Post THE 2013 Shot that means the most to you.

[Colin Southern]

Not too much photos for me as a beginner, But I think this one would be my one of my favorite shots, This was taken during Eid holiday here in Doha, Qatar wherein one of the locals pastime is having fun on sand dune area, Here, They challenged themselves as well as the power of their vehicle to climb up on the desert mountains terrains and steep slopes, well some made it just as they been driving on the asphalt but some are having hard time as they crawling and stuck halfway and literally buried their vehicle wheels on the tricky desert.

This would be a great shot for a 4x4 brochure! Takes me back to my younger days actually!

[Colin Southern]

I had to think about this topic a bit and while I was doing so, some of the photos and associated stories that were posted were quite humbling. This thread I believe demonstrates the unique nature of CIC in that people feel comfortable sharing the things that they share here. After considering the challenges some of you have/are dealing with, I feel quite blessed to have had a fairly tranquil year in 2013. This was an excellent thread in that it made me reflect on that.

Ultimately, this is the image that I came up with. And the story is nothing dramatic. My wife and I (and our pup, Grace) spend several weekends each summer out on Prince William Sound in a small boat. It is a great way to see some remote parts of Alaska, to marvel at the natural beauty, and to partake of the abundant natural resources offered by the sea. That's where I make most of my eagle and all of the sea otter captures that I post here. But I have a tendency to keep a long lens on the camera all the time for those opportunities and have very few images of the sound itself where we've spent so many significant moments of our lives and our time in Alaska. During a trip this past summer, we were anchored in a particularly lovely spot and it was absolutely stunning weather (not so common in coastal AK). Paige commented several time over the course of the evening about how beautiful and peaceful it was. I woke up before her to a perfectly still morning with the alpenglow on the distant mountaintops. I captured the following image. Paige had me print it as a reasonably large canvas print and it now hangs in our home on walls where, believe it or not, we don't hang that much photography. For some reason this particular shot really touches her and I frequently catch her looking at it or once in a while she'll make a comment about it and how blessed we are to be able to live in Alaska and experience it as we do.

So this is the one for me from the past year. Simply because the love of my life enjoys it.

Alaska seems to pop up on a number of reality shows quite regularly in my part of the world -- I have to say, it's pretty much top of the list of places I'd like to be able to spend a few months shooting in. Just not too sure about the bears!

[Colin Southern]

Family- spouse/kids/grandkids. Had some health headwind this year but was back to smooth cruising in time for the annual gather.

Good to hear you put the health issues behind you Mark. Seems to be quite a few doing battle along those lines at the moment.

[Federica]

I found it very hard to pick out my favourite picture of this year: my photos aren't so good yet as I'm still learning (also from your advices - thank you! - ... I finally surrendered to post processing too ).
But then I found out the one expressing the biggest learning from 2013:



Fatigue.
This picture was taken in the middle of a hard climb towards the top of the mountain (Torre di Pisa rif., Val di Fiemme, Dolomites)- that was where we would have had rest for the night. My friends and I had taken the wrong path, so we would have to expect more walking than in our plans; moreover, it was 5 pm and sun was burning just upon us, and we had finished water stock for that day... What we felt those moments was fatigue.

And I realized it is the word that describes better my 2013: fatigue to get over wounds, fatigue to get involved in what is no more certain, fatigue to leave beloved people, fatigue to transform unexpected hurdles into new dreams. Fatigue also to accept that itself is something to face with during an adult's life; and that - like in climbing - strenuous things are often the most important ones.

I'd like to wish you all a happy 2014!

[ShaneS]

I have been following this thread with great interest and in fact I was so touched by some of the stories here that I actually shed a tear and shared some of your stories with my husband after he wondered what was wrong when I was sniffling away as I read through the thread.

I wish those of you suffering from illness personally or within your family all my best and have really enjoyed reading about the personal breakthroughs of others. May good health and more breakthroughs be on the horizon in 2014 for all!

This year was a real struggle for me photographically in terms of finding 'my thing' while also trying to improve on the technical aspects of taking the shot right through to post processing. I have been overwhelmed and full of self doubt for most of the year and am not sure even now how (or when) I will emerge with more confidence.

As I struggle with a photographic perfection that I can't even explain or put into words I decided that I would try to print some of my images and get them into my hand (rather than leave them stuck in the computer to re-work and over analyze again and again). This is the first image that I printed:



The 8 by 10 print is now matted in a 16 by 20 frame and rests upon a shelf in my living room.



Even now I am tempted to explain away some of the imperfections and PP decisions but I will refrain...

[chauncey]

IMHO...you chose well.

[Mike Buckley]

IMHO...you chose well.

Exceptionally well.

[NorthernFocus]

...And I realized it is the word that describes better my 2013... and that - like in climbing - strenuous things are often the most important ones.

Wonderful insight, Federica. I have often felt that the trials we voluntarily expose ourselves to in outdoor activities, sports, etc, help build character for dealing with the difficulties encountered in every day life. I hope you have a good year in 2014.

[NorthernFocus]

...I decided that I would try to print some of my images and get them into my hand (rather than leave them stuck in the computer to re-work and over analyze again and again)....

Historically I've had similar tendencies, rarely printing any of my photos. Then earlier this year I had to make some prints for an exhibit and a couple of shots for my wife (per my post in this thread). There is just something different (and quite rewarding) about seeing prints hanging on the wall. This one looks lovely. Hope you enjoy seeing it every day and that it provides inspiration to continue the journey.

[andyland]

Off topic can someone give me the link to start a post??? I am lost

[NorthernFocus]

Alaska... I have to say, it's pretty much top of the list of places I'd like to be able to spend a few months shooting in. Just not too sure about the bears!

Come on over, Colin. Ironically for all the reputation, bears are hard to find to get a photo. Good news is we don't have any reptiles. And heck while we were in Australia two people were killed by sharks. And when I was in NZ, I was attacked by a weka that I was photographing

[Colin Southern]

off t
opic can someone give me the link to start a post???I am lost

Hi Andy,

Just navigate to the forum you want to post in and then click the blue "+Post New Thread" button at the top.

[Donald]

This year was a real struggle for me photographically ... I have been overwhelmed and full of self doubt for most of the year and am not sure even now how (or when) I will emerge with more confidence.

That means you are learning and are committed to learning. If you wrote on hear that you had a fantastic year and now knew everything about photography, we'd know you weren't seriously struggling to achieve your potential.

Fortunately, I feel I am now through that phase where you are at the moment (self-doubt, lack of confidence), but not so far away from it that you're post didn't make me experience what it felt like. You really do wonder, don't you, whether you've wasted all that money on camera gear and you'll never be able to make pictures like all those you really admire on this forum and other places? You think it would be better to just pack it all up now. The person who says they haven't been through that is either lying or isn't really serious about mastering photography.

You will get there. One-by-one the lights start coming on and with that you realise that you know more and have more skill than you have been giving yourself credit for. And with that, confidence and belief grows.

[Colin Southern]

Come on over, Colin. Ironically for all the reputation, bears are hard to find to get a photo. Good news is we don't have any reptiles. And heck while we were in Australia two people were killed by sharks. And when I was in NZ, I was attacked by a weka that I was photographing

Those weta's can be vicious B^atards!

So if I pop across, I'll only need to being the Bear necessities? (Get it? get it?)

[Colin Southern]

Come on over, Colin. Ironically for all the reputation, bears are hard to find to get a photo. Good news is we don't have any reptiles. And heck while we were in Australia two people were killed by sharks. And when I was in NZ, I was attacked by a weka that I was photographing

Those weta's can be vicious B^stards!

So if I pop across, I'll only need to being the Bear necessities? (Get it? get it?) (bells, pepper spray).

[Stagecoach]

The image I'm posting is chosen because I consider it the most significant of the year in that it was taken at a major turning point of my photography hobby.

For many years I had concentrated on macro work and although still finding this fun it was not challenging enough. With the right lens and equipment, a decent subject and lighting all you need to do is get the focus right and that's it with a bit of basic PP.

Along came Christina with her horse racing and panning which got me tackling cars (and a cyclist) out of interest which progressed to 1/4 mile drag racing events by Fiji car club and my latest images showing up on Google. In addition to this new area of interest I'm tackling landscape, again prompted by threads from CiC so for me this has been a great photographic year and the camera's keeping me challenged.



Grahame

[ShaneS]

Thank you for the hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel of self-doubt Donald.

You really do wonder, don't you, whether you've wasted all that money on camera gear and you'll never be able to make pictures like all those you really admire on this forum and other places? You think it would be better to just pack it all up now.

This was me shortly after I upgraded to the D7000 (Mike Buckley was kind enough to pull me back from the ledge on that count through PM for which I will be forever grateful)

While I haven't met any of the members here in person I am developing quite the soft spot for many of you and only wish that 'beam me up Scotty' technology existed so that we could get together for photo shoots now and again

My end of year resolution is to pull together and print by best shots of 2013 which will show me both how far I have come and shed some light on where I need to do more work in 2014.

[ShaneS]

Grahame;

I am enjoying your images that venture into areas other than macro work, especially the scenic landscapes of Fiji but had to smile at this comment:

For many years I had concentrated on macro work and although still finding this fun it was not challenging enough. With the right lens and equipment, a decent subject and lighting all you need to do is get the focus right and that's it with a bit of basic PP.

Like finding all of those things in one place and at one time is not a challenge in itself

[Rita]

At the end of May I purchased my camera because I wanted to have something decent to take on a trip to Cambodia in July. There were 8 of us on the team and this pic represents the day that our lives were changed forever. A lot of our trip was spent in the slums of Pnom Phen. In the area represented in this pic many of the houses were built on stilts in a raw sewage ditch, one of the homes we went in was sinking and the sewage was coming into the home. The contents of the sewage ditch is what these people use for bathing, drinking water, and their toilet. We were all left speechless after the visit here but at the same time very grateful not only for what we have, but also for the privilege of being in that place! It may not be the best pic on this thread but it represents the day my heart was touched so deeply I can never forget it.

[Mike Buckley]

One-by-one the lights start coming on and with that you realise that you know more and have more skill than you have been giving yourself credit for.

I've had many lights come one, one as recently as last week. However, I'm not sure I'll ever become so confident that I'll get to that last part.