Favorite Photos from 2009

Well I thought I would continue on a theme I began last year when I posted my 10 favorite photos from 2008.  I have Jim Goldstein to thank for the idea.

Looking back on the year, I can’t believe all we did last year.  Besides a lot of time spent in Alaska, including a couple backpacking trips, we made summer and winter trips to Vancouver and Whistler, spent a couple of months in Southern California and a couple more between Colorado and Moab, Utah.  Wow, no wonder I’m tired.

Surprisingly, some of these photos haven’t been posted on the blog before.  So here we go:

Above and Below

Above / below photo of a red salmon.

I posted a similar photo from an earlier day, but never got around to sharing my improved efforts from a follow-up day.  I was saving them for my post on how I do remote above / below photos – you know, the one I still haven’t written.      The year before this spot was popular with bears – maybe next summer I can get the grand slam of salmon underwater, bear above!  Here is a larger version of this red salmon.

Huntington Beach Morning

Huntington Beach, California.

Here is another favorite that never made it to the blog.  This is under the Huntington Beach pier.  I loved the light, and the patterns created by the pier structure and was walking around trying different compositions when this stereotypical blonde California gal walked by me and completed the scene.  I didn’t have the nerve to ask for a release.  Here is the larger version of this Huntington Beach photo.

Colorado Color

Sneffels Range, San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

I had to include a photo from Colorado, and this is probably my favorite of the bunch, but it was tough to pick because that is a beautiful state.  Here is a larger version along with my original post for this Colorado photo.

Newport Beach

Balboa Pier, Newport Beach, California.

I’m a sucker for great sunsets, and the Southern California coast receives more then its fair share.  This might have been the best one of the numerous ones we witnessed last winter.  Here is a larger version of Balboa Pier.

Huntington Beach

Surfer, Huntington Beach, California.

It was really fun just to watch these amazing surfers, much less photograph them.  This was at the  Katlin Pro / Am surf competition last winter.  Here is a larger photo of the surfer.

Breaching Humpback Whale

Breaching Humpback Whale, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska.

Just seeing such an huge animal burst out of the ocean is an incredible experience – capturing it in a photo  is a real treat.  Larger version of the humpback whale photo.

Home Sweet Home

Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska.

This is Janine at sunset taken during a wonderful backpacking trip to the Harding Icefield – a favorite nearby location for me.  Here is the  larger photo.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Camping along the White Rim Trail, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Here is another one of those photos where the actual experience probably clouds my judgment of the photo, but 3 days of camping along the White Rim Trail was a blast!   Here is a larger version and blog post about the White Rim Trail.

Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada.

This is Janine in one of the most colorful spots I have ever seen.  It is a secret location in the seldom visited Valley of Fire.  This larger version of Valley of Fire does this spot more justice.

Ice

Ice Patterns, Seward, Alaska.

You might remember this one as I just posted it on the blog a couple of days ago.  I had to have a winter photo on the list and this was one of my favorites.

Like last year, I had to leave out a lot of favorites to get the list to 10.  Like:

Baby Porcupine

This baby porcupine, or

24 Hours at Moab crash, or

Climbing in Joshua Tree

Along with a number of photos from Vancouver, Whistler or Victoria which could have easily made the list, but I wanted to limit it to 10, so there it is!  It is fun to look back on the year, but now I can’t wait for this year!