My Year's Top 21

This has been another trying year for travel. Still, I managed to get out a bit and see the world. From the year, I selected my top 21. for 2021. All of my selected images mean something to me, they may not be my best technical images or my most popular images, but they are images that evoke feeling from me.

I am glad that I have had some time off with my family this past couple of years (a silver lining) and a chance to thoughtfully go through my images, count my many blessings and be at peace with the world.

Love, laughter, joy, and health to all this holiday season.

The above image was captured at Zion NP during the winter. I’ll never forget this memory for as long as I live. My friend Michael and I saw that the snow was covering just about every branch on every tree and the look was beyond beautiful. There was a quiet peacefulness that was created by the softening of the scene. We were almost the only people there, so the solitude added to our joy! Being a huge fan of trees and snow, I was in my glory wandering around this epic snowy paradise. This shot in particular (s.o.o.c.) caught my eye as the mountain appeared to be a light peach tone and was accented by the tiny hints of orange in the sparse leaves.

This second image is also from Zion NP. I spent two days trying to convince my friend to go to this mini waterfall for sunrise. He absolutely refused so as we were heading to another location just beyond this spot I ran to the water’s edge and clicked a quick cell phone shot. During our hike I showed him the shot and shared what I was thinking—the next morning we found ourselves in position for the sunrise at this location. I loved the soft hints of pink as the alpine glow kissed the tip of the mountains. Quickly after this shot the clouds cleared out and so did the color. I was happy and thankful that I was able to capture this shot. A picture truly is worth a thousand words…

Roseate Spoonbill from Florida

Common Tern with chick feeding, Nickerson Beach

Least Tern with chick and egg as the chick just hatched. New Jersey

The three bird images above reflect many, many hours in the field. All shot with either my Sony or Canon gear. The top spoonbill shot was captured in Florida during some much-needed R&R time in the sunshine state. It was a difficult shot in that I had to go there every morning for seven days before I got a clear morning. The fog at this location can be a pain to work around.

The middle image of a Common Tern at first light feeding it’s very young chick was captured at Nickerson Beach, NY. I am most proud of this shot because I got to the beach extra early, I lined myself up with the sun angle (making sure that my own shadow did not cover the birds) but still maintained the perfect angle for the first light to hit their bodies. I had to do this before the light peaked over the hill and I was just guesstimating the angle. The reason this was important to do ahead of time was that there was a legion of photographers coming to get into position for these terns that were ridiculously close to the ropes. Once all the spots were taken at the ropes edge, if you didn’t have your spot-you were forced to shoot over someone else or move way off sun angle. Backlighting was not an option here. Had I never shot at this location or known where the terns were, this shot would have been impossible-except for luck.

Last but not least-sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun <wink>, is my all-time favorite Least Tern with chick image. This happened to be right near my home. I spent endless hours finding the tern colony only to find that one day they up and disappeared. After countless hours of combing the beaches near my home, I found them again. Yeah! I saw an adult Least tern that was fairly close to the ropes, the bird was moving around on the nest scrape and wiggling a lot. I figured it had an egg, so I got my 600mm lens with teleconverter (on a tripod) and took a closer look. I quickly snapped three shots; this was one of them. Holy moly! I was ecstatic! The adult was moving around trying to get the eggshell out from underneath the chick. I left that morning with the biggest smile on my face. It was a well-deserved bonus for all my hard work.

My next three photos are of a family of fox that made their den close to my hometown. Because of the pandemic, I was not able to conduct a lot of my workshops and I was starting to feel anxious about my business. I heard about the fox family from my friend Jim Fennessy, so I went to investigate. The den was in a shady part of town or at least near a shady part of town. I was a little afraid to go there for first light so I went for late afternoon light instead, figuring I could assess the situation and then form a plan for first light. It turns out that the afternoons were great. The mother was active and so were her kits. I ended spending quite a few afternoons there, making some new friends, and having a blast watching this very fearless mother care for her most adorable babies.

The top image is my all-time favorite shot. I loved the intimate moment between mother and young. Her pulled back ears and the line of the fur and their poses made for a sweet photo. The second shot made me smile so wide. You can clearly see that she had her hands full, yet she showed great patience as they continually climbed all over her. This image also shows a part of the dilapidated boardwalk where the makeshift den was located, which is part of the story.

The last of the three images is another favorite because it is a full frame shot. I was shooting through a fence (there to protect the fox from bystanders) in order to get a lower position. As she started to clean herself after bringing home a squirrel for her young, she noticed me. We made eye contact-I snapped the shot and she continued to look directly at me with that one eye. I blinked first; she was such a cautious mama. I hope the family made it through the winter.

Pacific Oak Fern, Olympic NP

San Juan Fox with kit.

The two images above are from my time in Washington State. My Olympic NP workshop was loads of fun thanks to Roy Kropp and Jim Hagen, I can’t help but wish I lived closer. The fern image was one of my favorite shots from the trip. I love pattern shots and this one caught my eye as there are all different levels and color tones. It took a bit of time to frame it, but I feel it was worth the trouble. I think it represents the “Green Machine” well.

My friend Marian Bodart invited me and my friend Jim Fennessy to shoot the fox at San Juan Island with her. We had only one morning with the sweet kits and watched them paly and harass the adults. This ended up as my favorite as I liked the kit stepping on the adult and seeing the adult open its eyes. She really favored this kit, as it could do no wrong…such patience.

My ATA Alaska adventure was an extremely productive trip. I was able to capture a variety of bears and poses that I hadn’t even considered when I booked the trip. My group was adventurous and fun to be around; I think we all had a great time. The three shots above are my favorites, but I have to say it was a close call between my swimming cubs and my shake shot. I decided on the shake shot because I really wanted to leave Alaska with at least one good shake. On our last day, client/friend Craig Elson and I had the boat to ourselves, and wouldn’t you know, we got a fantastic spiral shake! I’m sure it was Craig’s good karma that got us that shot.

The middle shot of the bear hugging the tree was a favorite of mine because he was so darn cute as he hugged that tree as if it were mama. I know Carol Parker and I got almost identical shots.

The first image was totally unexpected. Several folks from group and I decided to go to Brooks Falls for the day. I was hesitant because I try to avoid real touristy spots. It turned out to be one of my favorite days that I will cherish always. It was great fun and I expect I will return in the very near future.

Bosque Blur

My creative blur image above was captured at Bosque del Apache NM during my recently concluded workshop. Client’s images coming soon…. While waiting for the birds to blast—they never did that day. I decided to work on some blurs of the vegetation. The colors caught my eye, but they were enhanced by my choice of white balance. I chose a cooler tone for this image as it brought out some of the light purple tones. A simple “shiver motion” combined with a slow shutter speed and voila. I really liked the way it came out.

We arrived at this shoot just as both leopards left the downed tree. Then one got back on the tree and looked directly at me, I was so happy! The light was beautiful and she was illuminated nicely.

I loved as this one cub wanted to sneak up on mom. She acted like she had no idea it was there, allowing it to pounce and act ferocious!

A Rainy Afternoon

Luluka and her cub Jilime

I think this young Leapord should be named Jaxson as its eyes are the color of my grandsons. It is a full frame shot with my Sony A1 and 200-600mm lens. The large file looks incredible with so much detail. I often wish I didn’t have to size down my images for the web so that you could see what I see.

Some of my favorite images this past year were captured during my time in the Mara. Kenya is such a special place and I totally fell in love with the Mara on my first visit there several years ago. This year was especially good because I finally had the opportunity to photograph Serval cats with kittens. There were lots of Serval cats in the Mara this year with young and I felt super lucky to have photographed some extremely young ones.

The story behind the Serval kitten image directly above-

Our vehicle pulled up to a downed log that looked like it was weather beaten. Our guide said that the Serval’s were using the log as a den. He also said that the mother was out hunting, and we would sit quietly and hope that the kittens would come out to play. We all wished they would jump on the log and we would get a shot of that. There were several different angles to shoot from and our vehicles were all around the log. At first, I was not happy with our spot. I thought that if the kittens jumped on the log, we would have side light and that would not be ideal. But as I watched them play, I noticed the opening at the end of the log. I thought that this would make a cute shot if one of the kittens got inside the log and peeked its head out. Hoping against hope, I waited patiently for one of the kittens to get inside the log. I began to think it was just an impossible dream. I started photographing the kittens as they played around. Then, one of the kittens jumped in and did what I had wished it would, it peeked out and looked towards me. I so excited, and elated that I was able to capture this one shot. The rich blue eyes have not been enhanced; they were genuinely this blue. I noticed only a couple of the very young kittens had this intense baby blue color.

“Ferocia”

Even though I loved my time with the Serval kittens I’d have to say the lioness I named “Ferocia” captured my heart. Ferocia is a play on the word ferocious.. For those who do not know the story behind the shot directly above:

One of my greatest experiences from the Mara this year was when I watched a lioness from the Rongai pride dutifully care for her two young cubs, only to be challenged by one of the male lions from the same pride.

As he came within a few yards of her tiny cubs she went into battle mode. She roared like nothing I have ever heard. She did not back down from him, in fact she charged him with all her might and swatted his face causing a gash that immediately started to bleed. She also went back at him again and again giving him everything she had. Finally, she gave him a personal escort far away from her cubs.

If that wasn’t enough to wear her out, she went on to take down a wildebeest by herself after chasing an entire herd. As she started to feed, the male that she fought off earlier came back to share in her good fortune (the image above). Ferocia would not have any of this. She growled at him with a look in her eyes that said she meant business. With her face covered with blood she continued to growl with a stern, low rumble. I could see that she was just waiting to attack him again. Finally the male backed down from her prey and waited patiently for the leftovers.

The photo is full frame, I wish I had included more of the wildebeest on the left side of the frame, the poor creature was still alive and terrified. Even though, I technically missed the shot here, this day and the memory of that fearless lioness will stay with me for many years as I continue to tell the tale of the shot above.

A Few of My Favorite Things

I always try to pass on tips and also products that my clients share during my workshops. On one of my workshops I heard that REI has a Trade-in program. I looked it up and it seems like a good idea for stuff you are going to throw away. Click on the image below to see what it is all about. I have never used this service but am looking for feedback in the comment area from anyone who has.

Best for trading in

  • Jackets & pants

  • Sleeping bags

  • Tents

  • Packs

  • Hiking boots

  • Running shoes

Stuff we can't accept

  • Broken or damaged goods

  • Products REI has never sold

  • Items more than 6 years old

  • Electronics

  • Safety gear

  • Shoes missing insoles or with heavy wear (e.g. visible foot indentations)

Keep in mind

If you trade in items that are broken, dirty or otherwise ineligible, we can’t return them to you.

To make sure you get the most value out of your trade-in, see our full list of do’s and don’ts.

Patagonia also has a Trade-in program

I think both companies are on the right path here. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, that’s for sure. In addition to their trade in program, you can also donate some of your old stuff. Click on the image below to see more about it.

PATAGONIA

On my recently concluded Kenya trip Diana Davidson passed along a product that I thought was worth sharing. They are “Portawipes”. Portawipes are basically compressed toilet paper tablets that when water (about a tablespoon) is applied they become a soft, hygienic wipe. The reason I like these compared to a small pack of baby wipes is that they will not dry out and open in my pack. It will most likely take me a long time to use all of these but I will be prepared on my next hike or trip to the Mara . I just purchased some from Amazon-here is the link.

On my recent Bosque trip Debbie Teague shared some rechargeable hand warmers with the group. I liked that they fit in her pocket and they kept her hands pretty warm. I bought a pair, though they were not the brand she had (we couldn’t find them). I just googled rechargeable hand warmers. I am not recommending mine as I haven’t used them but the idea is there. If anyone has a link to a good pair please add it in the comment area for everyone to see-thanks.

Client's Images from Kenya

I wanted to share some of my client’s images from my recent photo tour to Kenya/Amboseli. The group was fantastic and so are their images! Hard to pick a favorite…

Image copyright 2021 ~ Kristen Eder

From Kristen Eder:

We saw this mother and her 3 cubs several times during our trip in the Mara. The morning I shot this she was on the move looking for prey for herself and cubs, moving from mound to mound. The cheetah has long been my favorite cat. I think they are just so elegant and possess enormous strength and endurance. I wanted to make a simple photograph to capture all your attention on the cheetah.

Image copyright 2021 ~ Kitty Kono Cobb

From Kitty Kono Cobb:

There were eleven of these little darlings playing together and being supervised by maybe four moms and two dads. As we were leaving the scene, Simon, our guide said, "Look at that little cub all alone in the tire track." I took his picture and just loved those huge paws. Oh what a time we had!
Thank you so much for all. Loved every minute.

Image copyright 2021 ~ Donna Bourdon

From Donna Bourdon:

This image was taken on one of the last mornings at Amboseli. Nothing much was happening as we looked for a sunrise location, so we returned to our “tried and true” location to hope for a show from the wildebeest. We got a nice surprise when the wildebeest started dancing and kicking up dust, just as the sun came up over a cloud. It was a magical moment.

Image copyright 2021 ~ Diana Lyn Davidson

From Diana Lyn Davidson:

I’ve been to Kenya a few times but without a doubt this trip exceeded every expectation and previous experience I’ve ever had. There were so many aspects of the trip that was a first for me. I spoke a few times about the fact that often the memorable events on my trips are not necessarily ones that I’ve been able to capture photographically but are, nonetheless, burned into my brain. On our trip, a juvenile leopard passed underneath our vehicle while I was leaning from the window. I whispered (to myself) ‘hello kitty’ (perhaps channeling our Kitty) as he passed by me and he looked up and, for a brief moment, our eyes caught—a sentinel moment for me. How many people can say they’ve locked gaze with a leopard??? This image reminded me of that moment because of the icy stare of the leopard’s gaze at the viewer. That, plus I’ve never seen a leopard so calmly watching me while I took his photo! Thank you so much, Denise, for such an incredible, wonderful trip!

Image copyright ~ Frank Forward

From Frank Forward:

this image is a composite of 3 images. it represents my vision of how we saw the elephants cross the dry basin. it was a unforgettable nature experience. as we laid on the ground and watched from maybe 40-50 feet, the herd of elephants slowly crossed a large stretch of cracked drybed. magnificent animals!!

Image copyright 2021 ~ Eloise Carson

From Eloise Carson:

I was amazed at the opportunity to watch this cheetah family hunt together. The mom caught the baby gazelle then let it go so her cubs could chase it and catch it on their own. Sad to watch but also just part of life. Our guides did such a good job getting us into position so we were able to capture shots like these.

Image copyright 2021 ~ Frank Shucka

From Frank Shucka:

So many shots that I’m enamored with and obviously this was inspired by your high key photos. I really like the artistic feel of this one. Great fun to explore new techniques.

Image copyright 2021 ~ Mansoor Assadi

From Mansoor Assadi:

Wildebeest sparring at Sunset in Amboseli National Park.