Once again it is time to post my 10 favourite photographs from the past year. I do this yearly as it is a worthwhile exercise, and to take part in Jim Goldstein’s annual Your Best Photos project. His collection of these posts is a great place to view photographs and find some new photographers to follow.
I hope you enjoy my selections here and am curious to hear if you have a favourite. If you click on each photograph you’ll be taken to my Image Archive. Many of these photographs have corresponding blog posts that I’ve linked to underneath the thumbnails here. These aren’t in any specific order, but I did place the photograph “Rainbow over Hatzic Lake” at the beginning as I think this is the first time I’ve photographed a rainbow (successfully at least) outside of my backyard. I was also shielding the camera from a rainstorm with my body, so the photo deserves extra points for that. 😉
Here are my top 10 photos of 2016:
Rainbow over Hatzic Lake
(Mission, British Columbia)
Blog post: Rainbow over Hatzic Lake
Sailboat in the Salish Sea
(Lighthouse Park, West Vancouver, British Columbia)
Blog post: Sunset at Juniper Point in Lighthouse Park
It still surprises me that these Annas Hummingbirds can overwinter in a cold environment like the Fraser Valley. This photo was made in September when it was still warm. This juvenile female was relaxed enough to land in a tree near me in the backyard. I just photographed a few yesterday at a neighbors house and they were quite active despite it being about -4°C!
Juvenile Female Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) perched in a tree
(Fraser Valley, British Columbia)
Blog post: Female Anna’s Hummingbird in the Fraser Valley
Crescent Beach (Blackie Spit) with skyline of Burnaby and the North Shore Mountains
(Surrey, British Columbia)
Blog post: Winter at Crescent Beach and Blackie Spit
Despite the nearly constant rain (600 mm/23.6 in) we had in the “fall foliage” months of October and November – I did a fair amount of driving looking for photo opportunities locally. I’d passed by this pond along the roadside in Mission, BC many times in the past but only stopped with a camera this year. I found some relatively subtle fall foliage (mostly Birch and Vine Maple trees) and some nice reflections to photograph.
Fall Reflections in Mill Pond
(Mission, British Columbia)
This was my first trip to Mt. Erie Park in Anacortes, Washington. I did not leave disappointed.
Moonrise over the North Cascades Range
(Mt. Erie, Anacortes, Washington)
Fall at Kilby Provincial Park
(Harrison Mills, British Columbia)
Panoramas are kind of tough to show off online in a relatively condensed format – especially one this “skinny”. The panorama of Vancouver below is best viewed by going to the blog post and clicking on the thumbnail there.
English Bay, Vancouver, and the Northshore Mountains from Kits Beach
(Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, British Columbia)
Blog post: An Evening at Kits Beach in Vancouver
Sunset at Lighthouse Park’s Juniper Point
(West Vancouver, British Columbia)
Blog post: Juniper Point Sunset at Lighthouse Park
Hope Mountain and Silver Lake
(Silver Lake Provincial Park, Hope, British Columbia)
Blog post: Hope Mountain Sunset from Silver Lake Park
My top 10 photos from last year can be found here: My Top 10 Photos of 2015
Wow! I love how you started the post with the rainbow image! Gorgeous and beautifully photographed!
It looks like you’ve had a very good year!
My favorite images are the first one, and the last two!
I wish you all the best in 2017!! 🙂
Thanks Rachel! I look forward to seeing your list from this year. 🙂
Divine! Amazing! I am in awe!Mesmerizing! Inspiring!
Thank you Rosa 🙂
Juniper Point is my favorite but all are exceptional. I hope 2107 is equally productive for you.
Thank you Joseph!
Nice selection again this year. I especially like the Moonrise Over North Cascades Range and Sailboat in Salish Sea images. Have a Happy New Year!
Thank Alan!
Great collection Michael! I think the rainbow shot is my favorite. Happy New Year!
Michael,
I really enjoyed all the photographs. Juniper Point was perhaps my favorite. Great view, great composition, great light, you had it all!
Great bunch of images, Michael, especially the rainbow over Hatzic Lake. I’ve always wanted to get over to the Cascades and having seen your photo, I can be more specific and add Mt. Erie Park as a destination on my list.
Michael,
These are fantastic. I remember Mt. Erie Park in Anacortes fondly.
Let’s hope 2017 is even better for all of us.
TM
Michael, What a great collection of images! I bet that panorama looks great blown up! Happy New Year!!
Beautiful!! I love the rainbow at the top. Looks like you had a great year. Hope 2017 is just as good, I’m looking forward to seeing what you do this year.
Thanks Anne – looking forward to seeing what you photograph in your 2017 travels too.
Another fine collection, Michael! The rainbow and Juniper Point images are my favorites. Wishing you all the best in 2017!
Thank you Russ – I hope you have a great 2017!
Well made photographs, Michael. These are all very well composed and interesting, as well as different than the usual landscapes, well, obviously because they are of different scenery, but also not so obviously because they are different in nature. My favorites are the sailboat, Crescent Beach and Juniper Point.
Thank you for your comments David. I think “this is different” can be one of the best things to hear about ones work. The sailboat was a scene that presented itself while I was just relaxing near the water waiting for potential color at sunset (Juniper Point was one of the results). The sailboat is one that has grown on my continually since I made it, perhaps because it is a bit different.
Beautiful set of photos Michael. Thanks again for taking part in my Best Photos of the year project. I’ve really enjoyed seeing your photos over the years. “Moonrise over the North Cascades Range ” is my favorite of yours this year.
Thanks Jim! I am glad you continue this project year after year – I always find new photographers to follow on your list! I look forward to looking at the list tomorrow. 🙂
Hi Michael!
Thanks for sharing your images in Jim’s best of 2016 project.
I love the Fall at Kilby Park — just such a unique look, and amazing light.
Cheers!
Thank you Rich! 🙂
A great collection of images, Michael. A lot to really enjoy here, but I was especially taken in with the moonrise pano, the lone boat, and the rainbow which seems to be a perfect Canadian-looking landscape. 🙂
Cheers, my friend, and wishing you the very best for 2016!
Thank you Gary. Interesting that it has only been a few weeks since I made these selections and my feelings have already… migrated slightly. The lone sailboat seems like a better shot every time I come back. Hope you have a great 2017 too!
If I say something then I’ve to say about Female Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna)I loved your story on this Photograph.