It’s January 31. If I don’t post this today, I think I’ll have to skip reviewing 2015 altogether. So without further ado, here are my 10 favorite images from 2015. I chose these images because they represent some kind of learning or photographic leap for me.
- We took a fantastic weekend workshop with Vision Explorers in NYC this year. This was a huge learning experience for me and really highlighted that I need to push myself photographically. I can push my processing. I can push my storytelling. I can push beyond landscapes.
Gehry Grace. ISO 100, 24mm, 261 seconds at f8.0.
2. I didn’t give up landscapes. I just added to my arsenal. In February, we took a trip to California and Yosemite, and it was the first time I visited Yosemite Valley. We had visions of shooting Yosemite Valley in the snow, but those hopes were dashed quickly when we had clear, bluebird skies and temperatures in the 60s and 70s. This image reminds me that photography is about the light.
In the Spotlight. ISO 400. 55mm. 1/50th at f11.
3. This was taken from the bridge where every photographer goes to take THE iconic image The Watchman in Zion National Park. I have that image, but I’m sparing you by not posting it in my top images of 2015. That picture is nice and I like it, a lot. While I used my long exposure techniques from the workshop, it’s still just another shot of The Watchman. Here, I aimed my lens in the opposite direction. I liked the cloud and the diagonals that presented themselves.
Looking Back. ISO 400. 50 mm. 1/640th at f11. Processed with Nik Silver Effects.
4. I can’t go through a year without heading over to my favorite boat yard. I led a field trip of the Stamford Photography Club to Calf Pasture in Norwalk. I think we had about 8 – 10 members come to the field trip. And what I love is that no one comes away with the same picture. This boat was amazing. I actually had to go back the next weekend with my wide angle lens to capture this. I took a whole series of images here and waver between 2 -3 as my favorites. It took a long time to frame these with a wide angle.
My Broken Weeping Heart. ISO 400. 16mm. 1/10th at f18 on a tripod.
5. This image comes from my new-found passion for architectural photography that was sparked from the workshop. This was taken on a holiday in the US and in Canada which is why there weren’t any people around in this subway station.
Architectural Arcs. ISO 3200. 24mm. 1/50th @ f4. Processed with Nik Silver Effects, Luminosity Masks, and Photoshop.
6. We headed to Colorado for fall color in September, but we arrived a week or two too early for peak. This is an example of me pushing myself on processing. I tried new techniques (for me) and stepped outside my box to “create” this one.
Morning Delight. ISO 400. 35mm. 0.8 sec @ f11.
7. I finally discovered Instagram this year. Yes, I’m late to the party. I’m excited about the community and sharing some new things there. In the last 3 months of 2015, I did a lot of business travel and I focused on creating imagery around business travel. This image is from that series.
Convention. ISO 800. 105mm. 1/100th @f11.
8. The last three images are going to be from Spain. Ah, Spain. This was such an inspiration for me. It was the best combination of culture, architecture, and amazing food. I’ll be honest, this was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. So, I’m posting this image because I tried this scene several times. I tried the wide-angle pano which didn’t give the results I wanted. After many attempts, I made this on my nifty-fifty lens. It’s a compilation of 26 images and I can say I finally executed on my vision.
Bridge of Sighs. 26-image panorama. ISO 1600. 50mm. 3.2 seconds @ f16.
9. This is another image inspired by the Vision Explorers workshop. I had plans to do a lot of Long Exposure photography on our trip to Spain, but if there aren’t any clouds, what’s the point of Long Exposure? You can’t create dreamy, blurry clouds if there aren’t any clouds. I chose this image for the top 10 because it took me time, and a lot of thought, to process this. I’m sure in 5 years I could do this better. For now, this represents a big step forward.
Lyre. ISO 400. 32mm. 1/320th @f11.
10. This image feels like the culmination of my learning this year. It’s the perfect combination of composition and processing. And I’m really, really happy with how the processing turned out.
Attic Archways. ISO 1600. 16mm. 1/20th sec handheld @f5.6. Processed In Nik Sliver Effects, Luminosity Masks, and Photoshop.
Like I said, these aren’t necessarily all my best images of 2015. These are images that show a progression, that show how I pushed myself to learn new techniques. It was a growth year for me, and that’s both scary and inspirational. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
The Light Diaries 
Really beautiful
Thanks, Alison.
I enjoyed, as always, studying your stunning images–and these were indeed special–but your words were inspiring as well. Thanks!
I enjoyed, as always, studying your stunning photos–and these ten were special indeed–but I found your words inspiring as well. Thanks!
Thanks, Darcy. It’s nice to hear that someone is reading as well as looking. I’m planning to post more this year.
I’m following behind you every where you are going, sometimes getting left behind. Where are we going next?
Next up, American Southwest, Mexico, and Portugal.