This will be my 8th year in reviewing some of my favorite images from the past year and participating in Jim Goldstein’s list that expands every year. I went back and read some of my previous years posts and made note of a pattern of comments and expectations. I never quite produce the amount I had hoped to, and I just need to get over it. Twenty Fourteen was really no different. I move at my own pace, and bits of life tend to dampen or accelerate my creative impulses. The strange thing is, I have read this from a number of people about 2014 and wonder if there is something in the water!
If there is one advantage, I didn’t have to spend hours upon hours sorting through photographs to pick my 10 favorites! 🙂 So I leave you with my favorites from Twenty Fourteen. I thank those of you who have offered continued support of my work through your visits, comments, social media kudos, and of course those who have purchased my photography.
“Light of the Ice Phoenix” WI-9828, Lake St. Clair, Jan 2014 | Nikon D800, 14-24 mm
Light of the Ice Phoenix
Anyone who has visited my pages during winter time knows I spend a little time out on the ice of Lake St. Clair, a moderately sized lake that is between the Great Lakes of Huron and Erie. Winter sunrises are always more dramatic this time of year. This combined with the changing landscape of a frozen lake makes for enough compelling subject matter to get me out of bed and brave the often brutal cold winds here.
I saw a bit of a story in this photo. Of course the Phoenix is often associated with the Sun, fire and flame, but I imagined a different take here. One where the bird rises from the ice as the sun warms the day. Whether this was creativity or hypothermia taking place, I’ll leave that as an open question.
Ancient Ammonite, FO-9850-3 | Nikon D800, 200mm f/4 macro lens, cross-polarized lighting
Ancient Ammonite
My fascination with Stonescapes carried into some fossils in Twenty Fourteen, and I played with several compositions of this ammonite. It is hard to get your head around the amount of time represented here. A species that went extinct with the dinosaurs, and a specimen that could be as much as 200 million years old. What was its life like back then? What was the journey that took place from its living moments to in front of my lens? Each small detail in the photograph could represent a timeline, connected branches to centuries past, and a spiral to the moment of existence.
Bloodroot FL-9867, Sterling Heights, Michigan | Nikon D800, 200 mm f/4
Bloodroot
I didn’t photograph many wildflowers this year. I didn’t find enough inspiration in the local wildflower scene to feel like I was creating anything different. I did end up liking this particular shot of this early spring wildflower of Bloodroot. I was playing around with the image in monochrome and felt I had reached a place that I hadn’t been before.
Meteor and Milky Way NI-9874, Lake Huron, Michigan | Nikon D800, 14-24mm
Meteor and Milky Way
Leaving at 2:00 am to reach the nearest dark sky spot in my area isn’t something I get to do often, but the planets seemed to align in May 2014. (ba dum bum) We had the Camelopardalid meteor shower taking place, and I took a chance. Not being very experienced at night sky or any type of astronomical photography, I fumbled around a bit. It is really the first time I have ever seen the Milky Way in all of its glory. I didn’t end up seeing many meteors, but left with a photograph of one, and a start down a photographic road I would like to continue when time and crazy ambition in the middle of the night permits.
Stick Figures SL-9877 Lake Huron, Michigan | Nikon D800, 80-400mm VR.
Stick Figures in Lake Huron
These dock pilings transformed into something else for a few moments this morning. They became figures, dancers in the waters of Lake Huron. It was one I immediately gravitated to in choosing my picks for 2014.
Fall Silhouette, Highland Recreation Area, Michigan | Nikon D800, 80-400 mm VR
Fall Silhouette
Sometimes experiments turn out like you had hoped and imagined. I created this photograph through the use of the multiple exposure feature on my camera. Again, I was feeling the urge to do something different with the typical subject matter, in this case fall color. After photographing the fall colors in the fog, with a still lake reflection, I was still hoping for something more. Staring up at the grey sky above I saw some very isolated tree branches. By themselves, nothing special – branches against a grey sky. But I was still attracted to their structure. I had the idea of photographing them, and then photographing the fall lake reflection on the same frame.
The result is the merger between two scenes that were somewhat ordinary on their own, but when combined, gave me a unique image I was pleased with. Plus, I got a bird in the shot as a small bonus. 🙂
Young bucks sparring, Sterling Heights, Michigan | Nikon D800, 500mm f4
Young Bucks Sparring
It has been years since I have managed to get a deer shot I was pleased with. I photographed these deer in a field that is just 5 minutes down from my house. I liked the postures and eye contact from both of them.
Leaves are a fallin’ , Sterling Heights, Michigan # LE9897 | Nikon D800, 105 f/2.8 macro
These Leaves are a Fallin
I was thinking of a Bob Dylan song when I titled this photograph. These are red bud leaves, photographed in my backyard, one fall morning when I went out to explore.
Fall Red Oak, Highland Recreation Area, Highland, Michigan | Nikon D800, 80-400 mm VR
Red Oak in Fog
If I had to pick a top 3 of the year, this would be one of them. I saw this scene while out exploring in Highland Recreation Area for fall colors. It was one of those compositions that just seemed to naturally come together. I almost missed it actually. This scene was across a road and across a large field from where I happened to be at the time. It was almost as if a lighthouse light had been rotating around and the moment it shined in my direction, I spotted it. I loved the flowing nature of the branches, the dusty red colors, and the foggy background.
“Ran out of Blue”, Sterling Heights, MI | Nikon D800, 200 mm
Ran out of Blue
Inspired by a quote from Pablo Picasso:
“When I haven’t any blue I use red.”
Thank you for visiting and looking through my 10 favorites of 2014. If you have any thoughts or personal favorites, feel free to comment below.
See you in the woods,
Mark
I was surprised to find I didn’t remember to make it back here to comment. I like the delicacy and subtle pastel colors in Fall Silhouette and the vividness of Ran Out of Blue. You had a great year. Hope 2015 is as good or better. You’re already off to a great start with a few of your new ones.
Glad you made it back here David, and thanks for pointing out some of your personal favorites.
Nice work, Mark! Really like “Ran Out of Blue”…well done. Have a great new year!
Thank you Mike. I hope you have a great year as well.
Wonderful images, Mark. As always your creativity is an inspiration, and I hope you have a wonderful year ahead!
Cheers,
Greg
Back atcha Greg!
Lovely shots Mark. I’m particularly fond of Stick Figures and Ran out of Blue.
Cheers,
Tony
Thank you Tony!
Beautiful collection, Mark! I really love the textures, shapes, and colors in the fall oak shot. Trees are such wonderful subjects.
I’ve certainly had my own share of experiences with life causing ebbs and flows in my creativity as well. It’s interesting to me that sometimes similar feelings of stress can either suppress or greatly enhance my need/desire to create images. Anyway, all the best for 2015!
Thanks a lot Pat! I appreciate you stopping by. I think there are few that haven’t had the ebbs mentioned. In that perhaps there is some solace.
Wow, what a collection! You really have an eye (and the skill) for making fine art photography. Wonderful and well done Mark; not just in the shooting but also in the choosing. I am sure selecting ten from your year’s work can’t be easy.
Kind words Cedric – but it was easier than you think. I didn’t have many to choose from this year that I had actually finished processing. Some are still left behind in the raw state, maybe to be uncovered another day in 2015.
Looks like a fine collection, Mark. As a flower guy, I am particularly taken with the bloodroot and your processing of it. Same goes for “Light of the Ice Phoenix”.
Appreciated Steve. Happy New year to you.
Mark, what a wonderful and diverse review of the year, 2014 looks like it was a great year. One of the positive side affects of Jim’s project is being able to catch up with all the photographers that I haven’t able to stay up to date with over the year. I’m happy to hear that you were able to explore some new photographic areas in 2014…here’s to more fruitful exploring (and more frequent visits) in 2015.
I love the Bloodroot ephemeral feel! All the best to you and your’s in 2015!
I agree Greg. I haven’t visited as many blogs as I would have liked either, and Jim’s list keeps me busy for quite awhile. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I wish you the best for 2015 as well.
Red Oak, Ice on Lake St. Clair, and beautiful Bloodroot. You continue to amaze me. What you see and capture is rare and perfect. I could look at these images for hours and feel I am part of them. Mom
Thanks Mom! 🙂
I’m choosing the stick figures. May 2015 be a great year.
One of my favorites also Monte. Happy New Year to you.
Looks like a vintage year to me! The ones I love best are the red oak and the red (out of blue) foxtails.
Thanks much Tom. I didn’t have many to pick from! 🙂
Beautiful images Mark! I love the Ran out of Blue.
Thank you Alanna! Happy New Year to you.
It would be hard to pick a favorite from this excellant bunch but I do really like the Fall Red Oak. A very happy New Year to you, Mark!
To you as well Earl. Thanks much!
Wasn’t it Ansel Adams that said something along the lines of a dozen good photos a year is a bumper crop? Well you have ten amazing ones here that anyone would be proud of! I know I would be. They are gorgeous!
Something like that – but those are Ansel quality photos! Thanks Howard.