This week I'm going to share the 2015 top ten photographs that we edited down to last week, with a little information about each image. There is a lot to be learned about our images from this exercise, so this is something that I like to do each year. If you didn't catch last week's episode, in which I walked you through the selection process, you might want to check that out first. I really think that it's important for a photographer to get used to whittling down images to a finite number, even for personal benefit. There's nothing worse...
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Image Gallery
Hanazono Tree with Fence Posts
Boat Graveyard #2
Fox's Yawn
Drowsy Six Week Old Snow Monkey
Ichinuma in the Mist (Panorama #2)
Deadvlei Camel Thorn Tree Silhouettes
Himba Girl
Himba Goat Herding
Gullfoss (Falls)
Water and Ice
Eight Years of Top Tens
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17 Comments
Mauricio Duque A. (@jugglerofwords)
Posted at 19:28h, 11 JanuaryThis process is a very personal journey and you showed that very clearly. Thanks for inviting us to share your path and your steps.
Martin Bailey
Posted at 16:48h, 24 JanuaryYou’re very welcome Mauricio. Thanks for taking the time to take a look!
Nick Nieto
Posted at 02:55h, 14 JanuaryBeautiful work as always Martin. I always look forward to your best of the year podcasts. Seeing the images you finally choose. Learning what make those images special and what you learned from each one is really insightful and helpful. I love the first three on this post. The simplicity in the first image is something I love about your work. The Boat Graveyard is a favorite of mine as well. I love the dramatic story it tells. The fox just makes me smile. Congratulations on a great year of photography.
I’m still trying to whittle down my best 10 images of 2015 – It has been especially difficult to edit out my favorites this year.
Martin Bailey
Posted at 16:51h, 24 JanuaryThanks for the kind words, and taking the time to look at my images etc. I’m pleased that you enjoy these top ten posts.
Do post a link to your own top ten when you finalize it.
All the best for 2016!
Nick Nieto
Posted at 00:08h, 26 JanuaryJust circling back to share my 10 best from 2015. http://nicknieto.com/blog/news/best_of_2015/
Fred Kotler
Posted at 05:59h, 14 JanuaryMartin, great work as usual. Your photos have been an inspiration to me and I appreciate your explanations of how and why you made the photographs. My top ten for 2015 are available at http://photos.kotler.org/TopTen-2015/index.html These were all made this summer in Italy. I have many street scenes similar to the first photo, but this is my favorite with the bicycle leading in from the lower left. I also enjoy photographing people at work, hence the three photos of women doing needlepoint and making pasta. The landscape is a favorite because of the texture of the fields. I expected to go maximum wide angle for this landscape and was perplexed when I saw another photographer shooting the scene with a long 100-400 mm lens. But wide angle didn’t work and I captured the scene with a midrange 75 mm. And, finally, who can resist a perfect sunflower?
Martin Bailey
Posted at 16:54h, 24 JanuaryLovely selection Fred.
I think my favorite is the quarry image, with the graphic lines and shapes.
Thanks for sharing, and all the best for 2016!
Martin.
Ronan
Posted at 02:13h, 17 JanuaryI liked listening how you went about the process and thanks for sharing that but I just wanted to say that the final photos are all absolutely stunning !!!
Martin Bailey
Posted at 16:55h, 24 JanuaryThanks so much Ronan! I’m really pleased that you like these.
All the best for 2016!
Eric Vogt
Posted at 03:34h, 17 JanuaryGreat set again this year Martin! You know I always enjoy this podcast each year, and seeing you continue to grow as a photographer. Since my wife and I welcomed our third child this past year, I didn’t get to shoot as much as I have in years past, but I still pushed myself to improve my craft. I think my top ten from 2015 is evidence of that. Thanks again for the inspiration your podcast provides Martin!
http://www.ericvogtphoto.com/blog/2015topten
Martin Bailey
Posted at 17:00h, 24 JanuaryAnd improve your craft you did Eric! I always look forward to seeing your selection as well, and you certainly didn’t disappoint this year. They’re all great shots!
I think my favorite is Whitman County Growers, but the humming bird is a close second favorite. They are all great though, so congratulations on a product year. Congratulations on your new arrival too! I can only imagine how busy you’ve been, but still managed to get out with the camera. Well done!
All the best for 2016!
Martin.
Sparky Stensaas
Posted at 23:45h, 22 JanuaryThanks Martin…Faithful listener to your Blogcast for many years here in northern Minnesota. Fun to hear your thought process. My favorites are the Fox’s Yawn and Water and Ice. I can relate to the agonizing…I have done Top Tens in the past. This year I stopped at 21. My readers like the extra images, but I will do a personal top ten soon.
Here is my “Top 2015 Birds”
http://thephotonaturalist.com/2016/01/01/best-bird-photos-2015/
Martin Bailey
Posted at 17:03h, 24 JanuaryThank you Sparky, for listening over the years, and for following my process here.
You’ve posted a lovely selection of bird photographs. My favorite is “Flight of the Barred”. It is almost like a space ship flying through space, with the snow looking like a galaxy of stars. Wonderful photograph!
All the best for 2016!
Bruce Leventhal
Posted at 11:06h, 25 JanuaryHello Martin,
Thanks for continuing to share your top ten images. This annual project/gallery is one that I look forward to each year. Having been a listener to your blog since 2008, I have learned to be increasingly selective about my own work by listening to how others (like you) go through the selection process. Inspired by your 2014 blog about selecting a top 10, I was determined to do the same for my work in 2015. While the final selects became a top 14, I figured that I could cheat the limit on this first attempt. I’ve included a link here… http://btleventhal.com/bruceleventhal/2015/12/27/notable-favorites-from-2015
Before I end this note, I am curious if you might consider doing a summer wildlife/landscape tour in Hokkaido. I am a high school biology teacher and your winter-wonderland trip falls at the wrong time of the year and needs to wait until I can retire from the “A-job.” Having seen two images from your summer visit to Hokkaido grace your 2015 top-ten gallery, it appears that a summer in Hokkaido has a lot to offer in the way of wildlife and landscape photography. Should you decide to do a 2018 summer trip (hint, hint…) I know two people who will be quick to make a deposit…
Anyway, thanks for continuing to share your gallery of work and thoughts behind making your images.
regards,
bruce
Martin Bailey
Posted at 18:57h, 27 AprilHi Bruce,
I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reply. I’ve had the notification of your post marked unread for three months, and just catching up. 🙂
I’m pleased that you are enjoying going through this process. Thanks for listening to the podcast too.
Becoming selective is great. Your 2014 favorites are stunning. For me Sunrise Over Lake Superior is an absolute favorite. They’re all beautiful, but I love the tones and overall mood of that photo. Wonderful!
The photos that you saw in my 2015 top ten and thought were from Hokkaido are probably from Nagano, which is about 4 hours north-west of Tokyo. I haven’t visited Hokkaido in the summer for years.
Having said that, I am thinking of possibly doing something in the future, including some summer landscape and a bit of whale watching etc. I will be going for a scouting trip at some time and will set something up and see how it flies. As long as you continue to listen or receive our newsletters (https://mbp.ac/news) you’ll be among the first to know when I do set something up.
It might work out that I do this in 2018, as I might have missed my chance to do a scouting trip this year, so it will probably be next year now.
Stay tuned!
Cheers,
Martin.
Jonny Blair
Posted at 20:38h, 02 OctoberGreat photos Martin. Where can I find your stuff on Poland? Assuming you have already visited? Safe travels. Jonny
Martin Bailey
Posted at 09:21h, 03 OctoberHi Jonny,
I considered doing a tour in Poland but ended up passing over the opportunity, unfortunately.
Maybe at some point in the future.
Regards,
Martin.