Happy New Year!!
It’s been a big year.
In the first half of the year my husband and I finished the second half of our year-long North American Adventure. We left Florida in January, travelled west to California and then north to BC and were back home in June.
It was a little sad that the trip was over but frankly I was too sad about the loss of my dog to notice. On the other other hand it was great to spend a few months with my family back home in the summer.
I changed gears and started spending more time writing in the fall which led to the release of the first eBook I am selling in October. It turned out to be a big success. Then I was offered a couple of blog writing gigs as well.
So, it’s official. I’m a writer and photographer!! The career switch maneuver is complete.
We left BC in November and headed back down to the American Southwest for the winter where my husband and I are both working on new projects.
Yesterday’s post was about the top 10 blog posts from 2012. Now I want to share with you my top 10 photos from 2012. These images are not only my personal favourites, but they exemplify my quest to photograph beautiful things, to see the good in the world, and thereby become a happier person.
I hope that you too can look at these images and see that there are good things in the world.
These photos are listed in the order I made them. Please click on any image to view a larger version.
1. Burrowing owl at Cape Coral, Florida
2. Roseate Spoonbill, Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, Florida
3. Cacti, Big Bend National Park, Texas
4. Boquillas Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas
5. Contrabando, Big Bend State Park, Texas
6. Supermoon at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
7. Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City, California
8. Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island, British Columbia
9. Arch Rock, Joshue Tree National Park, California
10. Joshua Tree National Park Star Trails, California
Thank you for being a part of my world in 2012 and I wish you all good luck and good light in 2013.
Do you have a post of your top 10 images from 2012? Leave a link in the comments!
A really stunning collection of images Anne! If I had to pick a favorite I would have to say Supermoon at Bryce Canyon National Park or Rebecca Spit… I love the extreme perspective!
All the best in the new year, looking forward to more of your images and writing!
Beautiful photographs, Anne. Happy new year and may this one be as successful as the last.
http://fredodonnellphotography.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/end-of-year-review/
Great stuff, Anne, excellent collection! I find myself very jaded to Bryce pictures these days, but this one of yours is definitely a beautiful exception. Rebecca Spit is very cool, and the Big Bend shots really make me want to head to the desert (it’s a cold new year here in Santa Fe).
Gorgeous images Anne! Superbly done, and what a great variety! Wishing you a happy New Year full of love and laughter, and of course great photo opportunities!
My top 12: http://www.debsnelsonphotography.com/blog/
gorgeous work Anne. I’m jealous. Love your desert work. My best are here
http://www.chuqui.com/best-photos-of-2012/
These are gorgeous Anne! It’s hard to pick a favorite; the one that is jumping out at me right now is your minimalist Battery Point Lighthouse.
I had my own choice problems – I ended up with a top 13 of 2012 instead of a top 10, viewable at http://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-13-images-2012.html.
Hi Anne –
These are gorgeous! Hope you have a wonderfully successful and happy 2013.
My husband and I took a trip to the Pacific NW, including Victoria and Vancouver. I was flipping through some tour book and saw a photo of yours (totem pole against the Victoria Parliament Building). I was so excited. I know her, I told my husband! Course I don’t really know you, but I do follow you and take inspiration from your work.
Anyway, best to you and yours in the New Year.
Vicki
Babylon and Beyond Photography, Babylon, NY
http://www.babylonandbeyond.com
http://www.facebook.com/babylonandbeyondphotography
Hi Vicki, you know the exact same thing happened to me! I mean I knew someone bought that photo, but I didn’t know what it was for. I was on the Coho flipping through the magazine and I said, hey, that’s my photo!! And sure enough, there was my name under it! All the best to you in 2013 Vicki.
Absolutely amazing photos!!! OH to be you !
As always, I love your work Anne. It has been fun seeing you continue to take you game to new and higher levels. We had a Top Twelve poll this year on our blog at http://photoremedy.me/2012/12/23/photoremedy-photo-of-the-year-2012-poll/.
Great choices Anne – though frankly, all your work is so wonderful that I’m sure I would have loved whatever you had chosen! Happy new year to you and I look forward to seeing lots more of your beautiful images in 2013.
I would still like to know how you get your photos to look so sharp and shiny. Is it some kind if filter?
Hi Kathy, no, it’s no filter! It’s the lens quality, using a tripod, and getting the focus just right. I do sharpen most of my images a little bit in post-processing, which I think everyone does. The biggest factor is the tripod.
Great set of images Anne! Happy New Year!
Totally awesome set, Anne.
Fantastic year Anne, but sorry to hear about your dog. Life moves on. The images above are stunning, I especially like the cacti shot from Big Bend! I put together 12 images from 2012 here: http://www.jimdenhamphotography.com/a-look-back-at-2012/ Happy New Year!
Wow, these are phenomenal! Well done, Anne! 🙂
It was truly an awesome year for you, Anne. Wishing you all the best for 2013 as well. 🙂
Happy New Year!
I so wish that I had had the courage to be you when I was young.
Thanks Roger 🙂 In my travels I meet a lot of people in their 70 and 80s and they all say we’re doing the right thing by travelling now. I guess it does take courage to live this way, but I was afraid of not living my dream at all if I waited. You just never know.
Really nice collection Anne – love the diversity. Congrats on a great year and best wishes for 2013!
What absolutely gorgeous shots! It is a dream of mine to have “nomad” on my business card and to be able to travel by RV as you’re doing. You are an inspiration to me, both as a “career changer” and as a photographer. I look forward to continuing to follow your adventures in 2013!
Thank you very much Sage, it means a lot to me that I might inspire others to live their dreams and do it now while you can.
Terrific collection of images from 2012. Congratulations, and happy 2013!
Love it, Anne. You made the most of your year for sure!
Here is my list of favorites: http://www.rwongphoto.com/blog/favorite-photos-2012/
Awesome photographs Anne. They show your commitment to your talent and craft. And thanks for the great articles you are writing. Each of them adds something to my knowledge of Photography.
Awesome pix ANNE .you are very talented i n India photography it’s different but you are of my taste……… good work keep it up god bless
Happy New Year Anne. I remember each and every one of these images and love them just as much the second time around.
The image of the owl- it is just awesome. yet I like the last one even more. I find those start trail images intriguing, yet never find myself in front of the worthy subject ;(.
hi Anne,
great top 12!
nice to meet you on twitter too …
Awesome photos, Anne! How did you do the last one? Long exposure? How long?
Hi Laura, thanks! The image of the star trails was made by stacking 60 thirty second images. I wrote a blog post about how I made it here: http://annemckinnell.com/2012/12/18/joshua-tree-national-park-star-trails/
Stunning pictures Anne. All the best for 2013.
I love all these beautiful photos. You have a fantastic eye for nature and light 🙂
http://www.adventuresofagoodman.com/best-travel-photography-2012-india-thailand-usa/
These are STUNNING! I love the lighthouse and the bird. 🙂
Gorgeous photos! My favorite is probably Boquillas Canyon. Amazing star trail, though, too!
Thank you very much Matt!!
Great blog post! I am loving that owl image. Which lens did you use to capture that? Keep up the great work!
Cheers!
J
Hi Jayson, I used a 400mm f/5.6L that I rented while I was there. LOVE that lens!! Thank you very much for your visit and comments.
Beautiful work. My favorite is the spoonbill, love the colors.
Thank you very much Jamie! The spoonbill is a very special image to me since that is the one I really wanted to get in my trip to Florida. It was a dream image 🙂
Hi Anne,
First time I write. Looove the star trails and rocks, lovely images of Big Bend, Bryce Canyon, Ding Darling.
I don’t always read the blogs, sometimes is overwhelming the information overload of today, and I apologize for not always following your wonderful work and adventures.
I had to say something when I saw and read about Oscar and your beautiful message to him. My heart foes out to you. It’s obvious how much you loved each other and understand the magnitude of your sorrow from personal experience when I had to let my adorable 16 year old Cocker Spaniel Cherie go. It was 5 years ago and I still miss her.
Someone wrote in your blog about being thankful for having each other all those happy years, this is so true. May peace follow.
On another note, I admire your adventurous spirit and the way you are living and working, not for the faint of heart.
I would do the same in a minute, were I younger. I have enjoyed wonderful RV experiences with my late husband, it is by far one of the best experiences of my life, just to experience the beauty of nature and record it is such a gift, no trip to great metropolis or fancy places beats it. Go Girl!
Hi Nubia,
Thank you so much for your very nice comment and your kind words about Oscar. It is truly amazing the strength of the bond we form with dogs. It’s been 8 months now and I miss him every day. But enough time has passed now that I can think of all the good times we had together and not think about his last moments. Although his last moments were totally peaceful and I am thankful that I had the strength to let him die peacefully. I’m so glad we went on our RV trip when we did. Not only are we having this amazing experience at a time in our lives when we can really enjoy it, but he also got a great last year of his life. I’m glad for you too that you got to experience the wonderful RV life with your husband while you could. There’s nothing like roaming the continent searching for beautiful places to enjoy. Thank you so much for your visit and comments, I really appreciate it!
These are gorgeos…!All the ten photographs are one by one super…!!there is no chance to mark 1,2,3…but all stood on first rank.I think nobody will have words to comment because of it’s highest quality.
With wish and regards,
V K Valpadi(INDIA)
Thank you so much VK, I really appreciate your comments!