My top favorite photos of 2013

It was hard to narrow down my top ten favorite photos of 2013, but I decided I wanted to participate in Jim Goldstein’s Blog Project: Your Best Photos From 2013. Thanks to Jim for creating this list!  I’ve enjoyed viewing all the entries from photographers in past years.

I will be doing a separate blog post on my 2013 photography goals.  I highlight my goals and what I’ve accomplished on my list.  I’ve done this now for the last few years and it’s a great way to keep focused and move forward with my photography skills. Stay tuned!

This year I decided to save money and not take as many trips as I have in the past for photography. I will be doing the same in the new year as I continue to save money for future goals my husband and I have. I’ll be sharing these goals publicly sometime this year.

I want to wish you and your families a Happy New Year in 2014! If you love photography, I hope the new year will bring you new photos with great adventures and memories to go along with them!

1. I enjoyed a fun brisk, morning of photographing Bandon with friend and photographer, Carla Axtman.

2. I spent a lot of time this year photographing locally and this evening in Bandon was especially wonderful.

3. My husband and I drove out to Sunset Bay State Park for sunset, but it was completely fogged in. We decided to drive back home. When we were driving towards Charleston, I could tell the light was going to be great so I decided to stay. There was a boat in the marina doing several turns and putting on a show, all the while the sky was turning pink! Two men pulled up, one with a camera and started shooting near me. I asked them if this was a planned shoot with the boat that said Greenwich Police on it. The photographer told me it was a shoot for a boat manufacturer for their catalog and the boat was fictitious. It was a cool evening with an unexpected show!

4. This was my second year visiting the Palouse area in eastern Washington. I had some incredible weather and light during my four days there. I came back with many photos I was happy with.

5. While in the Palouse, my husband was driving when I saw this scene and had him stop the car. I waited about 20 minutes for the clouds to move just right to lighten up the wheat and canola fields.

6. One of my photography goals for 2013 was to learn to shoot the night sky with little or no light noise pollution. I read several ebooks on night photography and I took a workshop from Brad Goldpaint. Brad is a great teacher and I really enjoyed the two workshops with him.

7. While on my second workshop with Brad Goldpaint, there was an incredible sunset. It was so amazing to see and photograph. It was a really wonderful evening.

8. Here’s another great evening in Bandon. I met up with friend and photographer, Gary Weathers. We were blessed with some great light.

9. During the weekend following Thanksgiving, I spent some time shooting with friends and photographers, Patricia Thomas, Tom Thomas and Greg Pepion. Another great evening, close to home.

10. Ispent the Christmas season with my family. On Christmas day we were treated to this incredibly, intense color and light at Sunset Bay State Park.