Happy New Year! I finally put together my favorite photographs from 2014. It is always helpful to take the occasional assessment of our own creative progress. You might be interested in reading an essay I wrote on the subject five years ago in my On Landscape column for Outdoor Photographer on this subject. Since I started teaching private workshop sessions in Yosemite, I’ve been visiting Yosemite Valley much more often so you will see a batch of new Yosemite images taken this past year.
If you have been following my work this past year, you know that my big trip of the year was to Antarctica last January. Click here to read my Outdoor Photographer magazine On Landscape column, and recent Antarctic Dreams portfolio in OP and see below!
I have numbered each image, which will make it easier for you to let me know which ones are your favorites. It will be fun and helpful for me to have your feedback. I will value a list of favs, or general thoughts on what work you respond to the most. After I assess your feedback, I will then make a final edit of 10-15 that are my top selects of the year. My criteria for that final selection will be based on which images I feel best represent my personal vision and style rather than the most popular ones. If you have your own post of top images for 2014, please add your link in your comments below.
I look forward to your comments and favorites for my 2014 portfolio. Enjoy and please share with your friends!
I wish you a year full of the gifts of nature, peace and love, Bill
PS The photographs below are in chronological order.
1. Clouds and Shadows, Bransfield Strait, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +2x III,
1/8000 second at f/9.5, ISO 800
2. Morning light, Gerlache Strait, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +2x III,
1/1000 second at f/11, ISO 1600
3. Icebergs, Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +2x III,
1/350 second at f/16, ISO 1000
4. Ancient crystal Iceberg, Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/750 second at f/16, ISO 1600
5. Blue Icebergs, Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/750 second at f/22, ISO 1600
6. Two Humpback Whales and Iceberg, Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/1500 second at f/11, ISO 800
7. Iceberg Caves, Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/4000 second at f/11, ISO 800
8. Chinstrap Penguin, Hydrurga Rocks, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/180 second at f/19, ISO 800
9. Iceberg formations, Pleneau Bay, Antarctic Peninsula 2014 January 30, 2014 05:54:08
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/350 second at f/8, ISO 400
10. Iceberg Towers at Dawn, Pleneau Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
January 30, 2014 05:58:54
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/4000 second at f/2.8, ISO 400
11. Iceberg Arch, Pleneau Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/500 second at f/9.5, ISO 400
12. Sculpted Iceberg Wall, Pléneau Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/2000 second at f/13, ISO 400
13. Crabeater seal resting on an iceberg, Pléneau Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/350 second at f/9.5, ISO 400
14. Sunset, Pleneau Bay, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014 January 30, 2014 22:04:34
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/1500 second at f/6.7, ISO 800
15. Glaciers, Scontorp Cove in Paradise Bay, Antarctic Peninsia, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +1.4x III,
1/1500 second at f/19, ISO 800
16. Mountains and Glaciers at Scontorp Cove, Paradise Bay, Antarctic Peninsia, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +1.4x III,
1/1500 second at f/16, ISO 800
17. Gentoo Penguin and two chicks, Cuverville Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +2x III,
1/1000 second at f/9.5, ISO 400
18. Gentoo Penguin colony, Cuverville Island, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM,
1/250 second at f/32, ISO 400
19. Chinstrap Penguins, Baily Head on Deception Island, Antarctica 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM +2x III,
1/350 second at f/16, ISO 800
20. Seastacks at Sunset, Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park. Washington 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
3 second at f/22, ISO 100
21. Ferns, Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
15 second at f/19, ISO 100
22. Avalanche Lily, Olympic National Park, Washington 2014
iPhone 5, iPhone 5 back camera 4.12mm f/2.4,
1/200 second at f/2.4, ISO 50
23. Lavendar Fields, Sequim, Washington 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/90 second at f/16, ISO 400
24. Aspen Forest Impressions , June Lake Loop, Inyo National Forest, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1 second at f/19, ISO 100
25. Backlit Aspen, June Lake Loop, Inyo National Forest, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
1/250 second at f/16, ISO 640
26. Autumn Reflections, Lundy Canyon, Inyo National Forest, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/15 second at f/32, ISO 400
27. Last Light, Conway Summit, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/15 second at f/19, ISO 200
28. Aspen Forest Impressions , Lee Vining Canyon, Inyo National Forest, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
3 second at f/9.5, ISO 100
29. Aspen Leaves, Lee Vining Canyon, Inyo National Forest, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
3 second at f/32, ISO 200
30. Autumn Elm and Sunbeams, Cook’s Meadow, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/180 second at f/22, ISO 200
31. Yellow Maples, Cedar and Pine, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1.50 second at f/16, ISO 640
32. Cottonwoods reflected, Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/6 second at f/22, ISO 100
33. Maples Leaves and Merced River Reflections, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM +2x,
1/1 second at f/45, ISO 400
34. Grasses and El Capitan reflected in the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/6 second at f/32, ISO 200
35. Autumn Leaves and Ripples, Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/250 second at f/2.8, ISO 800
36. Grasses reflected, Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1000 second at f/2.8, ISO 800
37. Grasses and reflections in the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/350 second at f/2.8, ISO 200
38. Maple leaf and autumn reflections, Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/60 second at f/4.5, ISO 320
39. Thimbleberry Leaves, autumn, Yosemite National Park, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
2 second at f/32, ISO 400
40. River otters, American River, Sacramento, California 2014
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM,
1/350 second at f/5.6, ISO 1250
January 18, 2015 at 10:59 AM
Beautiful photographs! Particularly like the Antarctic ones. Fabulous.
January 18, 2015 at 9:57 AM
31 is striking. Also impressed by 10 and 17.
January 13, 2015 at 1:29 PM
Great collection of images. Lots of them hit real strong chords. Wishing you the very best for 2015.
January 12, 2015 at 5:28 AM
I love the contemplative beauty in these images: 1, 2, 10, 28. Thank you for presenting the exquisite beauty found in nature and for sharing your new work.
January 12, 2015 at 3:07 AM
38 & 35 stand out for me; they’re reminiscent of the first of your images I saw, recording those small and transient moments of nature that make the biggest impact. 30 has a magical light (but I’m missing the top of the tree – strange coming from someone who loves abstract – tho’ I suspect it wasn’t possible w/o lens flare). 29 & 26 have to be in there, and of the Polar ones, 19, 13 & 8 resonate. Gr8 stuff and a mega thank you for the inspiration it provided some years back that led me to go on and produce my own award winning photos. Here’s wishing you a superb year being in and around nature and recording it for the rest of us.
January 11, 2015 at 3:23 PM
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photography. Seeing it always gives me a lift. I don’t have favorites — they are always beautiful!
January 10, 2015 at 12:41 PM
Stunning! 3- Great composition: the ice chunks in the darker area bring my eye around to search the shapes, the calm, bright blue water pulls my eye and the horizontal ice at the top keeps me in the frame; 4/5- Those “crystals” are so beautiful and interesting, would love to see these as a diptych; 16-A moody landscape with light and dark tones playing off of each other, quite how Ansel might’ve handled the subject; 20: Tone depth is great, would love to see this in person to better appreciate the shadow detail; between 24 and 28, 24’s branches keeps you knowing you’re looking at trees while 28 becomes completely abstract-both are beautifully soft; 38-Wonderful abstract composition, then the sharp leaf pulls you into reality, love it!
January 8, 2015 at 5:40 AM
A great group! My favorites are 3,5,9,13,17,27, and 31.
January 7, 2015 at 10:38 PM
Hi- I really admire the diversity of your work. I love #21, your ferns, #27, #28, and the light in #30 . #39 is beautiful in its composition and colors. I have enjoyed your images over the years- thank you! Happy shooting in 2015!
Here’s my post of 2014 favorites: http://janeluriephotography.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/favorite-fourteen-for-2014/
January 7, 2015 at 4:43 PM
Thank you for sharing your photos. They are all very inspiring. My very favorite is #14, followed by #10, #11, #16, #20 and #27. Wonderful work!
January 7, 2015 at 2:38 PM
Wonderful and insightful work, William. It must have been a good year of inner reflections as your outer expressions indicate.
I agree with Tina Schell’s selections and would add 9 and 33 to the list. Thank you for sharing and requesting our impressions. May 2015 be an even more fulfilling year!
January 6, 2015 at 12:38 PM
Bill-
Photos # 10, 15, 17, and 27 really resonated with me, though there is not a single photo in the entire batch that is anything less than outstanding. I did notice, however, that you have been shooting with ISOs much higher than I usually use (200-400). In your opinion, does the quality of the image hold up and allow you to make the kind of prints, especially in larger sizes, that you would normally make?
January 6, 2015 at 7:08 AM
Thank you for sharing some wonderful photographic adventures. My favorites included 6, 11, 17, 24, 28 & 30. There were more but these really stood out. Have a great photographic 2015.
January 5, 2015 at 9:13 PM
Happy New Year! I look forward to doing this every year, because I can take my time and savour each and every image one by one. Hard to choose favourites, but here are my top ten: 2, 5, 9, 10, 15, 19, 21, 28, 20 & 32. Mine are mostly images that struck me as a bit more unusual, but some of the more ‘traditional’ landscapes and other images are just as gorgeous. I would hang all of these on my wall, and can’t wait to get your Antarctica e-book.
January 5, 2015 at 2:34 PM
Wonderful collection. Great to see people’s ‘favourites’ take in so many. I can’t choose a favourite.
January 5, 2015 at 2:08 PM
Have always been drawn to your abstracts Bill but would have loved to have been along when you captured #30.
Best of the new year.
January 5, 2015 at 11:49 AM
Tough choices but not for #1. My clear favorite is #30. #27 and #29 round out my top three.
Here’s hoping for as rich a photographic experience in 2015 as Antarctica was!
January 5, 2015 at 9:15 AM
This is a wonderful collection Bill. Your Antarctic images are mesmerizing, and autumn in the Sierra is always close to my heart.
Wishing you all the best in 2015!
January 4, 2015 at 4:03 PM
#4 is my favorite by far. #8 is great too. Great job Bill!
January 4, 2015 at 3:47 PM
So much beauty here, and so hard to select favorites! But the following images do edge out the others a little bit: 4, 6, 28, 30 and 35. Best wishes in 2015. I just spent the day looking back over my own work this past year and did a blog post selecting one favorite moment from each month – http://henexson.zenfolio.com/blog/2015/1/favorite-moments-from-2014
January 9, 2015 at 12:18 PM
Thanks for sharing your link, wonderful images! And thanks for the votes.
Cheers.
January 4, 2015 at 12:31 PM
All of your photos are so beautiful – as for my favs – 5,13,20,24,28,31. Thank you sharing everything.
January 9, 2015 at 12:16 PM
Thank you!
January 4, 2015 at 12:17 PM
It was another great year for you! My favs are 2,4,10,17,20,27,30,31,37,38, and then some! You make it very hard to choose. Best wishes for 2015!
January 9, 2015 at 12:13 PM
Thanks for your votes. Cheers!
January 4, 2015 at 6:05 AM
Beautiful set of work Bill. Hope you have a great 2015!
January 9, 2015 at 12:11 PM
Thank you!
January 3, 2015 at 7:07 PM
I love 7, 8, 22, 26, 36, but my favourites are 17 and 30. All your images are extraordinary
January 9, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Thanks. Hard not to love those penguins!
January 3, 2015 at 6:48 PM
Amazing work! My favorites would be 15, 22(gotta plug an iPhone pic, right?), 27, 30, and 31.
My top favorite or number 1 would be photo 27. Lots of layers, good color and a lot of atmosphere in that photograph.
January 9, 2015 at 12:07 PM
Thanks Tami. This helps me with next phase of narrowing down to the top 10-15!
April 26, 2017 at 2:25 PM
(Eeirtconlcs) This is a good case, and offers moderate protection to the iPod. It fits very well, looks and feels great, and the leather covered plastic shell offers pretty good protection. It comes with 2 backs to fit the older and newer versions of the 6G iPods. Mine came with a slight flaw that prohibits me from giving it 5 stars though. The plastic screen protector on mine has a smudge on it that can’t be removed. It is probably a quality control issue, and I’ve thought about exchanging it. So far, I’m living with it though. All in all, this is still a very good case.
January 3, 2015 at 5:28 PM
What a task to choose just a few that we consider our favourites Bill! The Antarctica series is wonderful and the penguin with 2 chicks (17) a stunner, possibly my fav. of the favourites. I also love the grass series but with so much else to choose from they had to drop out. The 3 landscapes from Antarctica go in my list (1,2,16) and the Ice Towers (10) as I’ve never seen ice towers in all the images I’ve seen of Antarctica.
(24) Aspen as I love good movement shots and (26) because of the colour and movement in the water. (30) that Tree with Sunbeams is brilliant and (32) Cottonwoods Reflection has a peacefulness to it that I could look at all day.
Lastly but certainly not last in my favourite images (40) the Otters, a beautiful study. I could easily pick another ten that I could live with daily.
Thank you Bill for asking us to pick our favourites as it made me stop and think why I like your images and which ones really spoke to me.
To make it easier to get the numbers 1,2,10,16,17,24,26,30,32,40.
I’m looking forward to a new year of following your photographic journey.
January 9, 2015 at 12:03 PM
Wow, thanks for your detailed and thoughtful response!
January 3, 2015 at 4:31 PM
10, 17, 31
January 9, 2015 at 12:01 PM
Thanks Lorna!
January 3, 2015 at 3:35 PM
20, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31. I think my favorite is 27.
January 9, 2015 at 12:00 PM
Thank you for your votes!
January 3, 2015 at 3:20 PM
I can’t wait for your Antarctica ebook. My favorite images in that series are your more intimate texture images. 4 and 9 are absolute favorites. I also really like the contrast in #3. I think your Merced grasses series is stunning as well and am torn between #34 and #37. And I know you don’t do a lot of wildlife photography, but I really like your composition in #40. My best of series is here: http://livingwilderness.blogspot.com/2014/12/best-images-of-2014.html
January 9, 2015 at 10:20 AM
Thanks for your feedback, Kevin!
January 3, 2015 at 2:00 PM
A good year. Your images make me happy.
January 4, 2015 at 1:20 PM
Thanks, that’s a great compliment!
January 3, 2015 at 1:50 PM
PS. You know you have a typo in your title, right?
January 3, 2015 at 5:22 PM
Fixed, thanks!
January 3, 2015 at 1:39 PM
Congratulations on your wonderful year Bill. For me, although they are of course all beautiful, number 8,21,24 and 27 are clear standouts. Hope you publish the results of your query as it would be interesting to see how others “voted”! Happy New Year to you.