It is that time of year again and time to look back over the year.
Post your favourite pictures from 2024
Note.
The pictures must have been taken in 2024 and it would be cool to have Exif.
This is not a C&C thread so just comment on content please. And absolutely no downloading and reposting altered please.
Here are my favourite shots from the year.
Ghiara Reggio Emilia
Bologna
Fonte di Valle Re
Barga
Bobbio
Bobbio
Salò
Strand on the Green, London
Gloucester Cathedral
Passo dello Stelvio
Resia
Morter
Get the Church out of my panties, Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia
Vigoleno
Just one image:
I took this with my new Viltrox 75 on a sunset walk.
This was another club walk, Vee (the lady in the picture) sat down and I was in the right place to capture this shot
A street in Hebden Bridge
A walk around Liverpool docks
Finally, The Liver building through the end of an anchor (Liverpool again)
Enjoy.
Alan
Nice idea for a thread!
I was quite pleased with several of my photos this year.
Here's a few selected from some posted here in the last 5 months
A shot of the mountains in the Hochkönig region just appearing out of a thick bank of low hanging cloud.
Our tracks leading up through the valley. It’s hard work to be the first and create the track yourself in the deep snow.
A view of the old city of Krumlov just over the border from Austria in the Czech Republic.
Taken in Riedingtal with some great autumn colours and even some contrasting snow at the top.
On the way to Pronebengut, Mühlbach, Austria
In England, Essex, with Wakering church in the background
In the Dedham area in "John Constable country"
On the beach at Clacton
Back in the Hochkönig region some photogenic B&W cows were sitting down taking a rest, chewing the cud or perhaps just enjoying the view
OK, let’s scramble up there!
Disappearing, layer by layer into the haze
On a hike up and above Bad Kleinkirchheim, before the rain came.
The Triefen, a conveniently placed dog takes a look at the waterfall
Looking through that gap from the other side,
and a summer shot to finish
Began the year in Tenerife; Santa Cruz de Tenerife auditorium.
Almond blossom time in Tenerife
Narcissus admiring his reflection. Close to home in the Galloway hills.
West coast rainforest, Galloway.
The painted mosque, Tetovo, North Macedonia
Prizren, Kosovo
A hike in the Accursed Mountains, on the Montenegro - Albania border.
Kotor old town, Montenegro
Streets of Stromness, Orkney Mainland
Stromness harbour
Summer evening in Orkney
Ring Of Brodgar, Orkney
Sanday, in the Orkney archipelago
Tree ferns at Logan Botanic Garden
The last of the evening sun on one of our local walks, Galloway
Some amazing pictures there. Thanks for sharing.
Alan
I have 3 sets...
Don't mess with the little guy - Willy Wagtail
But he will sing if you're nice
Must include one of these - Rainbow Lorikeet
And one of these - Rainbow Bee eater
Bird with mullet? - young Cormorant
Choreography - Cormorants
Eastern Great Egret
White Faced Heron
Not happy - Wedge Tailed Eagle and Magpie
Eagle and Crows
Brown Falcon
In no particular order.
The first 5 were taken with an FZ300 or G7. After that G9
Tau Emerald
Australian Emerald
New one - haven't identified
Blue Skimmer
Damselfly laying eggs
Australian Emporer
Good to see some of these again.
2024, let's see what I saw...
Saw an animal
Saw a swan
Saw a puffin...
...in Faroe island
Saw tall ships
Saw palace decaying
Saw something at night
Saw Moon in opposition to Sun
Saw fire
Saw some ladies singing
The rest...
Lime Butterfly
Glasswings
Best friend
Coastal Morning Glory - a flowering vine classified as a weed here
Due to an accident a couple years ago, I have taken no arty-crafty or travel pictures this year.
A few weeks ago, I did resurrect the Lumix DC-G9, Mecablitz 20 C-2 flash and mounted the Panasonic Vario 12-35mm zoom lens. Here is a hand-held snap of the dog, se llama "Tortilla" ...
... thank God for the flash (f/16, 1/125 sec, 6 ft) and for the Panasonic dual OIS (lens and body) ...
Right-click and see in new Window for detail and EXIF. Image is medium-size OOC JPEG.
Some good stuff from everybody. I remember many of these shots from you all.
Xpat, that is a sweet dog.
Some of my favorites this year (it was not a banner year for me photographically, I am asking Santa for more inspiration next year). All are shot with an Olympus OMD Em1 mkiii. My favorite lenses are the Oly 12-40 and an ancient Oly 50-200 4/3 lens that I use with an adapter.
I live in central Mississippi, in a rural area with no grand landscapes or interesting cities. So I prowl around the edges of the Pearl River and its swamps for photo ops large and small.
I am obsessed with the water birds who live and work beneath a run-down dam that controls the Pearl. Because I must shoot from shore I don't do typical documentary bird photography with these guys, but scenes of the birds going about their life and work.
My three grandsons provide lots of opportunities. I try to do a little more than snapshots, share with them and make prints of what they or their parents want.
I shoot small nature stuff, either at my farm or around the river.
And I still do travel, just a fraction of what I once did. The first is on the streets of Mahogany Bay on the "bad side" of Roatan. The others are from a road trip to Kentucky and Tennessee this fall.
What a gorgeous set. I think a few of us have been struggling with inspiration this year. I've been too preoccupied with house moving, but have now weaned myself off Rightmove and looking forward to more exploration in 2025. Good to see someone else still using m4/3
I like the Island with the waterfall into the ocean. I really like the northern lights where you have captured some majenta? in the clouds above the greens.
This is a difficult thread for me 😄
All photos are favorites.
I did try to keep it at one photo one month :
January:
Sun after the rain
February:
Hiking trail:
March:
First flowers:
April:
At the beach
May:
Strike a pose:
June:
Sunny evening:
July:
Reflection
August:
Snow at 3500m
September:
Going up:
and some fresh snow:
October:
Mushroom:
November:
Cabin/shed in the woods:
December:
Bridge
I like the hiking trail but I really like the sun burst in the mountains...
It's always tough narrowing down a set of favourites from the year, but after a few rounds of sifting through hundreds of images, this is what I've settled on, presented here in order of date taken.
Round loaf is a Bronze Age bowl barrow, situated slap bang in the middle of Anglezarke moor. On this occasion I wasn't actually visiting Round Loaf itself, but had taken a wander up to Standing Stones Hill, which overlooks the moors. I arrived there as sunset approached. This view is looking West towards the Irish Sea, with Round Loaf itself sat on the right hand third of the image. On the horizon just to the right of this you can see the silhouette of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, roughly 30 miles away on the coast.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S
This was taken from the ridge at the top of the quarries of Black Coppice, looking towards Healey Nab, generally just known locally as The Nab. I seem to recall getting absolutely battered with midges when taking this shot, but it's one of my favourite shots of this little patch of Lancashire from this year.
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujinon GF45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR
In a year of many challenges for me, one of my more uplifting experiences was finally seeing the aurora in all its glory and in my home town right here in Lancashire too. Occasionally it can be visible from here as a faint green glow on the northern horizon if you can find an unobstructed view, but on this occasion, the really vibrant colours could be seen looking more or less directly overhead, where the corona was raging. This made it difficult to photograph as looking straight up didn't leave much in the way of foreground objects to compose against it.
I had planned to head up to the top of Black Coppice (where the previous picture was taken), which would have made an excellent vantage point, but my friend's dog refused to climb the stile leading up there (and he's too big to lift over), so we had to improvise and instead took a number of shots from lower vantage points around White Coppice. After midnight the intensity waned, but we decided to head up onto the elevated moor to get a better view of the horizon.
When we reached the ruins of Coppice Stile House, easily identified by the large Hawthorn tree that dominates the site, most of the visible aurora had moved further North in the sky, so I was able to line up this shot of it above the Hawthorn tree (also helped by the fact I was stood down the slope from the tree). There's some light painting of the tree with a wafty torch to help pick it out against the pitch black moors.
This was an amazing experience that I hope I never forget.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S
Taken while scouting a new location one evening. The sudden appearance of colour in the sky caught me off guard as it had been a grey overcast evening and I had very little time to find a location where I could take advantage of the spectacular colours that were emerging. This was taken after hopping (hopping is overselling it, more like awkwardly floundering) over a wall and quickly scrambling up the side of the dam on the western edge of Anglezarke reservoir. I was quite surprised to later discover a far more civilised path and gate leading back to the road after taking this photo.
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujifilm Fujinon GF32-64mm F4 R LM WR
This is a view taken from a point on the moors overlooking Black Brook as it meanders along its final stretch down towards the hamlet of White Coppice, marking the division between the hills of Black Coppice (on the left) and White Coppice (on the right) as it goes. Following the line of the valley towards the horizon you can see the prominent steeple of the Mormon Temple that sits beside the motorway junction at Chorley. This was another pleasant evening in May, marred only by the vast number of midges treating me like a walking buffet (in the original 100MP image, you can see the air is full of the little bitey sods).
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujinon GF45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR
Taken on a return visit to the area around Ings in The English Lake District. It's not my usual style, but I love the colours and rendering of the cow and the grass. Taken with one of my favourite lenses, the Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8S, a heavy lump for sure, but well worth the effort required to carry it around the hills.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Pikestones is another Bronze Age burial site, this time situated on the edge of Anglezarke moor, positioned in such a way that a straight line drawn between this and Great Hill runs through the location of Round Loaf, which is positioned midway between them.
Unlike Round Loaf, this site has been heavily looted and damaged over the years (Round Loaf is believed to be unexcavated) and all that remains of the once massive structure that stood here is these fallen stones that once formed an entrance tunnel into the mound. On this occasion I'd walked from Jepson's Gate across Anglezarke moor to Round Loaf, where I'd stayed until the time of the solstice, then on the way back happened to pass Pikestones just as the sun was setting.
Coincidentally after my comment about lenses on the previous picture, this was taken with one of my least favourite lenses, the little Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 DC DN. This seemed like an ideal match for the X-T50, but in general I've found the pictures tend to lack something compared to the various Fuji primes I also own, so it tends to stay in the cupboard these days. However, I quite like how it's handled this image, so maybe it's due a reappraisal?
Fujifilm X-T50 + SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN
A return to Coppice Stile where the Aurora image was taken (the Hawthorn tree was immediately to my right when I took this shot). This is looking across Heapey moor to Great Hill, which I'd just returned from. Visibility had been great when I originally set out, but as I sat and ate my snacks on the summit the mist rolled in from nowhere, robbing me of my view. By the time I'd reached Coppice Stile, the visibility had improved, but looking back at Great Hill, the summit was still socked in. This was taken with the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 at 1.2. It's not a particularly sharp lens at that aperture, but it does give a lovely out of focus transition.
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon XF56mmF1.2 R
This was taken on what would turn out to be one of my last trips to The Lake District this year. I visited Small Water Tarn, high in the hills above Haweswater, taking the heavy GFX kit and tripod along for the ride in an attempt to recreate a glass slide I have that was taken in the early 1900s. The light had been heavily overcast for most of the day and I didn't manage to take anything I was particularly happy with, although I really enjoyed the walked and was spurred on to revisit the next week with a lighter camera and continue up past the tarn to High Street, before descending via the ridge above Riggindale.
Anyway, shortly after setting off home in the car, the clouds broke above Riggindale, bathing the valley in spectacular crepuscular rays. I quickly found a safe place to stop and jumped out with the camera, handheld and leaning on the wall above the reservoir for stability. The light had faded a bit by the time I took this, but it still beat anything else I'd shot that day.
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujinon GF45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR
Revisiting an old haunt, Duxbury Park for the first time in years (probably about 30 of them!). I'd taken the GFX kit and tripod and was having a great old time finding interesting trees and exploring the river when I came across this little stack of stones. Fortunately the water was shallow enough to wade out to it and set up the tripod close to the water.
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujinon GF32-64mm F4 R LM WR
A handheld snap with the X-T50 from an evening walk around Brinscall woods. This is a characterful tree beside a path that I've always wanted to shoot in mist, but on this occasion, the sinking sun was behind it and backlighting it rather nicely. I'd still like a bit of mist though.
Fujifilm X-T50 Fujinon XF35mmF1.4 R
I've spent the latter part of this year looking for nearby locations that I've somehow failed to explore in all the time I've lived here and this is one of them. Spitler's Edge is part of a path running between Great Hill and Winter Hill (seen here in the distance). I was lucky on this occasion to have bright sun and dramatic clouds.
Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Exploring another little visited location, Spen Cob woods on the shores of Anglezarke reservoir around sunset led me to discovering this particularly angry looking tree. I didn't hang around much longer after taking this as I suspect it might start moving around of its own volition after sunset.
Fujifilm GFX100S + GF20-35mmF4 R WR
I discovered this creepy tree just round the corner in the same woods as the one pictured previously. While the previous shot was at sunset, this was mid afternoon on an increasingly drizzly day.
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujinon GF45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR
A shot from last week when we were treated to a couple of days of persistent mist, a rare occurrence around here, but one I wasn't going to miss, so I headed out with the GFX and spent a few hours exploring Duxbury woods. On this occasion, I'd climbed a steep and treacherous path up to a point overlooking the woods below in the valley where I found this gnarly and enigmatic tree, overseeing the business of the woods below.
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujinon GF45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR
Another shot from the misty spell we had last week. This was taken after returning to the woods and following the river to find a fallen tree I'd photographed before. I did find the fallen tree and photographed it, but it didn't turn out as I'd hoped. However, along the way I found this little riverside scene that I really like. I'd originally intended to take the shot closer to the marcescent bush in the lower right, but that made the unadorned bush next to it far too prominent, so I took a couple of steps back and found this composition, and the other bush I was now embedded in.
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujinon GF45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR
This is my pick for 2024
That is brilliant. How did you do it?
Alan
Subject: My Favorite Photo Series Pick For 2024
In Oregon where I live, we do not get a lot of rain in the summer. But this was an exception in late June of 2024. In the first two photos we saw storm clouds brewing as we traveled in a car towards the city of Portland. When we finally got to the Rose Garden it started to rain. It rained enough to sprinkle these rose flowers.
I often show my photos in a series, so I thought it was appropriate to show my favorites this way.
Photo No. 1
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/640 seconds
FNumber - 8
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExposureBiasValue - 0.33
FocalLength - 17 mm
Lens Model - EF-M15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 2
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/800 seconds
FNumber - 8
ISOSpeedRatings - 500
ExposureBiasValue - 0.33
FocalLength - 23 mm
Lens Model - EF-M15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 3
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/250 seconds
FNumber - 8
ISOSpeedRatings - 500
ExposureBiasValue - 0.33
FocalLength - 45 mm
Lens Model - EF-M15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 4
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/250 seconds
FNumber - 8
ISOSpeedRatings - 800
ExposureBiasValue - 0.33
FocalLength - 45 mm
Lens Model - EF-M15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 5
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/100 seconds
FNumber - 9
ISOSpeedRatings - 640
ExposureBiasValue - 0
FocalLength - 151 mm
Lens Model - EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 6
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/125 seconds
FNumber - 10
ISOSpeedRatings - 320
ExposureBiasValue - 0
FocalLength - 119 mm
Lens Model - EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 7
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/125 seconds
FNumber - 10
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExposureBiasValue - 0
FocalLength - 170 mm
Lens Model - EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 8
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/125 seconds
FNumber - 10
ISOSpeedRatings - 160
ExposureBiasValue - 0
FocalLength - 153 mm
Lens Model - EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 9
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/125 seconds
FNumber - 10
ISOSpeedRatings - 250
ExposureBiasValue - 0
FocalLength - 145 mm
Lens Model - EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
Photo No. 10
Model - Canon EOS M50m2
ExposureTime - 1/125 seconds
FNumber - 10
ISOSpeedRatings - 320
ExposureBiasValue - 0
FocalLength - 100 mm
Lens Model - EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
