Ten Favorite Photos of 2021
It’s hard to believe that 2021 has come and gone. It seems like last month, I listed my favorite ten photos from 2020. 2021, like 2020 was an unusual year. However, unlike 2020, 2021 had least offered a glimmer of hope. Rapidly advanced Vaccines brought the promise of a return to normalcy. In the photography world, that meant the opportunity to travel more, and maybe face masks and hand sanitizer did not have to be camera bag staples like a lens cap and a lens cloth. That was the hope - the virus had other ideas. While travel was better in 2021 and many locations “opened up” to visitors, photographers could not leave the face mask and sanitizer at home just yet. The original Coronavirus had invited some cousins to the party in the form of variants. From Hurricane names to Viruses, my knowledge of the Greek alphabet has never been so advanced.
Even with all the known and unknown disruptions of 2021, it was still an excellent year for photography. I did get to visit most of my favorite locations. New England always plays a prominent role in my photography. As a part-time resident of Vermont, I photograph in the state often, and 2021 was no exception. Many of my favorite images are taken in Vermont - every year. This year, as in years past, I make a few visits to the Maine coast, including an annual trip to Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. Rounding out my photo excursions for the year was a trip to Blackwater State Park and Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. Like all photographers, I try to regularly photograph where I live, which for me is Long Island, New York. Photographing your home territory always offers advantages you don’t get when traveling. You have expert knowledge of the terrain and can cherry-pick the weather.
2020 was also a good year for acquiring photography equipment. Sometimes I think my hobby is acquiring new shiny equipment and not photography alone. Since the 1990s, I have always been a fan of landscape photographers who used medium format cameras; back then, it was film, but it always seemed unique. The images just seemed so striking with rich detail and colors. 2020 was the year I finally made the big step to medium format by purchasing the Fujifilm GFX 100S camera and a couple of lenses. I continued my 40-year love affair with Nikon equipment and acquired the new Z7II mirrorless 35mm camera. This camera is a Landscape photography workhorse. Its compact size and light-weight make it a perfect choice when the Fujifilm GFX 100s’s bulk is a problem.
My criteria for my ten favorite photos of the year are always the same; I have to like the image. It sounds simple, but it does come down to that. I do not claim that these images are great or, for that matter, even good. They are my favorites. There are many reasons why I may like a photo. It may be remembering the experience of being there or planning a photo ahead of time, and it comes together as designed. It’s often just the simplicity of the composition or a photo’s overall mood. I am drawn to the simple photos - a solo tree in a foggy field or the simple reflection of colorful foliage. The simpler, the better. Each year as I photograph, I never think, “this will be one of my ten favorites,” but I have a good idea of which ones will be included by the end of the year. When I collected them and showed them below, I began to see patterns in the style and composition. Comparing this year’s selection to previous years, I see my progression as a photographer.
You can view my ten favorite Vermont photos of 2021 here.
