Year in Review time!
Having done this a few times now, it seems like it should get easier. But the Fourth Annual “20-best” has been the hardest to cull by far.
This is for two main reasons:
1. I took a lot more photos this year and
2. I’m getting a lot worse at self-editing.
Long story short, “The 20 Best of 2017” is now “The 36 Best of 2017.”
The process of reviewing a year’s worth of photos is always interesting, because common themes always emerge. Last year, I was all about geometry, primary colors and umbrellas. This year, I apparently had a thing for dramatic lighting, pictures of things framed through windows, and wildlife photography taken at dangerously close proximity.
Another big change for this year is that I started work on some longer-term photography projects. These will all be ongoing, but I’m happy to share three works-in-progress. You can follow the links below to see the full galleries:
"Holiday Windows" is a sentimental portrait of people’s reactions to 5th Avenue’s enchanting holiday window displays.
"Crud" is a germaphobe’s eye view of the cringe-worthy, yet strangely beautiful “crud formations” in NYC subway stations.
"American Palace" is, well, that one's pretty self explanatory.
Without further ado, here are my top 20... er... 36 photos from 2017.
"Just Grand" June 7, 2017. Grand Canyon, South Rim
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 10-24mm, f/22, 1/3 sec, ISO 200
As the sun set over the Grand Canyon, I spent a half hour cursing these guys under my breath to get out of my shot. (Photographers spend an inordinate amount of time trying to harness the power of telekinesis to move strangers in and out of their compositions. It's not normal.)
Eventually the mind trick worked, the guys left, and I had a clear scene.
Of course, when I got back home and downloaded all of the photos from the series, I liked the one with the people in it better. (Although I'm still cursing the guy on the right for wearing his sunglasses on the back of his head like Guy Fieri.)
"London Nights" January 7, 2017. St. Paul's Cathedral. London, England
Fujifilm X-Pro1, 14mm, f/11, 10 seconds, ISO 200
The hardest thing about taking photos of iconic locations like St. Paul's Cathedral in London is that they've been photographed TO DEATH. So you have to work a little harder to try to find something more original than the typical postcard shot.
After taking a dozen photos of this scene, I noticed the traffic pattern and had an idea. Using a trash can as a makeshift tripod, I waited for a double decker bus to pass by on its route, then left the camera shutter open for ten seconds – long enough to create these bus-shaped light trails.
"The Navy and the Pizza." May 23, 2017. Cobble Hill. Brooklyn, NY.
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/2.5, 1/125, ISO 5000
During Fleet Week, Naval officers are nice enough to wander around New York in uniform and sit in front of things, making every photographer feel a bit like Alfred Eisenstaedt.
"Colors of Cape Town" November 20, 2017. Bo-Kaap. Cape Town, South Africa
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/11, 1/250, ISO 320
I wish I could say that I saw this photo coming together, dropped to the ground and snapped it. But the truth is, I was awkwardly crouching, cheek to the pavement, trying to compose a shot for the stripe and the scooter. Then this guy who perfectly matched the bike (right down to the fur hat and shoelaces) just wandered into frame.
"We were all yellow" November 17, 2017. Cape Town, South Africa
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/8000, ISO 400
"Some have said that if you take a great picture in color and take away the color, you’ll have a great black-and-white picture. But if you’re shooting something about color and you take away the color, you’ll have nothing." - Jay Maisel
"Sad Emoticon." January 7, 2017. Notting Hill. London, England.
Fujifilm X-Pro1, 14mm, f/8, 1/125, ISO 1600
I took this photo at the edge of a triangular island of sidewalk in Notting Hill, London. It's my favorite photo yet in my ongoing Literal Street Photography project.
"Camp's Bay Beach Crossing" November 9, 2017. Camps Bay, South Africa.
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/8.0, 1/750, ISO 200
Moments after I took this photo, this group of kids took off sprinting across the beach. Pure joy.
"Rainy Paris" January 15, 2017. The Louvre. Paris, France.
Fujifilm X100s, 23mm, f/4, 1/60, ISO 6400
"A window covered with raindrops interests me more than a photograph of a famous person." - Saul Leiter
The Louvre is another one of those locations where it's really hard to make an original photograph. After spending the morning walking around the courtyard searching for a unique angle, I found it in an unexpected place - the back seat of the Uber on the way back to my hotel.
"Park job." November 17, 2017. Cape Town, South Africa
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/8, 1/500, ISO 1250
I traveled halfway around the world to Cape Town and one of my absolute favorite shots is also the most mundane.
"Road trip to Zion" June 9, 2017. Zion National Park, Utah
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/11, 1/125, ISO 500
I took this photo in standstill traffic at the tunnel entrance to Zion National Park. Hey, you've gotta pass the time somehow.
"Sins and vases." January 7, 2017. Portobello Road Market. London, England.
Fujifilm X100s, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/125, ISO 1250
I don't take a lot of photos deep with symbolism. But there's a lot going on in this shot. You've got Jesus in the foreground faltering under the weight of the cross, gazing out longingly from between flea market trinkets (including an empty decanter of wine). His plight is completely unnoticed by the crowd of onlookers. And in the background, the weirdly devilish-looking salesman hides a blood-red cloak under his jacket and has ACTUAL HORNS on his truck.
Art historians, go nuts.
"Ascend." January 7, 2017. Tate Modern. London, England
Fujifilm X-Pro1, 14mm, f/4, 1/70, ISO 6400
When I visited London, the Tate Modern was hosting "The Radical Eye," an exhibition of Sir Elton John's extensive photography collection. Just beyond the ticket window, I captured this shot for my own collection.
"Horseshoe Bend" June 8, 2017. Page, Arizona
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/8, 1/13, ISO 200
Horseshoe Bend is not a great location to visit if you're a photographer who is also afraid of heights. I honestly don't know how those rooftopper people do it. I was sitting a good five feet back from the edge, and just holding my tripod near the cliff was making me sweat bullets.
"Passion." June 8, 2017. Antelope Canyon. Page, Arizona
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 10-24mm, f/8, 1.1 seconds, ISO 400
The photographer's tour of Antelope Canyon is great, because the guides idiot-proof it for you. They tell you what camera settings to use, then show you just where to set your tripod to get all the best angles. Like this heart-shaped skylight in the canyon ceiling.
"Table Mountain Sunset." November 9, 2017. Cape Town, South Africa
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/5.6, 1/70, ISO 800
I was in Cape Town for two weeks in November, but we spent most of the time in meetings or on location for a film shoot, so I had to find photo-ops wherever I could. Fortunately, this was the view from our pre-production meeting.
"Canyon Breath." June 8, 2017. Antelope Canyon. Page, Arizona
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 10-24mm, f/8, 0.5 seconds, ISO 200
I've admired these magical photos of light shafts in Antelope Canyon for years. Peter Lik's version of this shot is the most expensive photo ever sold, fetching $6.5 million dollars. (For the record, I'll happily take ten grand for mine if anyone wants a print. I'll even sign it with Peter Lik's name).
The thing I never knew was how they get that ethereal misty effect in the light beam.
Here's how: a photo tour guide chucks shovelfuls of sand into the air, then tells you to take a picture.
"Unforgotten." September 11, 2017. Tribute in Light. New York City.
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/2.8, 1/17, ISO 6400
I've been documenting the September 11th Tribute in Light for seven years now. Each time, I try to find a different vantage point. This year I photographed the lights from Staten Island. The shot from over there was nice. But this perfectly-aligned view of the lights haloing the World Trade Center during the Ferry ride back to Manhattan was a total surprise.
"Hout Bay." November 13, 2017 Chapman's Peak Drive. Cape Town, South Africa
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/8, 1/1000, ISO 640
See? I told you I had a thing for things in windows this year. I took some nice shots of this scene from the overlook a few miles down the road too. But so did ten zillion other photographers.
"Room with a view" June 7, 2017. Desert View Watchtower. Grand Canyon South Rim
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 35mm, f/11, 1/120, ISO 400
The Grand Canyon is another location that's easy to take a great photo of, but really hard to shoot in an original way. Putting people in the frame helps. So did framing the canyon through this window inside the Desert View Watchtower.
"Battleship Rock Sunrise." June 7, 2017, Grand Canyon South Rim
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/11, 1/3, ISO 200
...that said, when you get a sunrise like this, you can get away with being a little less original, because, wow.
"Grand Canyon Sunset" June 6, 2017, Grand Canyon South Rim
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 35mm, f/8, 1/70, ISO 400
Do you think this tree has any idea how good its view is?
"Wide angle wildlife photography: Elk edition" June 8, 2017. Kaibab National Forest, Arizona
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm (23mm!), f/4, 1/125, ISO 320
I took this photo of an Elk with a 23mm lens (35mm equivalent. For reference, that's just slightly more zoomed-in than your iPhone camera) while crouching in the grass on the side of the road in Kaibab National Forest.
It is without a doubt one of the dumber things I've done.
"Wide angle wildlife photography: Cheetah edition." November 19,2017. Botriver, South Africa
Fujifilm X100s, 23mm, f/8, 1/125, ISO 800
This photo was also taken with a 23mm lens. Which means this kitty was well within booping distance.
"Artistic license." January 15, 2017. Montmartre, Paris.
Fujifilm X100s, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/125, ISO 1000.
I just love the skepticism.
"A better view." November 13, 2017. Kalk Bay, South Africa
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 55-200mm, f/8, 1/5000, ISO 5000
I took this photo from the passenger window of our production van in Cape Town, while going about 30 mph. (Which I think translates to around 190 kilometers per hour).
"Seaside Chapel." September 2, 2017. Ender's Island, Connecticut
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/22, 120 seconds, ISO 200
I took this long exposure of the seaside chapel at Ender's Island, a catholic retreat and sanctuary at the southern tip of Mason's Island, Connecticut. If I were Catholic or in the market for a retreat, I would totally book a stay at this place. It was stunning.
"Flock of tourists." January 14, 2017. Cathedral Notre Dame. Paris, France
Fujifilm X-Pro1, 14mm, f/8, 1/125, ISO 640
The only thing more remarkable than capturing this photo was not being pooped on moments later as these pigeons took off flying over my head.
"Choreography." January 14, 2017, Musee du Louvre. Paris, France.
Fujifilm X-Pro1, 55-200mm, f/13, 1/125, ISO 1250
This shot at the Louvre in Paris is solid addition to my tourists project
"Tribute in Light" September 11, 2017. Brooklyn, New York
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 14mm, f/11, 45 seconds, ISO 200
This is pretty popular and well-tread location for taking photos of the Tribute in Light, so I can't say this shot is breaking massively new ground. Although I've never seen the water on the East River calm enough to reflect the lights quite as well as it did this year.
"Tribute" September 11, 2017. Staten Island Ferry, New York
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/2, 1/50, ISO 3200
Because I've shot the Tribute in Light so many times now, I'm always trying to find original vantage points. I love this one, framed through the window of the Staten Island Ferry, en route from St. George Terminal.
(Because the window thing.)
"Eiffel Tower at Dusk." January 14, 2017. Paris, France.
Fujifilm X-Pro2. 14mm, f/2.8. 1/5, ISO 400
This shot of the Eiffel Tower nearly got cut from the list because the photo is a little postcard-ish. But one little detail does makes it much different than what you typically see: there are no people. (The lawns on the Champ de Mars were fenced off for the winter).
"Sins vs salvation." January 15, 2017. Montmartre, Paris
Fujifilm X100s, 23mm, f/8, 1/125, ISO 5000
"Hey Mike. What do you think we oughta call this porno shop?"
"Meet you at the bottom" May 18, 2017. Harbes Farm, Mattituck, Long Island
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/8, 1/125, ISO 4000
I usually keep my family photos and my year-in-review photos separate to spare you all from cute baby overload. But this shot of my wife greeting my daughter at the bottom of a slide is objectively one of my favorite shots of the year.
"Cape Town Nights." November 11, 2017. Cape Town, South Africa.
Fujifilm X100s, 23mm, f/4, 1/70, ISO 6400
Sometimes you get really lucky, turn a corner and happen upon a pre-lit, period-piece film set.
"Lion's Head Mountain Sunset." November 18, 2017. Mount Nelson Hotel. Cape Town, South Africa.
Fujifilm X-Pro2, 23mm, f/2, 1/40, ISO 400
The driveway to the historic Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town is lined with palm trees. From the right vantage point (that is to say, smushed awkwardly up against a lamp post) they provide the perfect frame for Lion's Head Mountain.
"Christmas in New York." February 9, 2017. New York, NY
Fujifilm X100s, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/80, ISO 6400
Every year when I go back through all of my photos there are a few gems that I totally overlooked at the time. This photo is interesting, because I have absolutely no memory of taking it. I’m not even sure if I took it in Manhattan or Brooklyn.
Maybe it's because, as a picture, it’s not actually all that good. But as a representation of what it feels like and means to live in NY? It’s SO good.
Thanks for reading! And if you want to see more, you can check out 2016's Year in Review, 2105's Year in Review, or 2014's Year in Review. Or follow me on Flickr or Instagram.