My Ten Favorite Photos from 2011

I love reading end of the year wrap-ups, especially to look for books I should read, music I need to hear or movies I should see. So I thought I would add my on contribution to the genre and pick out my favorite photographs from 2011.

The first photo was taken at the Eastern Shore National Wildlife Refuge in February.  I was on the way home from a day trip visiting my parents, and I took the more scenic way and could see an ominous fog bank off-shore. When I got to the refuge the very cold fog descended erasing the distinction between sky and water, leaving just the blurry land suspended between.




The next shot is considerably more cheerful and was taken at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in May. I have been trying to include more people in my photography, without being what my son refers to as a "creeper". When these two little girls danced into my frame, I could not resist.



This shot was also taken at the gardens on the same day as the previous photograph. Using Photoshop I over-saturated the colors to get the greens and pinks to bleed. I am also really fond of these long landscape shots, but unfortunately, due to the odd size, they do not translate well on my blog.



In July my son and I went camping at Sherando Lake during a really hot spell of weather. I got up at dawn the first morning as was able to get this shot of the still waters before the lake was full of people trying to escape the heat.



I made my first trip to Atlantic City for a trade show in September. At the end of day one I took a stroll on the famous boardwalk and captured this image of one of the older hotels, just as a low cloud was flowing over the copula.



On the way home from Atlantic City, I took this shot just as the ferry was pulling into Lewes, Delaware. I was following my mandate to take more people pictures. This looks much better on a larger scale than I can show here.




We often make a quick detour by the river when we are to or from the house. One morning in early November this is what it looked like with a sky full of jet trails and the water like a mirror.



Also in November I captured this early morning scene along the shore of Metompkin Bay on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I have many shots of this particular loblolly pine, which has grown at the mercy of the strong winds coming off the nearby Atlantic.




On Black Friday this year, I stumbled upon the community of Chesconessex, also on Virginia's Eastern Shore. It was dawn and the soon to rise sun was at my back to the east, and this is looking west where the sky and water were a nice rosy pink. Again, this would look better if I could make it bigger.



Finally, this was taken at the Smithfield Christmas parade in December. It really isn't such a remarkable photo, except for the look on the sheppard girl's face. I don't know what it is about her expression, but you can tell she must be an old soul and would have made a better Mary.



Do you have some favorite shots from the past year?  If so, you should share them.

Happy new year everyone!