Best of 2012 Part IV: People

This is the final installment of my Best of 2012.  As I said in my first post, looking back on 2012 my work in the last year can be grouped into four categories.  I've already shared with you my favorite landscape, iPhone and mountain running photos of the 2012.  The last subject that has been a focus for me this year are photographs of people.

My pursuit of interesting photos of people included the things I've always done like trying to artfully document the lives of my amazing children and senior portraits.  In 2012, I wanted to do portraiture and, as a result, I started doing studio work and initiated an ongoing personal project called the Mountain Runner Portrait Project.  I'm sure you'll see more of this work in 2013.



Tommy Manning,  US Mountain Running team


Chris Dunn of Acidotic Racing


Leah Castellini


Katherine Violette


Faith


Celestine


Scarecrow


Jess Akara

Best of 2012 Part III: Mountain Running

Photographing sporting events started slow in 2012 as the snowshoe racing season never really got off the ground with lack lustre snowfall.  The 2012 mountain running season was as exciting as ever with both the men's and women's US National Mountain Running Teams being selected in two races 20 minutes from where I live in sweet home New Hampshire. 

My personal interest in mountain and trail running continues to grow with beautiful venues and inspiration from both the physical prowess and down to earth kindness of the athletes.  I also had the good fortune to have several photos published for a couple of different running outlets both online and in print.  This year, I not only documented the races but also launched a new project called the Mountain Runner Portrait Project...  A look at these fast athletes standing still. 

I hope you enjoy my favorite mountain running images of 2012.


Italy's Marco De Gasperi, 6 time World Mountain Running Champion
Mt Cranmore Hill Climb Race    Conway, NH


Max King, 2011 US and World Mountain Running Champion
Mt. Washington Road Race     Mt. Washington, NH


The start of the 2012 Loon Mountain Race and the Women's National Mountain Running Championship.   Lincoln, NH


Jim Johnson wins the 2012 Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, NH


Stevie Kremer
Loon Mountain Race and the Women's National Mountain Running Championship.   Lincoln, NH


Leslie O'Dell Beckwith
Cranmore Mt Hill Climb   Conway, NH


Laura Haefeli, Mt Washington Women's Masters course record holder.
Mt Washington Road Race   Mt. Washington, NH


Jim Johnson, winner, congratulates  Kris Freeman, US Nordic Olympian.
Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, NH


Krisztina Dearborn, 2011 US Junior Mountain Team Member
Thanksgiving Day 5k    Madison, NH 


Tommy Manning
Mt. Washington Road Race   Mt. Washington, NH


Eric Blake and Glenn Randall
Mt. Washington Road Race   Mt. Washington, NH

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #3:  Mountain Gods (and a Goddess) at the 2012 Mt Washington Road Race including several US Mountain Running Team members, former Mt Washington Winners, US Mountain Running champs and a World Mountain Running champ. Tommy Manning, Rickey Gates, Jared Scott, Brandy Erholtz, Max King and Jason Bryant.

Best of 2012 Part II: iPhone Photos

For folks that follow my blog and facebook stream, you've seen me produce more and more iPhone images.  The iPhone has an amazing camera and suite of applications and it's driven me to make images of things I wouldn't have previously photographed or in ways I wouldn't have captured them. 

I still don't know if it's "serious" photography or not, but for the purposes of looking back on my photographic output in 2012, it seemed deserving of it's own showcase. One thing is for certain, the iPhone proves once and for all that the best camera is the one you have with you. 

Here are my favorite iPhone images from last year.  A couple might even be in the hunt for my favorite images of the year with any camera.


Freedom, NH


Acadia National Park, ME


Acadia National Park, ME


Hollywood, CA


Hollywood, CA


Chicago, IL


Chicago, IL


Chicago, IL


Self Portrait

Best of 2012 Part I: Landscape

For a couple of years now I've done a 'Best of..." blog post but this year it was particularly difficult to put together.  Maybe it's because I'm such a bad editor that I can't settle on five or ten images or maybe I'm just that self-indulgent that I'm going to cop out and offer more than one "Best of..." for 2012.

That's right... I'm going to hit y'all with not one but four "Best of 2012" blog posts.  This actually makes some sense.  In 2012, my work settled into four distinct categories:  Landscape, Mountain Running, People and iPhone.  More about how this happened later.  But for now, on with the show!

Landscape photography is where this all started for me.  A long time ago, I began schlepping cameras into the woods on all sorts of adventures on foot, on skis, on snowshoes and by paddle.  The only goal was to try to capture the moment I saw and felt as I experienced places and things so few ever get to see.  I'm not so hard core anymore and don't get out as much.  I barely ever sleep in a sleeping bag now and used to at least once a month all year long.  But, I still enjoy making photographs of nature.  So, Happy New Year to all and here are my favorite landscape photographs from 2012! 

As you can see, there are themes... I was location challenged this year.  


Freedom, NH


Mt. Washington, NH


Acadia National Park, ME


Acadia National Park, ME


Acadia National Park, ME


Chocorua, NH


Chocorua, NH


Chocorua Lake, NH


Apache Junction, AZ

Chocorua Christmas Light

Mt. Chocorua
Chocorua, NH

The Antidote to All Bad Things

Whether it's tough financial times, death of a loved one, divorce or watching the news report a horrible tragedy like what happened in Newtown this week.  The solution is all the same.  Refocus and invest in the good things in our lives.  Love your kids.  It will make you feel better and it's something we can do now to make a difference in everyone's lives.  My kids show me this every day.











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Retrolux!

SnapSeed, the fantastic photo editing software for iPhone, iPad and Android from NIK software and Google just released a great new tool in the latest upgrade. It's called Retrolux and introduces really great moods quickly. Check it out...

The original image of Mara below and two Retroluxed images that follow. Great stuff in about a two minutes of noodling with sliders!  Best of all, the app is free right now... go get it!