In keeping with my decades old tradition of selecting my favourite photos of the past year that I started last year here are my 2012 selections.
Before I started looking at this years photos I thought to myself that this year was not one of my best photographically. Our travels this year were not as extensive as in past years and indeed, even our annual vacation was more family orientated than photography centred.
As I began to go through my photos by month I quickly realized that perhaps the year was not so bad.
We had in the late winter a terrific day with the Eagles up in the Comox area. It certainly seems that each year there is at least one Eagle in my favourite photo list. This particular shot is one of my favourites because finding Eagles on the ground- and getting close enough for a good shot- has always proved challenging to me. This juvenile was just taking off and the sand is still falling from its talons.
On another birding trip up-Island I found this Belted Kingfisher. Another challenging bird to photograph because they are very skittish and in fact, I think they tease photographers by allowing you to think you can get close and then they fly off just as you raise the camera. Even their call sounds more like they're laughing at you!
During spring break we drove north to the Hazeltons to visit our new granddaughter. March is too early for most wildlife but we did see many Coyotes way out in the fields. We also had an incredible experience with a Canadian Lynx, my first ever sighting of these magnificent cats. Unfortunately we were not in a position to photograph it so we just enjoyed our all to quick look at it.
The Hazeltons have a rich native culture which I always enjoy. Original, historic totems can be found throughout the area. This is one of my favourites because the mountains behind the totem helps to give a feeling of immense geological power which contrasts with the equally immense cultural power of the weathered totems. The passage of time seems to have a different meaning in places such as this.
Later in the spring our friends Gaye and Lee came to visit us. We went to a local city park to see the Rhododendrons which were in bloom at the time. While walking through the park we came across the duck pond and the red bridge reflecting in the still pond caught my eye. This picture finds its way into my favourites because we live in a coastal, temperate rainforest. We get a lot of rainfall which makes our forests quite lush and very green. Thick growth cuts much of the light from the forest floor so when splashes of colour, such as the red on the bridge punctuate the green it provides perfect contrast for a photograph. Couple that with a perfectly calm reflection and well, you have all the elements for a perfect picture.
From one extreme to the other, big and small, another bird captures my attention with equal fascination to Eagles. Rufous Hummingbirds return to our garden every year and entertain us throughout their visit. Patience is all that is required to photograph them, they get quite used to people and in fact even recognize you. If the feeder is empty they know who to tell to fill it up. It is not uncommon to see them hovering in front of the window letting you know the feeder needs attention.
Our summer travels took us back to the Cariboo. A two week fishing trip shared with Gabrielle included a visit from our son Cory at Fawn Lake. Terrific fishing and to get our canoe on a good fishing lake was awesome. The canoe also provided a unique photography platform as well. A whole new skill set was required as I soon learned when I had an exciting experience watching a Bald Eagle attacking a family of Common Loons. Many pictures later, which included the unlucky Eagle completely soaked and swimming to shore I discovered that all the pictures were blurry. The motion of the canoe coupled with a big lens required a different approach than I was using. Like the Eagle, I went home dissappointed. But then, if it was easy everyone would be doing it....
Re-thinking my strategy I mounted my tripod in the canoe and lashed it to the yoke. It was a tad unnerving to take a 500 mm lens to the water in an unstable canoe. As I carefully paddled along I found another family of Common Loons. The canoe allowed my to glide silently towards them and get this shot of the baby.
I trolled a fly behind my canoe so I liked to stay fairly close to the shore. As I rounded a small point I came across this Mule Deer standing in the water feeding on the leaves of the trees. This shot makes my favourite list because of its unusual perspective. Its not often you see deer in the water and for me, even rarer for me to see it from this angle. It is amazing how much less afraid wildlife is when you approach by water. The low, evening sun adds yet another dimension to this shot.
We were to meet family at a campground near Barkerville, BC. Barkerville is a famous gold rush town with no end of photographic opportunities. Old buildings are always a favourite for me but in this case an old truck caught my eye. This one was outside the small town of Wells, near Barkerville. A slight HDR treatment worked well for this shot.
In the fall Robyn's family came for a visit. We went for a photo shoot to Blue Heron Beach near our house. Olivia and Gabrielle on the beach...obviously a couple of favourites!
In October Laura had to go to Vancouver overnight. We do not often get the opportunity to play tourist in the city just across the water from us on the mainland. I had never been to the Planetarium before so this was on our list. The Crab Sculpture in front of the Planetarium is one of the best features of Vanier Park. This is a three shot stitched vertical panorama.
The final selection comes from the Vancouver Aquarium. Just inside the main lobby is the Jellyfish Tank. One could spend many hours watching the graceful up and down motions of these creatures. The colours and the peacefulness of this shot make it one of my favourites of the year.
And so, as another year passes I look towards 2013 and cannot help to wonder what kind of photographs will my favourite 13 of 2013 be?
