{"id":25122,"date":"2018-01-01T12:00:37","date_gmt":"2018-01-01T18:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/?p=25122"},"modified":"2018-01-03T09:43:49","modified_gmt":"2018-01-03T15:43:49","slug":"top-10-favorite-images-from-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/2018\/01\/01\/top-10-favorite-images-from-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Favorite Images from 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

As 2017 draws to a close, I hope everyone had a great year and I wish everyone a wonderful 2018. As is tradition, during this time I review and reflect upon my photography from the previous year and look forward to the next year. As usual, there are some that when I captured them I knew there would be my favorites and there are some that grew on me throughout the year to become my favorites. <\/p>\n

Before I being I always want to mention that the previous year\u2019s favorites are available from these posts: 2012<\/a>, 2013<\/a>, 2014<\/a>, 2015<\/a>, and 2016<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Also, all the images from 2017 are available to view: Images from 2017<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As with every year, with each selection I consider the technical and aesthetic aspects, but also if they hold any special memory or meaning for me. The following images are in no particular order.<\/p>\n

\"Nature<\/a>
Nature is My Canvas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beautiful sunset reflected in a tarn on top of world in Colorado. This light and conditions are what landscape photographers dream about. To this day I wonder if I’m dreaming.<\/p>\n

\"Foggy<\/a>
Foggy Morning in the Kawuneeche Valley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I love the ethereal effect that fog brings to a scene. Usually very quiet and calm experience as I explore and look for compositions. This barn I found a couple years ago in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado provided the perfect subject in this atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\"Silently<\/a>
Silently Floating<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I love simply intimate nature compositions. A single feather caught in a bush, a snail shell in the moss, or in this case, a leaf floating in a lake. As I captured this composition I imagined myself as the lone leaf gently floating, going wherever the wide or tide takes me….<\/p>\n

\"Rising<\/a>
Rising Above the Prairie Grass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is a favorite photography spot of mine. This past spring I ventured to a less visited part of the part and wandered around the high prairie grass collecting images and ticks. I was especially drawn to these strong Burr Oak trees at the end of what some would call a road. The setting sun gave the scene a special inviting warmth.<\/p>\n

\"Look<\/a>
Look Back<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What’s not to like about baby animals. This curious moose calf was fun to watch and adorable. Nothing else needs to be said.<\/p>\n

\"Just
The Sunrise of the Last Day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beautiful sunrise on top of the world in Colorado. This was one of those times I thought nothing was going to happen. I knew the sun had already risen and there was no beautiful light, no color, just drab clouds. Then, the clouds parted and gave me this scene, Nature’s present to cherish and share.<\/p>\n

\"Hey<\/a>
Hey There Ladybug!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I realized as I processed this image that I had never uploaded or posted an image of a ladybug. Sure, I’ve captured them many times, but the compositions were just not right. With this one I was especially pleased with the red ladybug surrounding by the pink mums. <\/p>\n

\"Gorgeous<\/a>
Gorgeous Grottos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A beautiful waterfall in the White River National Forest in Colorado. Nothing like spending an evening watching the sun set in a beautiful location with the soothing sound of rushing water. Serenity.<\/p>\n

\"A
A Joshua Tree Evening<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I first visited Joshua Tree National Park in California about three years ago. Since then I’ve had the opportunity to return several times. Joshua Tree is a magical place, especially at night. I can never get enough of capturing the unique trees stretching their arms to the sky embracing the stars.<\/p>\n

\"Phases
Phases of the Total Solar Eclipse – 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This last image is a bit of a cheat as it is a composite of several images. There was nothing quite like witnessing the total solar eclipse in Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in western Nebraska. I have no words to adequately describe the experience. I was conflicted as to whether or not to capture the event. On the one hand I would be kicking myself if I didn’t photograph it, on the other I would be if I photographed and didn’t focus my complete attention on it. I opted to photograph the scene. I did the best I could to make my cameras automatically capture the event, but I still fidgeted with my equipment. I am not sorry as it was utterly spectacular. I plan on seeing the total eclipse again, but next time without my equipment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As 2017 draws to a close, I hope everyone had a great year and I wish everyone a wonderful 2018. As is tradition, during this time I review and reflect upon my photography from the previous year and look forward to the next year. As usual, there are some that …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[74,90,98,16,36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agate-fossil-beds-nm","category-chalco-hills","category-desoto-national-wildilfe-refuge","category-joshua-tree-national-park","category-rocky-mountain-national-park-colorado","column","twocol","has-thumbnail"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25122"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25122"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25142,"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25122\/revisions\/25142"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog-vm.journeyoflight.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}