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Friday, January 8, 2021

Best Photos of 2020

  I thought this would be an easy post since I didn't think I'd taken too many good pictures this year. Well, I don't think I got any spectacular pictures this year, but it was still hard to narrow it down. I allowed myself to pick 12- sort of like one a month, but they weren't spaced out that way. Here they are in no particular order. I culled any that were "just a picture" of something. The ones that got to stay have an emotional component.

Still life of the riverside park in Lansing with snow.
photo label


The full moon. This isn't my best moon picture ever, but the sky is so velvety gray behind the golden moon that I just like it. This was the super moon in May. super moon

This cloud picture made the cut. I had three cloud pictures that I thought were pretty good, but I like the sense of motion in this one, and I had to pick one. So... mackeral clouds

This picture isn't ever going to win any awards. However, I really like the way the tree "flows," and the camera actually caught the green light. I didn't do any editing on this after the fact. green light on fallen tree

Moving from green to blue- you know I'm always after that perfect and elusive water pattern picture. Well, I really like this one. It's my favorite one I've taken to date. blue ripples in the water

Sunset pictures are a dime a dozen, and good ones are almost as cheap. But I choose this one because it was taken on Halloween, and it captures the spooky mood. spooky sunset

This half a mushroom is so creamy and luscious looking, it had to stay. spooky sunset

This is reflections in a set of windows with black glass. It was like a kalidescope. If you moved a few inches, you saw a different image!
abstract reflections


Light is such an interesting thing... and the important thing to photographers (which I'm not, really... but I know enough to take advantage of it when the gift is given). On this day, instead of green, everything was orange. orange light in forest

This one isn't really that good of a picture. The focus isn't good. However, it does have that emotional quality that earned it points. deer in snowy bower

You know I'm a sucker for trail pictures. But doesn't this just draw you in and make you want to follow that path? curving trail in light snow

Finally, another recent snap made the cut. When I snapped this picture, I thought it looked pretty good. When I got it home and looked at it full size on the computer, I decided that it's a really nice rural landscape picture. The shapes, except for the birch tree, are so flat and solid, it's like a collage with a tree painted on. Anyway, I like it. curving trail in light snow

So there you have my selection. Just the usual disclaimer: I'm NOT a photographer. I don't go chasing down the perfect pictures and waiting for everything to be just right. I seldom use a tripod. I just try to have enough sense to take a picture if there is a good opportunity. Which one(s) do you like?

In other news: I did some editing and walked 4 miles.

See Best Photos of 2020

4 comments:

Ann said...

There are some good ones here. The water pattern is very cool and if you didn't mention that it was water I would think it was just a painting.
I like the sunset and it's a perfect Halloween landscape. Then there's the trail picture. Yes, it does draw me in and make me want to follow the path.

The Oceanside Animals said...

Lulu: "Those deer seem to be keeping a careful eye on you!"

Secondary Roads said...

The trail picture, puts me in the frame and I am joyfully walking down that trail full of anticipation for what may lie ahead.

The green picture is fabulous. I like the feel and flow.

Sharkbytes said...

Ann & Chuck- the trail picture seemed so simple. I did move around a bit to get the curve how I wanted without trees blocking the foreground, but it turned out to be a great picture!

Lulu- they were for sure! They seem to think the yard is theirs.