- The Great Salt Lake
The first of three drone photos in this year’s “10 favorites” list, this photo was taken while flying over the shoreline of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. I increased the contrast and color saturation to emphasize the texture of the shoreline. (June 24, 2022. DJI Mini 3 Pro, 1/3200s @ f/1.7, 24mm, ISO 110.) - Inside the Hagia Sophia
Just hours after photographing the Transit of Venus, I took another photo that became one of this year's favorites. This photo shows the expansive interior of one of the world's most historic buildings - the "Hagia Sophia", in Istanbul, Turkey. Completed in 537 AD, this was the largest Christian cathedral in the world for almost 1000 years. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it became a mosque. It is now a museum. (June 6, 2012. Nikon D5000, exposure blending from a 3-shot bracketed exposure @ f/7.1, 13mm, ISO 200.) - Victory, and Defeat
Perhaps my single favorite photo of 2011. In the finals of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in Long Beach, California, Antonio Braga Neto is congratulated by his coach, Roberto "Gordo" Correa, after winning the Gold Medal in the Ultra-Heavy division. Braga Neto's gallant but defeated opponent, Rodrigo Cavaca, crouches dejectedly in the background. (June 5, 2011. Nikon D5000, 1/125s @ f/5.3, 195mm, ISO 1600.) - DSC 0501
- "Field of Light"
In June 2019 I attended the "Field of Light at Sensorio" outdoor art exhibit near Paso Robles, California, USA. (June 12, 2019. Nikon D7200, 1/10s @ f/5, 18mm, ISO 25600.) https://www.sensoriopaso.com/ - Ward Charcoal Ovens
These ovens - in a remote part of Nevada, USA - were used in the late 1800s to prepare charcoal for use in nearby silver mines. I like the composition formed by the line of identical ovens, receding into the distance. (June 2, 2014. Nikon D5000, 1/1600s @ f/5.6, 16mm, ISO 200.) - Nevada Falls, Yosemite National Park
California's Sierra Nevada mountains experienced near-record snowfall in Winter 2010-2011. As the snow melted in late Spring and early Summer 2011, the waterfalls of Yosemite National Park became even more spectacular than normal. This mid-afternoon photo in early Summer shows Half Dome (at left), Liberty Cap (center), with Nevada Falls at right. (June 23, 2011. Nikon D5000, 1/50s @ f/14, 14mm, ISO 250.) - Turkish Fisherman
In Spring I vacationed in Turkey, and three photos from this year's "10 favorites" album came from this trip. Around noon on a bright sunny day I photographed this man fishing - cigarette in mouth - just outside the marked-off public swimming area at Ölündeniz Beach, near Fethiye on Turkey's 'Turquoise Coast'. (June 1, 2012. Nikon D5000, 1/125s @ f/16, 300mm, ISO 200.) - Transit of Venus
My single favorite photo from 2012 was an accident. While in Istanbul, Turkey on vacation, I woke up early on June 6th to try to photograph the Transit of Venus - the last for more than a century. From this part of the world, the transit would be visible only at sunrise. I had a thick filter (a piece of welding glass) that I used for several photos of the transit. Some of those photos came out OK. My best photo, however, was this one that I took for fun, without a filter, just as the sun began to emerge above the clouds. I wasn't expecting this photo to show the shadow of Venus, but - to my surprise - after reducing highlights and increasing contrast, it produced a remarkable image. (Another fun fact about this photo was that I was standing in Europe, but watching the Sun rise over Asia!) (June 6, 2012. Nikon D5000, 1/1600s @ f/9, 300mm, ISO 200.) - IMG 4534
- Hinchinbrook Channel
One of my favorite landscape photos of 2017 was this view of Hinchinbrook Channel, in northern Queensland, Australia. (June 12, 2017. Nikon D7200, 1/100s @ f/13, 45 mm, ISO 100.) - Grizzly Bear!
This is unquestionably my single favorite photograph of 2014; it's one that I'd been trying to get for a long time. While driving through Glacier National Park in Montana, USA, I saw several cars stopped by the side of the road. A grizzly bear was grazing on vegetation, just 50m or so from the road! I was ready to run quickly back to my car should the bear decide to charge, but fortunately it was content to just stay there, grazing (and glancing at the curious humans). (June 8, 2014. Nikon D5000, 1/50s @ f/7.1, 300mm, ISO 220.) - Darwin Falls, Death Valley National Park (HDR)
- Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park (HDR)
- Utah Weather Station
Another chance encounter while visiting a Degree Confluence Point. While hiking to [40,-114], in a remote region of western Utah, USA, I came across this automated weather station, framed by snow-capped mountains. (June 23, 2019. Nikon D7200, 1/200s @ f/9, 19mm, ISO 100.) http://confluence.org/confluence.php?visitid=21875