Best Photos of 2012 - My Photography Year in Review

Filed under: Best Photographs of the Year on 12/31/2012

Best Photos of 2012 - My Photography Year in Review

It is time to post my annual “Favorite Photos of the Year”, as I have since 2007. This year I added fewer than 1000 new images to my stock photography collection, but included in that paltry number are some real gems with which I am quite happy and proud. I managed to get out on the ocean a few times and see a few whales with one of my oldest photographer pals, made a fantastic flight over southern San Diego County with a pilot friend, learned more about landscape astrophotography through trial and error with a night photography buddy, got back in the surf with a new rig after a two year hiatus and tried to keep up the young guys, managed to sneak in one fantastic trip to Paris and London with Tracy, not to mention the 50+ volleyball matches I photographed this year (my daughters are a wrecking crew on the court). So without further ado, here are my Favorite Photographs of 2012. Note: if you like these feel free to check out previous years’ favorites as well: 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007. Thanks for looking, and cheers!

Panorama of the Milky Way over Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Panorama of the Milky Way over Mesa Arch. Photographed with Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon 14-24 lens, alone on a warm still evening in Utah.
Image ID: 27824
Location: Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA
Pano dimensions: 4790 x 7815

Downtown Los Angeles at night, street lights, buildings light up the night. Photographed with Canon 5D Mark II from Griffith Park while waiting for my kids to get out of a concert at the Palladium.
Image ID: 27725
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA

Stars and the Milky Way rise above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age, Pinus longaeva, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Stars and the Milky Way rise above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000′ above sea level. Shooting beside Garry McCarthy, I used a Canon 5D Mark II, under a spectacular cloudless sky with countless stars.
Image ID: 27772
Species: Bristlecone Pine, Pinus longaeva
Location: Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest, California, USA

Oceanside Pier at sunset, clouds and palm trees with a brilliant sky at dusk. Not bad for the depths of winter! Southern California is the best.
Image ID: 27610
Location: Oceanside Pier, California, USA

Rainbow and clearing storm clouds, sunrise light on Manly Beacon, Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California

Rainbow and clearing storm clouds, sunrise light on Manly Beacon. Garry and I got lucky with great light in Death Valley on this day. Canon 5D Mark II.
Image ID: 27660
Location: Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California, USA

Delicate Arch and Milky Way, lit by quarter moon, hiker's flashlight and the fading blue sky one hour after sunset. Arches National Park, Utah

Delicate Arch and Milky Way, lit by quarter moon, hiker’s flashlight and the fading blue sky. This image received over 8 million views this year, never had that happen with an image before. I was alone all night at Delicate Arch, awesome.
Image ID: 27855
Location: Arches National Park, Utah, USA

Half Dome and nighttime stars, viewed from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, California

Half Dome and nighttime stars, viewed from Glacier Point. Nikon D800 and 14-24, a potent nighttime photography combo. Alone at Glacier Point.
Image ID: 27952
Location: Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Clouds and mountains, San Diego mountains near Rancho Guejito and Black Mountain, sunrise. Photographed with a pilot friend, I used a Nikon D800 and 14-24, poking the gear out the open cargo door — nothing is more fun than flying in a small plane over beautiful countryside.
Image ID: 27913
Location: San Diego, California, USA

Breaking wave, Moonllght Beach, Encinitas, morning, barrel shaped surf, California. First day out with my new surf rig, first set of the day and BAM! I get this nice image, what could be better.
Image ID: 27975
Location: California, USA

Sunrise breaking wave, dawn surf, The Wedge, Newport Beach, California

Sunrise breaking wave, dawn surf. The Wedge, Canon 5DIII and 16-35mm lens. One takes quite a bit of punishment for this sort of image but in the end it is worth it. I think.
Image ID: 27979
Location: The Wedge, Newport Beach, California, USA

Blue whale 80-feet long, full body photograph of an enormous blue whale showing rostrom head to fluke tail, taken a close range with very wide lens, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue whale, 80-feet long. Photographed with photography partner and friend Mike Johnson. With the whale only 15′ away, I had to resort to a full-frame fisheye lens to capture the entire leviathan in a single image. I’ve probably seen a few hundred blue whales, many of them underwater, and I still get chills when it happens.
Image ID: 27967
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus

Humpback whale breaching, pectoral fin and rostrom visible, Megaptera novaeangliae, San Diego, California

Humpback whale breaching, pectoral fin and rostrom visible. Mike and I put in an order for a left-to-right breach in front of this fishing boat, and the whale cooperated nicely.
Image ID: 27955
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: San Diego, California, USA

San Diego city skyline, dusk, clearing storm clouds. America’s finest city.
Image ID: 28005
Location: San Diego, California, USA

False Kiva at Sunset, Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Solitude and sunset in a magical place. Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon 14-24 lens.
Image ID: 28017
Location: False Kiva, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA

Full moon rising over San Diego city skyline, sunset, storm clouds, viewed from Coronado Island. Garry and I had planned this one for a while and it worked out brilliantly with the storm clouds parting just in time to give a peek at the moon.
Image ID: 28022
Location: San Diego, California, USA

Royal Chapel of Versailles, dedicated to Saint Louis, patron saint of the Bourbons, the chapel was consecrated in 1710. It was here that Louis XVI of France was wed to Marie-Antoinette. The ceiling represents God the Father in His Glory Bringing to the World the Promise of Redemption and was painted by Antoine Coypel, Chateau de Versailles, Paris

Royal Chapel of Versailles. Perhaps the most famous chateau in the world, we enjoyed a fun morning wandering the apartments and grounds of the Sun King’s abode. Nikon D800 and 14-24.
Image ID: 28068
Location: Chateau de Versailles, Paris, France

Sacre-Coeur Basilica. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacre-Coeur Basilica, is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Paris, France. A popular landmark, the basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city, Basilique du Sacre-Coeur

Sacre-Coeur Basilica, Paris. In spite of the crowds we were still quite moved by the history and humanity that this famous church has seen over the centuries. Nikon D800 and 14-24.
Image ID: 28118
Location: Basilique du Sacre-Coeur, Paris, France

River Seine, Full Moon and Eiffel Tower at night, Paris. La Tour Eiffel. The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, who designed the tower in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair. The Eiffel tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world

River Seine, Full Moon and Eiffel Tower at night, Paris. Tracy and I stopped to get a few self-portraits of the two of us in front of Paris’ most famous landmark, and I’m glad I remembered to shoot a stock image of the scene as well. Canon 5D Mark III sitting on a wall.
Image ID: 28203
Location: Tour Eiffel, Paris, France

Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe (Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Etoile), at the western end of the Champs-Elysees. The Arc de Triomphe (in English: "Triumphal Arch") honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. The monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806, and its iconographic program pitted heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in chain mail. It set the tone for public monuments, with triumphant patriotic messages. The monument stands 50 metres (164 ft) in height, 45 m (148 ft) wide and 22 m (72 ft) deep

Arc de Triomphe. What to do when presented with a scene that has been photographed millions of time before? Point the camera straight up, cross fingers and rattle off a Hail Mary machine gun burst. I thought this one came out well. Nikon D800 and 14-24.
Image ID: 28080
Location: Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France
Pano dimensions: 7793 x 10813

Brown pelican in flight, pink predawn sky, La Jolla, California

Brown pelican in flight, pink predawn sky. I love photographing these birds, especially in December with brisk mornings, clear skies at dawn and no crowds. Canon 5D Mark III and 300mm lens.
Image ID: 28346
Location: La Jolla, California, USA

29 Comments »

This is a fantastic and quite varied set of images Phil. From the Canyonlands backcountry to Paris, you had a fantastic year! Congrats on a good one and I look forward to seeing what 2013 brings you!

Comment by Greg Russell — 12/28/2012 @ 7:18 pm
Mindblowing images Phil. Your nightscapes from Utah (especially that meticulously stitched pano of the Mesa Arch) and the White Mountains capture are a tremendous inspiration.
Happy new year my friend. Wishing you and your loved ones the best of health and happiness in 2013!

Comment by Alex Filatov — 12/28/2012 @ 11:11 pm
Phil: That LA shot is very spectacular as are other urban landscapes in your collection. The whales are also special, and I predict that the one of the whole critter diagonally oriented underwater could become iconic. I love your pelican photograph… and not just because I’m also a bit of pelican photography nut.

Happy New Year!

Dan

Comment by G Dan Mitchell — 12/29/2012 @ 9:34 am
Dan and Greg — thanks very much, I appreciate your kind words!

Comment by Phil — 12/29/2012 @ 9:54 am
Very nice Phil. I really like your work ! I am impressed !!!!
Jens

Comment by Jens Kuhfs — 12/29/2012 @ 10:52 am
Fantastic Phil, looks like you had a great year. I see you included several light painting images which are just gorgeous. I think my favorite is the panorama of the Milky Way, but they are all great. Happy shooting in 2013!

Comment by Rob Tilley — 12/29/2012 @ 10:53 am
Stunning, breathtaking, mesmerizing, magical, off the chart sensational. I can’t pick a favorite. I can’t even pick one I don’t LOVE. Your images would be fantastic even without the lens and angle choices you’ve made, but with them, sheer artistry. Thank you so much for sharing your gift.

Comment by Martee Shabsin — 12/29/2012 @ 12:01 pm
Jens and Rob — thank you!

Comment by Phil — 12/29/2012 @ 12:19 pm
Amazing work Phil, really like your wave work, and the ultra wide angles here.

Comment by Mark — 12/29/2012 @ 3:54 pm
As others have said, superb diversity… wonderful Phil, best wishes for 2013..

Comment by Alister Benn — 12/29/2012 @ 4:52 pm
Congrats on a great year Phil! I had missed the shot of Zabriskie Point - absolutely wonderful picture.

Comment by Foster — 12/29/2012 @ 10:22 pm
Your shots are awesome. I would like to follow you on Facebook but can’t find your page, if you have one …

Comment by Mark — 12/30/2012 @ 10:12 am
Awesome Images all around! The Blue Whale is one of my newest All Time Favorites. Is that the infamous copyrighted lighting design on the Eiffel Tower? I swear I don’t get, and have never gotten, what all the fuss is about that.

Comment by Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images — 12/30/2012 @ 12:27 pm
Thanks Gary! I heard something about the copyright on the Eiffel Tower lighting, I too am confused by it. Must be a French thing, certainly none of our laws or regulations are confusing. :)

Comment by Phil — 12/30/2012 @ 12:44 pm
Awesome, inspiring photos Phil!

Comment by Tony — 1/1/2013 @ 6:45 pm
Wow, this is a great diverse set from the year Phil, can’t imagine what the rest of the 1000 looked like. Count me twice (at least) in the views on that Delicate Arch photo, amazing work there! Here is to a great 2013.

Comment by latoga — 1/1/2013 @ 11:55 pm
Greg — thanks very much, and good luck with your photography and travel in 2013!

Comment by Phil — 1/2/2013 @ 7:47 pm
Phil, all these viewers have said everything I think about your work. So I’ll just take bragging rights that I know you and forward these to other people who will enjoy them!
Best in the New Year.
Bob & Jackie

Comment by Bob Green — 1/6/2013 @ 8:31 am
really enjoyed your pics :) (seem via Jims list)

Comment by Suzy Walker — 1/9/2013 @ 1:18 pm
What a phenomenal set of images! Thanks for sharing these via Jim Goldstein’s list.

Comment by Dave Wilson — 1/11/2013 @ 8:45 am
Doesn’t get any better than this…. a beautiful year indeed.
visiting from Best Photos of 2012 by JMG-Galleries Blog Readers
http://www.jmg-galleries.com/blog/2013/01/09/photos-2012-jmggalleries-blog-readers/

Comment by Rebecca Jackrel — 1/11/2013 @ 12:43 pm
Suzy, Dave, Rebecca and Bobby — thank you very much! Best wishes for 2013! And thank you for Jim Goldstein for his annual “Best Of” survey of photographic excellence: http://www.jmg-galleries.com/blog/2013/01/09/photos-2012-jmggalleries-blog-readers/

Comment by Phil — 1/11/2013 @ 4:36 pm
Fabulous selection of images Phil! 2012 was indeed a great year from what I can see. I’m inspired by your night shots to go out and try some of my own. Very inspiring work.

Comment by Tim Mulcahy Photography | Timages Gallery — 1/12/2013 @ 2:23 pm
Very impressive! A beautiful set! Thank you for sharing.

Comment by Fotograf Gdansk — 1/15/2013 @ 5:08 am
Really fantastic collection of images Phil (don’t know why it took me so long to see this!). I love the diversity, and your eye for color and composition is truly special. All the best for continued success in 2013!

Comment by Russ Bishop — 1/16/2013 @ 12:52 pm
Brilliant stuff - probably the standout collection in the “Best of 2012″ posted by Digital Photography Workshop. Do you mind if I ask if you shot any of these in HDR? If you didn’t my question is probably another compliment!
Cheers
jim

Comment by jim ward — 1/17/2013 @ 8:46 pm
Tim, Russ, Fotograf — thanks very much, I appreciate the kind words!

Comment by Phil — 1/17/2013 @ 10:26 pm
Jim — none of them were HDR. The only image composed of more than one original photo is the “False Kiva” photo, I shot one extra frame for the foreground. Otherwise they are all single images. Thanks!

Comment by Phil — 1/17/2013 @ 10:27 pm
Hey there,I just found you on the DWF so I thought I’d swing by and take a look at your work. I relaly enjoyed your photos and I love your editing style and feel. I’m a wedding photographer as well (My company is called Mykkah Photography around Washington D.C. / central Virginia) and I can totally appreciate the efforts behind the photos Keep up the great work!Best regards,-Micah

Comment by Jhooh — 1/29/2013 @ 2:01 am

Best Photos of 2012 - My Photography Year in Review, Natural History Photography Blog

Best Photos of 2012 - My Photography Year in Review

29 Comments »