This past year has been a unique year for me. I've shot my fair share of weddings, portraits, and even headshots (There are actually many wedding/portraits I've taken for clients that are among my favorites but for privacy reasons I can't share). But my favorite type of photography has always been landscape and nature photography.
Sure I love weddings and portraits and emotions you can capture within them, that's what pays the bills; but landscape and nature is what's most fullfilling (artistically speaking). Perhaps it's my love for the earth and nature. Or maybe it's just because I love life and the beauty nature gives us. Regardless, when I look back. Most of my favorite photos of the year were taken in nature. In the bare elements of what Earth provides us.
I went to Kenya, Africa in 2012. So naturally, many of my favorite moments where captured there. But not all...:-)
So here's my Top 10 Images of the year and a little bit about them.
#10
Point Dume at Sunset.
I took this image with a -4 Graduated ND Filter in April 2012 using a Canon 7D. I've always loved photographing Point Dume, but like El Matador, it's been photographed so many times, by so many photographers, that it's hard to capture an image you haven't seen before. I've returned many times to capture Point Dume in my open unique way. I think I captured it in April 2012 it it's full glory. This 15 second exposure, with the last rays of light on the rock, the pink skies, perfect waves, and the converging leading lines, are the essence of Point Dume.
Alda & Mommy
What can you say? Alda and Beinta are just perfect photo subjects. There was so much joy in Mommy and Daughter that capturing moments with them is almost too natural. But this portrait in particular made my Top 10 because it's full of love. We grabbed a chair, sat it in their yard, and this was the first image captured. It was all we needed to capture their grace, elegance, beauty and love. Taken with a Canon 5D Mark iii and 70-200mm 2.8.
#8
Lines at the Pier
I've always loved leading lines. In fine art, it's a powerful element of composition. One of my goals in the past year was to pursue photography from a fine art state of mind. To find images that aren't solely landscapes or nature in style; something that can serve as an art piece for any room. I captured this image underneath the Malibu Pier. Often times, you get caught up in the whole picture and neglect the small things. I see photographers at the pier photographing the whole scene, but nearly always missing the art that exists in the small details. This is a 1.5 second exposure with a -3 ND filter. It helped me capture the motion in the water, and the hard lines in the pier. Taken with Canon 5D Mark iii and 70-200mm 2.8.
#7
Amazing Grace
I'm not a morning person, but on this particular morning in January, I happened to look outside to one of the prettiest sunrises I'd ever seen. I had my camera on a tripod already from shoot the night before so it was easy. I put some slippers on and rushed down to the beach just as the sun slid over Los Angeles.
# 6
The King
This was the closest I'd ever been to a Lion. This guy was only 15 feet from me near a bush in the Masai Mara, Kenya. Having searched for a lion for a whole day without so much seeing one big cat, this guy sneaked up on us at the least expected time. The safari vehicle had just been stuck in the mud and minutes after I helped push the vehicle out, this lion appeared. Perhaps he was curious. Perhaps he was hungry. Either way, good thing I was safely in the vehicle when he showed up. I snapped hundreds of photos of him while he roamed around the vehicle. Little did I know, his lioness, was laying in the bush nearby.
Tomorrow I will count down my Top 5...-cg
love it
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