image, but it’s impossible to exclude as it’s a great keepsake from a very fun trip. Below that you’ll see a short slideshow of images that might show a glimpse of the future. While I’m not actively taking serious photos in front of the boys they’ve none the less taken to photography on their own. If you’ve seen my past years “Best of” photos you’ll also see that my oldest son continues to enjoy being part of trick photos (forced perspective, rotated images, etc.). His best this year was “rock climbing” at Devils Postpile National Monument. Lastly my oldest also enjoyed getting drenched under a rainbow at Bridal Veil Fall in Yosemite this spring.

If you’re curious to see how these compare to my “best of” images selections from years past I invite you to check them out: Best Photos of the Year by Jim M. Goldstein.

Wow! You made it this far. Thanks for taking the time to view all my photos. Keep tabs on my latest posts by subscribe to my blog or (ironically) follow me on social media. I’m not posting as frequently as I used to, but when I do it’s likely something you won’t want to miss. Also I do have a mail list if you’d like to subscribe (at my current rate I send out 1-2 email per year due to a hectic schedule).

So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2016.

How to Participate (Read Carefully)

1. Review & select your best photos from 2017.
   Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers.
2. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr/500px set containing your best photos from 2017.
3. Complete the form below by Tuesday JANUARY 2rd at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts.

Spread the Word!
Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited.

13 Questions You Should Ask
Before Backing A Crowdfunding Project
on Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Beyond

Crowdfunding projects via sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have been increasing in popularity and some would say hit the mainstream. No disrespect to my wife, but she’s not an early adopter and it wasn’t until recently a mini ice machine showed up at our door that I realized she knew and took part in Kickstarter. By contrast, I’ve been using Kickstarter since it launched 2009/2010 and Indiegogo since 2014. In that time, for all the bad press these sites sometimes get, I’ve had a really good rate of return on my pledges. Roughly 85% of the projects I’ve backed have been delivered to my door and as it turns out my rate of return monetarily has been 83 cents on the dollar (ie for every $1 spent I’ve lost $0.17).  It would seem I’ve backed enough crowdfunded projects that I’d be considered a “super backer”, so I thought I’d share my evaluation process with you to increase the odds you back successful projects.

Do I Need This? / Suspension of Disbelief
The first thing you’re likely to see when visiting a project on Kickstarter or Indiegogo is the video pitch. Invariably the product discussed will be the best thing since sliced bread, but before you impulsively back the project ask yourself:

1. Is this a product I really need and/or will I use more than X times to recoup my cost? 

I can’t say I absorbed a lot in my college economics course, but I never forgot the discussion about the difference between wanting and needing a product. Be honest with yourself about whether you’re getting something that will be of use to you or if your money will be better spent on essential goods and services.

2. Is the product too good to be true? Or are the project organizers over ambitions?

One of the most entertaining aspects of evaluating crowd funded projects is to determine if they’re even possible. Does the product defy physics? (Ex. laser face razor)  Figuring out if you’re being sold snake oil is an important part of evaluating a pitch. When in doubt, watch the pitch video a few days later so as to not get swept up by hype and allow yourself time to research the technology/concept behind the product.

Product or Platform Dependencies

3. Is the product dependent on other products to be compatible?

If so will this product be obsolete by the time the product ships? (ex. iPhone cases being released after the next generation phone is released, GoPro accessories, etc.)  The biggest downside to accessory projects is that the product they’re an accessory for can change faster than the project can execute. Cell phone cases, cell phone lens add-ons and action cameras are all prone to this. For this reason, I rarely back these types of projects.

Is This Product Filling A Hole In The Marketplace?

4. Is there already something out there that is equivalent, proven and at a price point I should get instead?

If you like gadgets it’s pretty easy to lose sight of the larger marketplace as a whole when browsing crowdfunding sights. When you browse Kickstarter or Indiegogo your frame of reference will be all the projects on that site.  One project may seem better in relation to another and when you find one that strikes a nerve your reference point will be set against other sub par projects. Ultimately the “good” project catching your eye may be solved by an equivalent product elsewhere… like Amazon, so do your homework. This is especially true for batteries, chargers and similar accessories.

5. Are there or have there been other crowdsourced projects that are similar and how did they fare?

Odds are the products you’ll find on crowdfunding sites will not be one-of-a-kind. Research to see if an equivalent project is on going and/or more likely to be delivered? If you find a similar product that was crowd funded see if it was successful, well reviewed, and/or delivered on time. If a similar project failed in the past investigate why and see if the project you’re considering is repeating the same mistakes.

6. Will this product obsolete itself or be obsoleted by a dependent technology?

Sometimes our immediate desires cloud our vision of the future. Some products and technologies cycle faster than upstart companies (ex. operating systems). If you’re backing software (app or desktop program) is it likely to be compatible in 6 to 18 months? Will the company/product you’re backing be faced with an incompatibility and have to pivot resulting in costly delays?

Likelihood of Delivery

7. When is delivery targeted and what roadblocks are likely to impede that goal?

Most projects are required to list “Risks and Challenges”. Don’t gloss over this section and weigh it heavily in your evaluation whether to back the project. Are all the risks and challenges being accounted for? Are some risks being taken too lightly? If these risks don’t match up to the proposed delivery date reconsider backing the project or communicate your concerns to the project team.

8. Will this project bust because of expensive materials or labor costs?

Some projects face an uphill battle simply because the project organizers lack an understanding of the cost of materials and labor or have initial quotes unexpectedly changed by vendors mid-project increasing overall costs. Of the many projects I’ve backed, this is one of the most common reasons a project fails.

9. Is there a prototype in existence and has it been reviewed by others?

Crowdsourced projects are essentially pre-order campaigns and most crowdsourcing sites require a prototype to be in place before taking pledges. If this is not the case for the project that has caught your eye it’s time to take a harder look and/or reconsider backing it.

Leadership & Experience of Project Organizers

10. Is it a known company or are the project organizers well known?

Is the company or project organizers known? Sometimes established companies use crowd funding sites as a preorder mechanism. Odds are if they already produce and deliver products you’re going to get what is promised to you. If it’s a lesser known company or team look into the credentials of those running the project you’re interested in. It should not be good enough that a social media or celebrity talking head is the face of the company. In the worst case scenario see if the people behind the project have a bad reputation.

11. Do the project organizers have experience in the area of their project (software, engineering, manufacturing, etc.)

Ideally, the person or team assembled for the project that has caught your eye has the appropriate background, skill(s) and network to complete the job. A good idea alone won’t get the job done.

12. Have they successfully completed a Kickstarter or Indiegogo project?

Has the company or team behind the project successfully completed other crowd funded projects? Is the project being run by a company that is already established? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, your odds of seeing the promised product go up exponentially. On the flipside, Google the team or team members to see if they’ve tried before and failed under a different company name. Was it delivered on time? If not how late was it?

13. Do they communicate effectively and frequently?

Never underestimate the power of good communication. It is important to make sure that backer concerns and expectations are addressed quickly. If project comments are addressed slowly or incompletely that is a big red flag. Also important is the ability of project organizers to address hard questions constructively as it may be telling how they’ll communicate when the project hits some rough patches.

Committing to the Project
If everything looks good to these questions, I strive to back projects at a pledge level that is the best value (ex. early bird pricing or multiple unit orders). Then I swing back in a few days to reevaluate the project. At that point, I either back out or mentally validate I’m making a wise purchase. Note: If you get cold feet about a project you can undo your pledge, without penalty, if the fundraising window is still open.

Risk
With all this in mind I usually only commit a monetary pledge I’m willing to lose, assuming the project is never executed and delivered. There is never a guarantee a project will be completed and most crowd funding sites insulate themselves legally from liability if a project is a bust. My track record to date is pretty good with 85% of my backed projects being delivered. Again only pledge or spend an amount that you’re willing to lose. In an ideal world, the organizers will have a great deal of experience with engineering and manufacturing, delivering quite quickly after their campaign ends. For those that are trying their hand for the first time, you’re betting they can navigate the process before their funds evaporate. It doesn’t always work out, but when it does it can be a lot of fun.

via The Oatmeal

Addressing The Skeptics
Given my earlier reported rate of return, it could be interpreted that every successful project I’ve backed really cost me 17% more. If I’ve lost 17 cents overall for every dollar spent that could be equated to a 17% premium paid for my successful campaigns. In the macro sense, you could look at it this way but consider my reported numbers cover a span of 7+ years. From year to year the amount I lost, per dollar spent, fluctuates depending on how bold/expensive my pledges were. As it turns out my overall average pledge in this time frame was $132.77. I’d like to think that most of this “premium” is recouped by grabbing the greatest discounted offers with early project pledges (aka early bird pledges).  On the other side of the coin, one can make the argument that you’re backing projects for more altruistic purposes to help upstarts get started rather than opportunistically satisfying your consumer urges. In my case, I have backed several projects to help other photographers (photo books, conservation campaigns, etc.) so I’m not backing crowd funded projects just for material goods alone.

No matter how you slice it you’re going to have varying degrees of success, but hopefully, my process of evaluating projects helps you avoid scams and/or get the most out of your investment.

Related Reading
The 5 Biggest Crowdfunding Failures Of All Time (2017)
The Ugly Afterlife Of Crowdfunding Projects That Never Ship And Never End (2014)

If you haven’t already I welcome you to follow All Things Photo on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

A wide arcing moonbow stretching across Upper Yosemite Falls on a clear night moonlit night in Yosemite National Park.

This past week was the optimal time to photograph moonbows in Yosemite Valley. I revisited photographing the moonbow at Upper Yosemite Falls as I had last year, but this time there was considerable more water and as a result the moonbow (rainbow by moonlight) was more easily seen. It was considerably larger, more vivid in color and wider arching. Conditions were great and at times a little too good as the 3 cameras I set up were completely drenched. If you’d like to read about what it took to get this photo be sure to check out my last blog post, Upper Yosemite Falls Moonbow – Getting The Shot, as it goes into a lot of detail about the hike and the challenges I faced.  If you’re curious about gear and settings this was taken with a Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 11-24mm f/4 lens. Settings were ISO 640, 15 seconds at f/4.