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

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

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!

Comments 33

Richard Wong

January 8, 2010 at 2:37 pm

Very nice Ron. That HB Pier girl is obviously hot enough to make even married men too nervous to ask for a release, but that composition is freaking amazing. Like she is walking into a vortex. The fact that you had to leave off Canada says it all about your year.

Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images

January 8, 2010 at 2:39 pm

First. – Wow. Yeowza. Awesome. That blond is H-A-W-T. 🙂

The rest of the photos are pretty darn spectacular, too.

Cheers, – g.

Jim Goldstein

January 8, 2010 at 2:55 pm

Great photos Ron and thanks for taking part in the best of 2009 project. That bike crash photo is killer. Wow! My photos suddenly seem like chopped liver 🙂

Dennis Barton

January 8, 2010 at 2:56 pm

All are very nice nice photo’s Ron, I have enjoyed looking at your regular posts all year long. I also appreciate the hints you give. Thanks again and have a great 2010…..

Steven Bourelle

January 8, 2010 at 3:11 pm

Great shots Ron! It just goes to show, even baby porcupines are cute.

JeniGirl

January 8, 2010 at 4:24 pm

What a great year of pictures Ron. I prefer your in-house model. ; )

Mike

January 8, 2010 at 6:43 pm

Great stuff Ron! Looks like you’ve had an amazing year!

Mark

January 9, 2010 at 9:37 am

Excellent picks Ron. Despite 2009 being such a lousy year for the economy, employment and such, from the 2009 collections I have seen, I would say us photographers did OK (more than OK actually) on making exciting new images.

Looking forward to your over/under post because I KNOW you didn’t do that with a housing right? 🙂

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Ron

January 9, 2010 at 11:11 am

Thanks a lot everyone, I really appreciate the kind words!

@ JeniGirl – I agree with you!

@ Mark – It is a specially designed thing – I need to take a photo.

Thanks!

Mom

January 9, 2010 at 12:12 pm

You and Janine are an amazing team and continue to find spectacular scenes to capture. May 2010 be even better for both of you.

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Ron

January 9, 2010 at 2:58 pm

Thanks Mom!

Amy

January 9, 2010 at 7:17 pm

My favorites of the ones you posted are Colorado Color (so beautiful), Home Sweet Home (I’m a little jealous you have such an amazing scene you can go to any time you want!), and Ice (indescribably beautiful). But they’re all amazing!

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Ron

January 11, 2010 at 9:22 am

Thanks a lot Amy!

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