Mauna Kea Observatory (Hawaii) at sunset
I didn't think much of this photo when I first took it, but later, I realized that the composition and lighting seemed close to perfect. (December 18, 2010. Nikon D5000, 1/30s @ f/11, 22mm, ISO 220.)
Glasshouse Mountains, Queensland, Australia
Usually, a hazy sky detracts from the quality of a landscape photo. In this case, however, it seemed to enhance it - giving it a dreamy, painting-like quality. (February 15, 2010. Nikon D5000, 1/30s @ f/11, 18mm, ISO 200.)
Lava from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano
Glowing lava flows from the Kilauea volcano, near sundown. (This photo was taken from a public viewing area, a mile or so away. The lava in the foreground had been laid down less than 3 weeks earlier, and was still warm to the touch!) (December 16, 2010. Nikon D5000, exposure blending from 3-shot bracketed exposure (-2,0,+2 EV) @ f/16, 116mm, ISO 200.)
Submission!
I took many jiu-jitsu photos in 2010, but this photo - of my friend Allen Pestana submitting an opponent (with a triangle-arm bar combination) during the Pan Am tournament - stood out. (April 8, 2010. Nikon D5000, 1/250s @ f/5.3, 210mm, ISO 3200.)
Horseshoe Bend (Colorado River), near Page, Arizona
This remarkable horseshoe-shaped bend in the Colorado River (just north-east of the Grand Canyon) is one of the most photographed spots on the river. This view is towards the West, and this photo was taken in the afternoon, so it's not as good as it could have been. (However, IMHO it still looks better than most other Horseshoe Bend photographs I've seen on the Internet.) I wonder how many thousand years it will take for the narrow neck of the bend to erode through - allowing the river to pass straight through... (April 17, 2010. Nikon D5000, 1/125s @ f/18, 13mm, ISO 200.)
Joshua Tree National Park
Southern California's Joshua Tree National Park is a photographer's dream at any time of the year. In Spring, however, wildflowers are blooming, and you get even more wonderful photo opportunities. (April 12, 2010. Nikon D5000, 1/100s @ f/14, 35mm, ISO 200.)
Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona
The 'slot canyons' of the U.S. Southwest are favorite spots for photography. Because of the extremely high dynamic range (between the dark and sunlit regions), exposure bracketing is almost essential in order to get good photographs here. (April 18, 2010. Nikon D5000, exposure blending from 3-shot bracketed exposure (-2,0,+2 EV) @ f/16, 26mm, ISO 200.)
"The Photographer"
Mountain biking friend Dave Oare photographs the Grand Canyon at sunset. (April 19, 2010. Nikon D5000, 1/125s @ f/9, 13mm, ISO 200.)
Paola and Nathan
I took only a few portrait photos in 2010, but I was particularly pleased with this photo (of friend Paola Santiago with her son Nathan). (May 2, 2010. Nikon D5000, 1/30s @ f/3.5, 50mm, ISO 900.)