My favorite photos from 2023

Steven here and I’m a little tardy with this post with all that’s been going on. It’s that time again where I take stock of, not only the photos I have accumulated, but the experiences that continue to enrich my life. Somebody said that traveling is the greatest education and, in my opinion, no truer words have ever been spoken.

I like putting this post together each year because sometimes I don’t fully appreciate what I have captured without giving the images and the places we’ve been to a little time to breathe.

Of course memories come flooding back as I scroll through my vast collection. It’s one thing to just post a photo in our blog but I believe our readers also enjoy my behind the scenes thoughts. So, having said that, let’s dive in and take a look at some of my favorite images of the year.

You would imagine that every time one comes across some iconic scene it’s just a matter of clicking the shutter and, voila, a great photo is born. In my experience, that’s not always the case. Sometimes it’s quite difficult to convey the scale of a thing or a place. This viaduct, the highest bridge in Europe, is a perfect example. I almost gave up after trying multiple angles and compositions. Nothing was accurately capturing the structure until I tilted the camera just so and it all suddenly came together. The sun showed itself for a matter of seconds and that also helped the dimension of the shot tremendously. Score! …and whew!

Peñíscola was one of the first places we arrived in Spain. It was such a contrast to the freezing temperatures in the south of France. We were here in the off-season and I can only imagine this beach in the summer with thousands of people buzzing around. When possible, I like to include people in my shots. As viewers, we instinctively know the size of a person and when they are placed into a composition, they immediately give the picture an accurate sense of scale. The long shadows also define the shape of the trees and give them a nice graphical element. There are five layers in this image: the tree shadows, the trees themselves, the people, the castle and the horizon line of the sea. These are the elements I look for to convey depth.

Sometimes a photograph doesn’t have to be spectacular to evoke a strong feeling. This is another moment from Peñíscola when I realized how lucky we are to have this life of travel. I feel particularly fortunate when we can visit popular destinations in the off-season. Linda was walking off ahead of me and I just thought to myself “don’t ever become complacent about what you have.” I try to live by that rule.

I saw these two nuns busily going about their shopping tasks. Of course, with this particular backdrop, it was a perfect opportunity to capture them. What I most like about this image is the way the shopping bags and the frenetic shopping energy kind of normalizes the nuns. Also of note is that, no matter what other element is in a composition, our eyes are drawn to the nuns.

This is one of the most beautiful places I have been to and it poses the some of the same problems I talked about earlier. How do I capture this sprawling place and condense its most relevant features into an interesting picture? In reality, there were hundreds of people around and at least 20 boats in the water but by blocking off the composition to just a few simple elements, each representing part of the bigger scene, I think I was able to convey its architectural beauty and, despite the hustle and bustle all around.

.

When I am in Seville, I basically stalk all the dancers. I love watching them move and how immersed they become in the dance of Seville. There is something hypnotic about it and each dance tells an elaborate story all acted out in graceful moves. I became particularly mesmerized by this dancer and, although she is looking straight at me, I’m sure she was in a different world at the time. Either way, this picture evokes that day I just stood there and escaped into her story of song and dance.

I mostly resist touristy type photos but, every now and again, resistance is futile. The position of the horses and wagon is completely set up for tourists. Its been photographed many times before but I just love this one the most 🙂 This is another place we visited off-season so I thankfully can remember its charm and character and not throngs of visitors.

I love this little church in the Algarve area of Portugal. I shot color versions but it all looked a little flat and uninteresting. Until, that is, I changed 2 things: color to black and white and waited patiently for someone to step into the frame. As luck would have it, this bicyclist decided to photobomb the shot but in a good way. He’s also adding a dynamic energy to the scene as well as contributing that sense of scale I’m always going on about.

I’m including this photo of Linda because I think it encapsulates what attracted me to her in the first place: her beauty, intoxicating energy and vision. Never have I met another person who has had such a profound influence on my life. Who knows what, where and who I would have been without her? All I know is I am so fortunate to have her in my life.

The first day we arrived in Coimbra was overcast and dreary. I was disappointed with the photograph I got from this particular vantage point. Weather and light always have a strong influence on any scene and the forecast the next day was for partly cloudy conditions. That also means partly sunny to me so I perched myself on the bridge at the first sign of sun. I love a dark ominous sky against a sunlit landscape. The resulting image was much more pleasing and dramatic. Sometimes you have to visit a place multiple times and be patient to get the shot.

I could have shot this beautiful city in multiple ways but I wanted to frame it from a high point, almost like a drone shot. Luckily there was a tall bridge giving me the very view I was seeking. For this image, it was more important for me to figure out what not to include. That is as important as what finally appears in the composition. I kept moving my camera around but I couldn’t get it quite right. Too much information. I zoomed in slightly until I knew that I had everything needed to show the architecture, the industry on the water and the tiny figures walking around the waterfront. In essence, the historical character of Porto. Top that with the gorgeous colors and light and I had myself a successful image.

This hill is known for being the place where pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago can get their first views of the three spires of their destination, the distant cathedral. We decided to do a fun shot that pays homage to pilgrims past but also acknowledges the importance of this experience for Linda. The cathedral can be seen just to her right.

This architectural wonder has been shot many times but I can’t resist going to this part street each time we return. The colors and light are always wonderful and the receding street leads the eye right to the cathedral itself. From a practical standpoint, this angle steers clear of all the tourists milling about just around the corner.

I love shots like this that are stark and graphical. The frame breathes with what’s called negative space. That’s the space in between the main players: the boat, the structure above and the 3 people. The subtle fog creates a nice atmosphere and also sets the distant yacht apart.

I’m not a huge fan of sculpture although I think that is mainly due to my own ignorance of the subject. However, every now and again, something will stop me in my tracks like this beautiful mermaid. I’m not sure why she’s blowing through a conch shell because legend has it that they lured men into the sea with their eerie, supernatural siren call. When I looked up mermaid and conch on Google, all I got was info on a SpongeBob SquarePants episode 🙂 What I love about this sculpture is how the form emulates the waves of the sea and how she has a certain attitude that makes you feel like you just don’t want to mess with her. It’s just a wonderful piece of art and I’m happy I was able to shoot it with an appropriate backdrop.

While we were in Cappy in France, we decided to take our bikes to explore the nearby town of Bray-Sur-Somme. While there wasn’t much to see, we ventured further to visit one of the many British Military cemeteries in the area. It wound up being a really moving experience. So many young men died nearby during World War II. This photo, I think, conveys the care that has gone into maintaining these memorials.

This is one of those shots that I had to have, regardless of whether it’s been shot thousands of times before. There’s a fairytale-like whimsy to these off-kilter buildings. They stretch beyond the photo frame on both sides but I found this to be the most pleasing composition with the biggest variety of colors.

I said earlier that what grabs our attention in a photograph above all else is people. Second to that is evidence of the presence of people. With this bike, my mind wanders thinking about who the owner might be. What this picture most brings to mind is a simple way of life. Much like you can decide what not to include in a composition, you can also decide what to exclude from your life (well, most of us can). Walking along a country lane gives me much needed respite from the world of fast-paced news and technology. Similar to walking the Camino de Santiago, you experience life at a walking pace and that’s just good for the soul.

This is, without doubt, one of the more unusual camping spots where we’ve stayed. It’s a decommissioned RAF airfield in Scotland, across from the ferry to and from Northern Ireland. It had no traditional runway as it was a base for seaplanes. So it was a no-brainer to whip out my drone for this shot. There was almost nothing to see from ground level. We were with friends and you can see both our tiny motorhomes if you squint your eyes. I have to pinch myself sometimes when I think about where I am. I’m so happy to be living in a time where I can send up a flying contraption the size of my palm and grab aerial shots like these.

This maybe an odd choice to represent the city of Oxford but I found that the rivers and canals are equally as important as any university building. There’s a certain chaos in this arrangement of boats but there’s enough detail and color to hold the viewer’s interest. The receding lines make me curious to continue down the river and discover a couple of small boats with passengers enjoying the late morning. The photo has a kind of abstract graphical feel to it the further you are away.

This beautiful sunset presented itself to us after we disembarked the ferry from England. I ran out to get a quick photo. But wait, should I zoom in and make the picture be about the ships? Should it be about the wind turbines? As you can probably guess by now, I like to include people when possible so I got a little closer to the water’s edge to where a couple were walking their dog. Now I had all the elements I love about a good composition.

I have to admit that I imagined a hobbit living in this house. That’s a little ironic given that I’ve never read a single book by Tolkien and haven’t seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies. Still, I’m fascinated by the real world fantasy of these structures. You just know you have stumbled into unfamiliar territory when you step foot on the Faroes. I treasure these kinds of shots because the likelihood of seeing something like it elsewhere, at least for me, is close to zero.

If you are looking at this photograph on your tiny phone screen, you are exactly who I had in mind when I composed this image. There is just no way of understanding the vastness of the scene without the help of our friend the human form. There are two people present and they immediately indicate the size of the scene. Without them could you imagine the relative size of any of that ice?

Hellissandur is known for its abundant street art. It’s an odd place given how isolated it is but I ventured out to see it despite the strong wind and rain. This particular work really spoke to me. I’ve been focused on drawing portraits for a long while so I can appreciate a well-rendered face when I see it, albeit a zombified hybrid. The colors are so vivid and beautiful. As I stood there with my iPhone in the driving rain and wind, a rainbow appeared, perfectly framing the mural and I managed to capture a once-in-a-lifetime image.

Iceland has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. An image that kept appearing each time I researched photo opps was this one of The Black Church. It’s just kinda out there alone on the peninsula. I walked around it a few times and felt like this was the best composition. Apparently thousands of photographers agree because it’s almost identical to so many more you’ll find on a typical Google search. But here’s the thing, when I look at it, all I see is my experience of being there. My senses are alive in a way no one else’s photo could evoke. That’s why this is so special to me.

There’s nothing profound about this image but what drew me to it is the profusion of lines, horizontal, vertical and diagonal. Centering Linda in the circle created a focal point for the viewer. Even if Linda hadn’t been in the shot, the circle creates a strong draw but her presence gives it a stronger anchor.

Over the years I have experimented with all kinds of photography. For example, I’ve rigged 100-year-old lenses on my DSLR camera and made my own pinhole. If you don’t know what that is, it’s basically a tiny hole that’s placed in front of the camera’s sensor. No lens or glass of any kind is used. The resulting image is rather crude but can be used for creative results. When we were staying overnight at the parking lot by Skógafoss, I noticed a newlywed couple having their photos made. I snuck a few of shots with my pinhole and produced this ghostly result. It has an otherworldly look to it and could well be mistaken for a hundred years photograph. I really love the photos I make using this technique.

In the event of a volcanic eruption from nearby Katla, this church on the hill has been designated a meeting place for the townsfolk. When we arrived in Vik, I noticed a little ray of sunshine spotlighting it. That event lasted for about 5 seconds, not long enough for me to grab my camera. When we returned a few weeks later, I was walking along Black Beach when I noticed that same sunbeam illuminating the church. This time I was ready with camera in hand. My general advice when you are out photographing is always look up and behind you. Your best photograph might be lying in wait.

The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque is breathtaking in its elaborate detail. My attention was pulled equally in all directions. I finally honed in on the ornate ceiling as my subject. The shapes and colors created wonderful abstract patterns. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope when I sorted through my photos but this was the clear winner. It’s important to mention that I also shoot all the obvious photos at these big tourist attractions but I get most excited creating images that are uniquely my own.

So that’s it for another year. Thank you all so much for your continued support. If you haven’t already subscribed, I would encourage you to do so. We have another exciting year coming up and there’ll be lots of new posts not to be missed.

Next up: More adventures in Ecuador!

…