It is always challenging to select my favorite images – especially in a year like 2019 when I had a chance to visit some places I’ve always wanted to see. I made a couple of trips to the southwest in February, photographed bears in Alaska in July, spent some time exploring Montana with my wife in September, and brought the year to a close with some Maui relaxation. Each image, including many that I had to cut from the list, brings back great memories with family and friends. I’ve been sharing my favorite images for several years now, but this is the first time that my list doesn’t include anything from the Bay Area or Yosemite. So with that introduction, here are my favorites from 2019, presented in the order they were taken.
Swirls of the Wave
Coyote Buttes North in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is a popular photographic destination with good reason. The sandstone structures in that area feature otherworldly shapes and some great lines. We were fortunate enough to grab two of the 10 walk-in permits and the weather stayed dry just long enough to get in (and out!) of the area in our rental car. Everything worked out beautifully (you can read more here) and I was able to make my pilgrimage to this iconic location. After capturing some of the more famous views, I spent some time with this one. I liked the way the swirling sandstone lead into the scene, focusing the eye on the small tree and bluffs in the distance. Outdoor Photographer Magazine seemed to like it too – this image was my first to win one of their assignments.
Moonlit Joshua Tree
We made a family trip to Palm Springs in late February and I decided to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night one evening to drive up to Joshua Tree. I was hoping to be able to capture some nice stars behind this rock and tree. I met up with Jim Fox, founder of the wonderful FocalWorld photography forum, and we enjoyed shooting until dawn. This image has the foreground lit by the last light of the setting moon along with some glow along the horizon from Palm Springs.
Heart Lake Sunset
I made a one-night trip to the Shasta area in June, hoping to find a new spot to photograph Mount Shasta for sunset and then shoot some waterfalls in the morning. After spending the afternoon scouting, and getting increasingly frustrated, I made my way to Heart Lake. Heart Lake is one of my favorite places and I’ve hiked up there many times. It has a beautiful view of the mountain nicely framed by hills and trees. It was windy and cloudy that afternoon, but the conditions came together at sunset to produce some great light and reflections.
Eagle River and Moose
Before flying out to Katmai to photograph bears, I spent a few days exploring the area around Anchorage. I spent hours hiking in areas known for wildlife sightings, hoping to see moose, bears, eagles, or any of the other animals for which this area is famous. I never found any of them – but I did decide that this spot in the Eagle River Nature Center would make a great place to shoot sunset. I returned late in the evening (sunset was about 11:00 PM) and set up on a wooden viewing platform. Of course when I wasn’t expecting it, two moose wandered into the scene. The moose in the foreground came so close I had to start thinking about an escape path (yes, there was a railing between us). That encounter made this image especially memorable.
Sashimi (or Salmon Roll)
OK, I’ll admit it. I think bears are really cool. Especially really big brown bears. Their combination of power and intelligence puts them at the top of my list of favorite animals. With that in mind, making the trip to Brooks Falls to photograph them during the annual salmon run has been on my bucket list for a while – and it is something I never thought I’d manage to pull off. You can see a lot more photos and read more details here, but this image was my clear favorite. I loved the way this large boar appeared to dare anyone to try taking his fish away.
Hidden Lake
Glacier is another place that I had wanted to visit for a long time. My wife joined me for a trip in September and we both thought it was the most impressive national park that we’d been to. Hidden Lake was a spot I really wanted to see, so we made the hike one evening. We got this great view, some nice light, saw a bear, and lived to tell the tale.
Climbing Kids
Sandee and I enjoyed a beautiful (and demanding!) hike to Grinnell Glacier, with mountains, lakes, glaciers, and some sheep/goats off in the distance. On our way down we came upon a family of mountain goats. I’d seen them before, but they were always too far away to get a good shot. I didn’t have that problem this time – it was a true close encounter and several times we had to move off the trail to let them pass. My favorite was this image of the two kids scrambling down the rocks, especially since it seems like one had to be pushed to keep going. I’ve posted more about this hike here.
Sea Ranch Chapel
I had driven up to Gualala on the Mendocino Coast to visit my parents, and decided to try some night shooting while I was there. My chosen spot at the beach was ruined by a fishing boat, so I convinced my dad (didn’t take much convincing) to take me to this chapel for another attempt. With a little work I found this angle which showed off the architecture against a nice field of stars. I added some light with my flashlight and this is the result.
Haleakala Sunrise
Haleakala at sunrise is a Maui classic, but you never know what you will get until you get there. I dragged my family to the top of the volcano in the dark and we found a spot along the trail to watch the view unfold. We were treated to some clear skies and some nice clouds moving along the crater. The warm light from sunrise finished off the scene.
Iao Needle
The Iao Needle is another location in Maui where the weather can completely obscure the view. I made the trip just before the park closed one afternoon and really liked the clouds swirling around the mountains. I angled the camera to place some of the more interesting plants in the foreground.
So that is my list – what are your favorites? Feel free to comment below.