Your most amazing images of 2012

richard.grainger

richard.grainger

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Richie
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I didn't find one of the forum, so thought it would be nice to start something up for everyone!

Be it for a client, or for your own personal use, we have all taken a photo which has made ourselves proud.

Share your latest and greatest images of 2012 guys!

Maybe you have an end of year blog post you would like to share?

Otherwise, I think it would be awesome to see two images from everyone, as well as, share the story to go with your image. Why is it your favourite of the entire year!?

An image for someone else

and

An image for own self pleasure
 
Although it's one of my most recent, I like this one a lot. It comes together pretty well, I think, and it's one of my rare long-ish exposure successes. (I suck at long exposures). It's had some positive feedback on Flickr, too.


Tidal Groynes by Peter Whysall, on Flickr

And for me? Well, I really like this picture I took of a mushroom. I like the colour, the detail, and the depth of field. But at the end of the day, it's still just a picture of a mushroom. But dammit, it's MY mushroom!


Shaggy Ink Cap by Peter Whysall, on Flickr
 
My 3 best of the year.

Daughter in Scotland in July and it was freezing:
caracold1.jpg


Thistle. For no particular reason I love this pic:
Dscf5973.jpg


Huge dung heap in the hills of Perth-shire. My fave pano:
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CHEERS
 
graphilly said:
So just 2 images then?
Click to expand...

It's a problem isn't it?

I've just been looking through my 2012 images. I take a lot of shallow DoF flower shots as I like the colours and the abstract shapes you get, but I decided not to selsct any of them as I really have too many (hundreds) and it's difficult to choose between them.

In 2012 I've taken some of my best people shots, "best" because IMVHO they look good and because they hold memories for me but as people don't like their shots put on the net I really couldn't select any of them.

That left non people and non flower shots and I ended up with about 15 that I will remember and look at for a long long time :D

Two of my favourite places are the countryside where I live and the beach that runs from Redcar to Saltburn so a shot from each would be a contender but earlier this year I went to Kazakhstan for the fourth time and for the first time ventured into the interior and went fishing on the Ili river. It was an experience I'll never forget but choosing just one image is difficult.

In the end I chose these two, one local shot chosen because I love the place and I like the colours in this shot, BTW, it was meant to be limited DoF. As it was taken with a manual lens on a CSC what I saw was what I got. The next shot is one taken from the boat on the way to an island in the Ili and again it was meant to be limited DoF.

Y6.jpg


Y8.jpg


I'm going to cheat and include a third. I spotted this horse and rider and as they were going quite fast I actually had to pan as I took the shot. It's a heavy crop, taken with a manual lens on a CSC. I was pleased to see that all four hooves are off the ground... I like this shot but it's more of a curio than actually one of my favourites.

YT.jpg
 
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Ok, here are my two favorites from this year, both taken on one of our landscape traning courses, as I'm one of the instructors ( and want to give my time to the students) I only took a compact for a few fun shots.
Both taken near Rhosilli in the Gower UK.
I know one is technically poor with totally blown highlights but I still love it.

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My two favourite for the year are

Reason I like this so much. It was a spare of the moment shot that turned out nice
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And this one for the day I turn pro and started to make money from photography
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I couldn’t narrow it down to a single favourite so I thought I would pick my favourites from different categories.

1. One of the last shots taken with my 5d before it got a bit wet and died on me. I just like that its ticks the box on the rule of thirds and the sky and rocks lead to the centre and that its one of the longest exposures I’ve taken.
8 min exposure with a .9 ND Grad and .6ND Grad with 10 stop B/W Filter.

Last one of the day Dave by zeb2012, on Flickr

2. After a few visits to the Mach loop and after lots of average shots I think I had a day where everythink just came together and I think I managed to nail it.


F15 by zeb2012, on Flickr


3. A try at a bit of creative while doing the 52 challenge with the theme of sweet.


Coke can and Sugar by zeb2012, on Flickr

4. One of my first try in a studio on my own a picture of my granddaughter with the Olympic torch.


Pro05 by zeb2012, on Flickr
 
For someone else...
Bride and Groom at my first paid wedding.
I took quite a few I was chuffed with, but I keep coming back to this one.
i-NrzcwfX-X3.jpg


For me...
Moonrise over the Brecon Beacons.
TP Day 2012 I decided to bivvy out on the top of Pen y Fan. This isn't the shot I submitted to TP, but it has grown on me during the year.
20120909-004001-I39A2257-L.jpg
 
A couple from this year that I was quite pleased with. Here are some awesome professional ballet dancers who were kind enough to indulge me by chucking themselves around a studio for a while. :)



 
Some really nice shots here.

It's tough to choose 2 from this year. I've been lucky to have had a good year photography wise.

This one due to the fact i have been to this location so many times to get the conditions just right. I got this on about the 5th time i'd been there. It's nearly a 4 hour round trip and very early starts.


Colmers Hill by Mark A Jones *, on Flickr

This one because again it took a lot of work and numerous visits to get the conditions just right and it shows "There are no rules to a good photograph"


Stuff the rules! by Mark A Jones *, on Flickr
 
This is one of my favourites from one of the best Otter encounters I've ever had. This particular one often stood up in it's back legs to keep a lookout for passing cars behind me.


Very Curious Shetland Otter by Crieffy., on Flickr

And this one of the Red Bull P38 that made an unscheduled stop at Sumburgh - he was stuck for a few days, and when he left he gave a spectacular flypast:)


Red Bull P38 Lightning Departs Sumburgh by Crieffy., on Flickr
 
Some amazing images here, sadly mine not as good as many but here goes.

The first I knew straight away.


Silvery Marmoset by themaninthesuitcase, on Flickr

Taken on a trip to Whipsnade zoo, these Marmosets where the best thing I saw all day and I could have spent ages watching them. I want to get this printed about 8x12 but I'll need to spend a tiny bit longer on the spot heal on the cheek to do that as it will need a bit of enlarging.

The 2nd has taken some thinking.


Ferrari 458 Italia rear badge by themaninthesuitcase, on Flickr

I took this at a Pistonheads Sunday Service. I had had a seizure 3 weeks previous and was the 1st time I'd been allowed out without the wife chaperoning! Aside from looking at the cars it was my 1st real attempt at automotive photography and was a bit of a baptism of fire as the weather was a pain with the sun in and out of the clouds every few minutes.

That day kick started my a bit after a lull too, shame I've not been allowed out much for the last few months but looking forward to the spring and being allowed out again.
 
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It isn't about comparing your photos to others. It's about comparing your photos, to your photos.

Which photo do you find amazing, from your images?

We all look at photography differently. We all capture images that either look good or contain meaning. Both are important and both are seen differently by everyone.

This is why I love to read the story behind an image. To me, it can be just as important as the image itself.

There have been some amazing images and accompanying text. All of you have shared something special, thank you :)

For me, I've just done up a huge write-up for my 2012 images.

I would LOVE to share it with you all. Everyone on this forum who replies/comments has played a part of my 2012.

I've just posted it online @ http://richardgrainger.com.au/story/2012--year-of-the-beginning/38

BUT, back to the original purpose of the thread.

No story behind this one... just a photo:

josh-jesse-0306-copy.jpg


As a photographer, my aim is to never look too uncool in front of my clients. But during this ceremony, I really had to concentrate to make sure I didn't let a tear slip... Mainly because me and the guys were making bets on who was going to let the water works go! As I look back at the photos from the ceremony, I begin to feel it... this emotional sensation...

josh-jesse-0202-copy_bw.jpg


Cheers guys,
Rich
 
As many of you know, 99.9% of my photography revolves around my day-job of shooting for angling magazines. There's not much that hasn't been done when it comes to taking photos of anglers and fish and when it comes to covers, although they're the key way to sell a magazine, it's often a case of sticking to a formula that isn't too left field. This is why this particular cover stands out as the shot that I am most proud of to have created for someone else:


Magazine cover concept by Pat MacInnes, on Flickr

It's always exciting when editors work with you on a concept, especially when it comes to covers that push the envelope.

Traditionally, our fishing mag covers have always featured a man with fish, a man with a net of fish, or on odd occasions, a man playing a fish. However, the new editor of TCF really wanted to create a 'hero' shot that would stand out on the crowded newsstand so we took our lead from an issue of Field & Stream where a hunter was nicely lit holding his hunting equipment. We decided to use a different kind of 'hunter', well-known predator angler Mick Brown.

The studio space at work is 'bijou' to say the least so we had to work around the amount of working area; to camera left are two 24" soft boxes stacked on top of each other to replicate a strip box for soft fill, and you can see the other two lights and what they're achieving.

There's obviously a considerable crop taken place to fit the image on the cover, plus some heavy Photoshopping. However, as a cover that stands out from the crowd I'm really pleased with what we achieved.... sales will tell if we made the right decision, but nonetheless we've produced something we can be proud of.

*Nikon D7000
*Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8
*ISO 100
*1/250th @ f/7.1

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

From a personal POV, the image that has brought me the most joy this year is actually one that I didn't press the shutter on - I set the camera up and handed it to the missus - and she pulled a blinder, a shot that I'll cherish forever. I have so few images of myself, particularly with my son Charlie, as I'm usually on the other side of the lens, so this one is really special:


Enjoying Christmas by Pat MacInnes, on Flickr
 
For me it's got to be this one. I was on assignment near Edinburgh for a few months and kept seeing this iconic bridge in the distance every day. Due to work commitments I couldnt get there to take a snap until the very last week.

I like to think it was worth the wait

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I am really enjoying this thread - there are some fabulous shots and fascinating stories.

For the shot for me, sorry, I simply couldn't decide between these two:

Firstly, cliched I know, but I was so chuffed to have got this on my second trip to Skomer earlier in the year:

SkomerPuffin_zps8ffe1c4a.jpg


Then my wonderful husband bought me a day in a hide for my birthday last month, and the owner lent me his 500mm f4 IS (resulting in a serious case of GAS!). Another cliched shot, but I just love the rain drops and the details the lens has captured:

Bluetitintherain_zps15ec7ab3.jpg


And the shot for someone else - this was on a commercial shoot for a dog massage company. We were having a break and a cup of tea when this dog, Rigsby, jumped onto the massage table and looked at me, and I just snapped her expression - the client loves it, even though it has nothing to do with dog massage!

Rigsby_zpsc5c5c6ee.jpg
 
For me, 2012 was a year I spent with my bridge camera (Fuji HS10), taught me a lot about photography and encouraged me to try new things.

First one was one of the first macro shots I took from the garden, just a bridge camera - no tubes, special lenses, magnifiers, tripods, flashes etc.




And the second I'd say is when I realised the effect of light on a scene, afternoon sun low in the sky bathing the trees in light. With the airport in the background. Also my largest panorama of stitched shots (25 in this one).

Slightly larger size on Flickr, full size is 77MP, 40MB jpg file.

 
Don't have any clients yet... :( so for self pleasure it must be then... :D

These are some of my favorite subjects from the year 2012, sorry for the un-mounted images, still learning the mysteries of post-processing...


First one is a beech I "met" in the early spring and it was love at first sight. Have been visiting it throughout the summer, here's one of the later shots in autumn dress...

DSC_2793.jpg




Second one is of a small gang of mushrooms I almost stumbled over. Met this little group on a rainy day and had several visits the following days, trying to get "the" shot.
Got some really strange looks from bypassers, as I was laying there on my belly in the mud... :cuckoo:

DSC_1957.jpg




If allowed, please - in the spring on a bright and clear day, this copper beech shined with new leaves.

DSC_7821.jpg



Thanks for looking
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- great idea for a thread!


And stunning shots! :thumbs:

Jan.
 
There are more than a few, but this is the latest one.

Shot a wedding at St. Paul's, went to the Millennium Bridge for this photo, got lucky with the public ! There is no cloning out people, it really was that bare...with about 50 people behind me lol

rG79S.jpg
 
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It's been a great year for my Photographically :thumbs: some of the highlights must be

My most viewed star trail, and while the night didn't work out the way I wanted it's still worked out well for a very nice star trail


323/366 (688) by mwhcvt, on Flickr

From my TP Blackpool Illuminations meet, it was just a little bit of perfect timing for the photo :D


295/366 (660) by mwhcvt, on Flickr

Must be my favourite no long exposure day time photo I've ever shot :thumbs:


248/366 (613) by mwhcvt, on Flickr

My favourite location and this is just a stunning evening light photo that I managed to capture there :D


Chesterton Windmill in Golden Hour Light by mwhcvt, on Flickr

Met up with TP's very own and unique Lynton to try and burn down Warwickshires favourite photo location :D instead I was the one to nearly get burned


39/366 (404) by mwhcvt, on Flickr

From right at the beginning of the year I met up with Just Dave for the first time and by did we get an amazing sunset on our little road trip to Lytham :D


8/366 (373) by mwhcvt, on Flickr

Just some of my highlights for 2012
 
A very recent one, which I have an aluminium print ordered of, can't wait to see how that turns out. Taken at ground zero, NYC, the building on the upper left is the new One world trade building. It was raining, murky, foggy, and very dark down this side lane - took it hand held, pretty much standing in a puddle. I like how it turned out.


One world trade center upward by Cagey75, on Flickr


And I like this shot from a Y&T gig a few months back - A friend of mine is a huge long time fan of theirs, he dragged me along against my will to it, but it turned out to be great fun. I had no problems getting the camera in, and later I got a print of this shot and a couple of others, as a present for his birthday - he was over the moon. If an image makes just one person happy: job done :)


Y&T by Cagey75, on Flickr
 
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Got my 7d last Christmas and this was one of the shots i took when i first took it ooy i was so pleased to have nailed the AF, and it catches Moll being Moll


_MG_0227 by jalizcazan, on Flickr

this was one of my 52 shots (when i was still in) it was a spur of the moment shot but there was so much emotion in it


Soft Edit by jalizcazan, on Flickr

two from the 52 meet in Northumberland in June Sunset at Bamburgh


_MG_3278 by jalizcazan, on Flickr

and i never get to go places like the Farne islands because i have the dogs in tow, but Mark and i managed to get over and this was my favourite


_MG_3350 by jalizcazan, on Flickr
 
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