I thought it would be fun to put up some of my favorite images from this past year. These aren’t necessarily my absolute “best of” from a professional point of view, but just photos that have an affect on me. What’s good about this, is that while some of these images are what could be considered “darlings”, meaning, maybe not the absolute best from an editors point of view, but they have meaning and value to me. This gets me thinking and exploring the idea of how do I make these so called darlings better? Can in 2,3 or 5 years, my favorite photos of the year also be my best of from a professional point of view? Do I want them to be? What is it about some of these images that moves me so much? Was it the moment? The place? The person? Why is that person in that image so enigmatic? Is it just sheer beauty? Sometimes, but more so I believe that some people just have something. Something in their eyes — passion, sadness, happiness, fire, fight, …whatever. But when I find those people..when we find those people, we are affected by them. You feel their energy whether it be good or bad. How do I in the moment, whether be it personal or while working, create photos which tell a better story?

I hope you like.

And just keep in line with the a…learning process, let’s throw a little shameless SEO in for good measure. Testing, testing. We got photos of rafting on the Grand Canyon, hot, talented hula hooping while drinking pbr…on a raft. What’s not to love there? Flying, mystery beer — look close. Beautiful river guides. Stormy, winter weather on the Oregon coast, a pissed off momma moose and her baby in the Grand Tetons, super fun, buttery smooth skating in the lush Pacific Northwest, camping in Glen Canyon, mountain biking near Moab and my favorite party of the year at home with so many great friends. Oh yeah! And a coyote with, I think, a muskrat that had it’s worst day ever in Yellowstone NP.