Top 10 Images of the Year: 5-1

Yesterday, I shared my 10-6 favorite images of 2012. So today, I'm sharing the Top 5 favorite images I took this year.

One thing you will probably notice; Africa.

Yes, the highlight of my year was the trip to Africa. I honestly tried to find more images that weren't taken in Africa to place in my Top 10 but favorites are favorites, so here they are.....


#5
The Kiss at Point Dume

Not all my favorite images were taken in Africa. One of them was taken right in Malibu. My number 10 favorite image was a photo of Point Dume itself. But what better way to make it the ultimate Malibu wedding photograph than to capture Point Dume with the Bride and Groom.

#4
The Lone Tree

Somewhere along the Masai Mara I came across this lone tree. Now I'd seen this tree before in the months leading up to trip to Masai Mara. I was certain of it. It was the same tree filmed in Disney's African Cats. On this cloudy and stormy day in May, it was just a perfect setting. Sitting there all alone near the bumpy dirt road. Just absolutely peaceful. It's one of my favorite images. Not really sure why, but it made my list.


#3
The Elusive Leopard

If there is one thing that requires a bit of luck when in Africa, it's spotting the elusive leopard. In fact, I met a local in Kenya who has lived there 40 years and never seen a leopard. Yes, they are elusive. But not on this day. This leopard was relaxing in a tree. You could see his tail hanging like a rope from a distance. Not only did the leopard just relax there while I photographed it, it also gave me a stare that I will never forget. Almost like he was looking me straight in the eyes. A true highlight of my year and worthy of being one of my favorite images of the year.

#2 TIE
Love the kitties...and the elephants too!

Okay...so I'm cheating a bit here. There are two photos and I just couldn't decide my favorite of the two. So it's a tie. The first one is one of those images that just begs to be on the cover of a science book. It's almost a perfect capture of a Cheetah in the wild. This particular cat spent the evening teaching it's cub how to hunt. It was truly one of the highlights of the trip. To see this animal care for its young, teach it how to survive, and walk gracefully past you was just a dream come true. 

The second photo is of an Elephant and her baby at Samburu Reserve in Kenya. This is one of those images with much detail within it. Even the blades of grass are curled up like elephant's trunks.  I recently enlarged it and printed it as a gift for someone and the details in the image just makes it more impactful. It's full of love and affection. Something that encompasses these magestic animals. The Elephants were truly amazing.

Both shots were taken with the awesome Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM. 


#1
Natural harmony...

If there's ever been a memorable moment in my life it was this one. What can I say? Sometimes nature gives us the perfect moment. This group of giraffes was about a half mile from where I was hiking at the edge of Lake Naivasha. It was just after sunrise on a dewy morning when I noticed the giraffes in the distance. I didn't think much at the time, all my attention was on the hippos that were in the water just to the right of the frame (Lake Naivasha is known for being home to Hippos).

But curiosity got the best of this family. They wanted to see what all the commotion was about. So they walked right up to me. It was magical. Led by their father and their mother, they gracefully just walked up right beside me to drink water at the lake's edge. It was at this moment when everything came together.

It became my favorite photo I've taken in years. The composition, the colors, exposure, and the essence of the experience was captured in this single frame. Often, I tell people that in a photo, if you can capture movement in nature, it can lead to a powerful image. This image did just that.

As humans, our eyes naturally gravitate from left to right (just like we read). So psychologically, anything with that movement is normally most appealing to our minds. In this image, not only are the giraffes moving left to right but the whole frame is, in a stroke of pure luck, mimicking that motion.

Notice how the clouds follow the flow, almost like they are shadowing each and every giraffe. The pyramid effect almost looks fake. Even the plants and land are flowing left to right; But not everything can flow that direction. Something has to balance it or our minds literally get bored or confused.

Look closely and you will see one thing flowing right to left. The shadow.
It's falling from right to left and has balanced the photo to perfection. Without getting too psychological with it, it creates the balance our mind needs to make the image most appealing to our eyes.

So that's it. More travel in 2013 is planned. Perhaps back to Africa, maybe Iceland, or maybe Alaska...where ever I go, one thing is for sure. I'm going to have that Canon 5D iii and 7D at my side. :-)
-cg