Home / Miscellaneous / 2015 - 10 Favorites 10
Of the many photographs that I took in 2015, these are my 10 personal favorites.
'Angry Coastline'
The first 'drone' photo to make it onto my annual '10 favorites' list. This aerial photo of churning ocean waters near Bean Hollow Beach - in San Mateo County, California - was taken in the late afternoon, as the setting sun lit up the waves and the coastline beyond. (January 20, 2015. DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ quadcopter, 1/2150s @ f/2.8, 5 mm, ISO 100.)
Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, at dusk
While vacationing in New Zealand's beautiful South Island, I reached this remote beach at sunset, and managed to get this dramatic photo of the Archway Islands - just offshore - while there was still enough light. (February 22, 2015. Nikon D5000, exposure blending from a 3-shot bracketed exposure @ f/13, 40 mm, ISO 200.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wharariki_Beach
'Black Sand Beach'
As with last year's '10 favorites' list, this year's list includes a photo from the northwest coast of New Zealand's North Island - where the beaches have black sand (formed by magnetite). This photograph is of Auckland's beautiful Whatipu Beach, in the late afternoon. (March 10, 2015. Nikon D5000, 1/250s @ f/9, 18 mm, ISO 200.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whatipu
Silhouetted Fisherman
Continuing the 'coastal' theme - I captured this photo of a silhouetted fisherman on Greyhound Rock, on the coast of San Mateo County, California. I like the contrast between the fisherman/rock and the clear sky in the background. (April 30, 2015. Nikon D5000, 1/1000s @ f/9, 85 mm, ISO 200.)
The Eiffel Tower
In July I had the good fortune to visit Europe. When in Paris, a photo of the Eiffel Tower is mandatory. However, I was able to get a somewhat novel view of the tower - from underneath. I like the symmetry here. (July 6, 2015. Nikon D5000, 1/200s @ f/6.3, 13 mm, ISO 200.)
Île de la Cité
The quality of cell phone cameras has improved noticeably in recent years - so much so, that a cell phone photo made my '10 favorites' list this year. This late-evening photo of Paris's famed Île de la Cité (on the Seine River, viewed from the Pont des Arts) was taken with an iPhone 6. (July 9, 2015. Apple iPhone 6, 1/120s @ f/2.2, 4.15 mm, ISO 40.)
The Charles Bridge, Prague
Prague must be one of the world's most photogenic cities. While visiting there in July (for a conference), I got this photo of tourists streaming across the Charles Bridge, with a view Old Town Prague on the other side of the Vltava River. (July 22, 2015. Nikon D5000, 1/80s @ f/9, 30 mm, ISO 200.)
Salzkammergut
I spent a day in Austria's scenic "Salzkammergut" region (near Salzburg). Most of the day was overcast and drizzling, but in the late afternoon the weather finally cleared, giving me this sunset view of the village of St. Wolfgang and the Wolfgangsee (lake). (August 2, 2015. Nikon D5000, 1/50s @ f/8, 20 mm, ISO 200.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salzkammergut
'Blood Supermoon'
Clouds blocked the view of the September 27th lunar eclipse (coinciding with an unusually large 'supermoon') from my home in the San Francisco Bay Area - but fortunately at the time I happened to be vacationing in southern Arizona - where the skies were clear. (September 27, 2015. Nikon D5000, 0.8s @ f/5.6, 300 mm, ISO 3200.)
Psychodelic Bamboo!
During a brief visit to Tokyo, I stopped by the Imperial Palace Gardens and got this photo of a patch of bamboo. I deliberately over-saturated the image for a more 'abstract' look. (November 1, 2015. Nikon D5000, 1/50s @ f/4.2, 18 mm, ISO 200.)