Year Nine, wow, this photography tradition of looking back on the past year’s photographs seems to be sticking. I have Jim Goldstein to thank for his annual photo project prompting so many others to also share in looking back on their own work. The year’s end is always a great time to continue to reflect on creativity and its mysterious ways.
1928 – 2015
The latter part of this year was greatly saddened by the sudden passing of my mother-in-law, Helen Illena Kinney back in November. She had such a great spirit and is deeply missed by my wife and I. The holidays this year just haven’t been the same, to say the least. Although I had the pleasure of knowing Helen for the past 25 years or so, it is in the old photographs that one can get a glimpse of her entire life. They are priceless assets.
All of my photographs in 2015 are from Michigan, mostly right around my local neck of the woods. I visited a few new places and returned to old favorites. Some I have never posted to my blog before, so there may be some new ones for some of you. I tried a few new techniques in developing my photos this past year, as well as some variations on ongoing projects, and will continue to explore these themes and techniques into next year.
A hearty welcome to anyone who is a first-timer here, and a special thanks to those that continue to read and comment on some of my gibberish time and time again. You know who you are! 🙂
See all Previous years here: Yearly Favorites from Graf Nature Photography
See my blog summary of 2015
Michigan Nature Photos | 2015
I don’t think I’ll be starting 2016 with such a view. December this year has been much warmer than usual, and the lake isn’t even frozen. Quite a contrast to just 1 year ago. I have spent a lot of time at this lake during winter time, you can see more in my Winter Landscapes gallery. I can only guess when it will freeze over this season.
This year was another banner year for Great Lakes ice cover, and while I didn’t make it up to the Lake Superior ice caves on Grand Island like I had hoped, I spent time well into March with our local frosty landscape.
Most photographers will remember the Super Blood Moon hype of 2015. It was almost forgettable for me, a mostly clouded-over experience. For a short period of time after giving up, I made some token photographs from my backyard. I later then had an idea of combining it into this mountainesque scene in a piece of petrified wood. Who knew it would be one of my favorites of the year?!
This is a concept I started playing with while continuing my Stonescapes project, combining living elements with the ancient ones, inorganic with organic.
I wanted to create a feeling of soft lighting and delicate illumination in this scene. I ended up liking it quite a bit.
I had a tentative Fall colors trip planned this year, and luck would have it I developed the flu at the same time. I wanted to salvage what little time off I had for the year, so I sucked it up, mentally told myself I’d get better, and drove to the Upper Peninsula. While the colors were terrific, I also had the good fortune of snow on the very last day. (the mental trick didn’t work that well)
Snow fall and Fall Colors – I don’t think a Midwestern landscape could be any more photogenic.
I never tire of photographing leaves…
I went a completely different route in developing this photograph. With a lot of trial and error and some experimentation, I ended up with an intimately lit image of typical leaf clutter in my yard.
My last photograph of 2015 – from today, wandering around my yard looking at twigs and various found objects. My intent was to attempt some individual abstracts for the last day of 2015, but when I looked in the box I was carrying, I realized the photograph was right there in front of me.
I hope you enjoyed a look back on my favorites from 2015. Thank you for visiting and your comments. Please share with your friends if you feel so inclined.
See you in the woods, and remember, not all those who wander are lost.
Mark
Great 2015 series Mark. Condolences to you and your wife for your loss.
Thank you Greg
Great Images, Mark. That moon composite shot is out of this world! 😉 Sorry to hear about the passing of your Mother-in-Law right before the holidays. That’s tough. Wishing you all the best for a wonderful 2016. Cheers, – Gary.
Thanks for stopping by Gary
Great collection Mark! My favorite is New Year’s Twilight. What a great way to start off the year!
Wow. Hard to come up with more superlatives that can truly do justice to this set of high quality work, Mark. Overall, I am impressed as always with your photography, but some of these are your best yet in my opinion. I love what you did with Perigee Moon. You put it together so well, with a strong sense of mood too. Sunrise over Presque National Forest and the two following it have a rare combination of vividness and subtlety of color. ‘Lost and Found’ seems like fun. What a creative idea. While I’m here, I would also like to express my condolences on the loss of your mother-in-law. I don’t believe I knew she had passed. Much good fortune to you in 2016. I hope you have a prolific year photographically, though it will be hard to top what you’ve done here.
Much appreciated David! I appreciate your thoughts here. And thank you for the condolences.
Wow! A stunning collection of images Mark. My condolences on the passing of your mother in-law. I do hope 2016 looks up for you and your family.
Thanks again for taking part and sharing your best photos of the year. I always enjoy seeing your work.
Thanks Jim, and your list always gives me something to look forward to every year.
Amazing work as always. With so many incredible images, not sure how you can whittle them down at all.
Probably what I like the most about your choices is the diversity of all of them.
I spent most of last year filming the tallgrass prairie so my choices wouldn’t be so diverse that’s for sure. 🙂
Looking forward to what you put your camera in front of this year!
Sorry about the loss of your mother-in-law.
Truth be told Kevin, it was slim pickings this past year. Oh wait, I think I am supposed to keep up the illusion that I had sooooooo many to pick from. 🙂
Fashionably late to the party, but better late than never! What a great haul of photos for the year, Mark. As always, I love your frozen lake pictures … from a safe, warmer distance. 🙂 I, like Brooks, look forward to your annual compilation of photos! Always wonderful to see.
Paul, I know you want to visit Detroit mid-February or so one year, so I’ll be sure to get you out on the ice!
Mark. I had to go and recheck my bucket list, just to make sure … but, I seem to have omitted that particular activity from it – Visit Detroit in mid-February. I tried to add it, but my hand kept shaking like it was shivering or something. I decided to leave it off, for now. 😀
LOL! Thanks for the laugh my friend. You are excused for now.
Will pin this photos! Love them all. That twilight photo is astonishing and enchanting. Gorgeous indeed!
I’m very sorry to hear about your mother-in-law, Mark. My condolences to your family. As you said, it is amazing how important family photos can be in your time of loss. I know I don’t always think to take snapshots of the mundane moments spent together with family and friends, but being able to look back can mean so much.
As for your photography from the year, it is beautiful as always. There are many striking compositions, but your rock and leaf abstract really caught my eye, as did the of outstanding color set against the October snowfall. All the best to you for 2016.
I always look forward reading and viewing your posts/images, Mark. One of the things I like about your images, besides the fact that they are just absolutely beautiful, is I’ve been following you long enough to know you’ve approached each one with directed purpose and personal artistic expression. This annual 10-favorite list is always a treat as I try to pick my favorite from yours.
As a sideline, I keep telling myself you probably occasionally make not so good, dare I say bad, photos as well and you just don’t share those with anyone. If that’s not the case please don’t let me know because believing that is a crutch that keeps me making photos! 😉
I hope the year 2016 is wonderful for you and your family, Mark, and that the recent loss, while of course still deeply felt, becomes less painful.
Hey Brooks, thanks for kind remarks and being such a long time participant. Of course I make a lot of photos that aren’t … Well let’s not say they are bad, but merely stepping stones to a further destination. 🙂
Hi Mark –
So sorry to hear about your Mother-In-Law. May the sweet memories help fill (as much as they can) the emptiness that is left at this time for both you and your wife.
What fun to find your newsletter in my box. A beautiful collection of images!
I want to wish a beautiful 2016! May it be fruitfully creative, and healthy & happy.
– Diane
Emptiness is a good term for it Diane, as I know you have been through it similarly.
I really appreciate your thoughtful comments here (as well as reading my newsletter 😉 )
Wonderful collection, Mark. It was a good year photographically for you.
My condolences to you and Lisa on the loss of her mother. We experienced the same a few years back with the passing of Mary Beth’s Mom two weeks before Christmas. That was always a big celebration at Marge’s home and without her the day has never been the same.
Despite the sadness, I hope you have a wonderful 2016.
Thanks for the kind words Steve. I know it is never a good time to have someone pass, but the holidays seem to amplify it.
So sorry about the loss of your mother-in-law. I know we cherish the memories but they are just not the same as sharing hugs and laughter with our loved ones.
Wonderful set of images, as usual. I’ll agree with Melissa’s comment, “breathtaking.” Not to inflate your ego, but you are a very good photographer and and from what I understand, a Scotch connoisseur. Since it is a new year, I will venture out on a limb and pick a favorite. I liked the leaves image, LE-9974, but that is probably because the leaves have just been so fascinating to me this year. I have seen so many of them. In fact I came home with a few images from my cold morning walk. I hope and pray you have an awesome coming 2016, whether you travel or continue to photograph that beautiful state you live in.
Thanks so much Monte. I guess I know enough about Scotch to have it cost me too much money. 🙂
Indeed you can’t really tire of photographing leaves – one of the simplest representatives of ‘nature’ yet with so many unique ways to portray them.
Sorry to hear about your mother in-law 🙁
Some lovely images again thou! I love the moon one too.
Happy New Year!
Suzy
Thank you Suzy.
Another year, another remarkable set of photographs. Of course this is precisely why you are the indisputable “My Favourite Nature Photographer” title holder in the heavy-weights division of nature photographers. All the best for 2016 Mark and thanks for sharing your insights and your beautiful photographs.
Also, I’m sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. I found her obituary in the Macomb Daily. A remarkable woman to be sure. My condolences to you and your family.
Hey Cedric – happy new year. I am honored to have such a standing on your list, but indisputable – HA! – hardly. 🙂 I could give you a few suggestion if you want.
That was some long obit eh? We found out a key revenue source for newspapers when getting that thing placed. Thank you for your kind thoughts.
Hi Mark,
I’m so glad you stopped by my blog, which led me to yours…your work is breathtaking!
A beautiful collection of images, Mark. I just finished posting of my selection from 2015, and wandered over here to see if you’d done yours yet. Best wishes for the new year!
I just saw them Tom. Thanks a lot!
Wow, all wonderful images Mark! You gave had quite the productive year. Here’s to an equally productive 2016. By the way that moon and wood is a masterpiece in my mind…..simply fantastic idea and image!
Thanks a lot Howard. Wishing you the best for 2016.