Hi everyone!

As 2023 is almost over, it is that time of the year when I look over the year that was and choose my favorite images. A lot has happened this year, and it naturally breaks into two halves. As a result, I will make this a two part “definitely not a blog”.

These lists are always difficult for me. Although some images definitely make it onto the list, others can make it or not, depending on the day I look at them. This year I took a large number of images, many of which are not even edited yet, which makes the task of deciding even more difficult.

The year started slow for my photography. I didn’t get out much during winter as my old camera was on its last legs and threatened to die on me every time I pulled it out. Eventually, spring rolled in, and with it, my old trusty Sony a77 finally took its final shots.

Since my old camera was a “dead” system (as in, the mount was discontinued), I decided to switch to an E-mount Sony. I wrote about the switch in this “definitely not a blog” if anyone is interested to read about my considerations.

At the beginning of April I went to scout Ender’s Falls in Connecticut. I enjoyed the location immensely and later led my first workshop to the area. I also captured there several of my favorite images this year. I will be doing another workshop in the area in 2024 (and maybe one in the fall as well). If you are interested, stay tuned for an announcement.

The following image is going to be in the Worcester County Camera Club section of the upcoming Small Stones Festival of the Arts, on which more in the second installment of the favorite images of 2023.

There were several more images from the location that could conceivably make it into the list, but I decided to limit this part 1 to twelve images total.

In addition to leading my first workshop, I also participated for the first time, in the Paradise City Arts Festival in Marlborough. I am happy to announce that I will be coming back both to the Marlborough and Northampton festivals in the spring of 2024.

One day I went to photograph a sunrise in a nearby apple farm and captured some beautiful apple trees in bloom. As this is a short list, the images didn’t make it, but deserve an honorable mention. If you like white blossoms in a golden morning light, check out this gallery.

One misty morning, on my way to work, I stopped to photograph a small woodland area, and came away with several more wonderful images. Two of these make it into the list of my favorites for this year.

There is something about this local woodland that draws me, and I am always on the lookout for the right conditions to go back there. It is not a sprawling epic vista and isn’t an impressive waterfall, but gives me the satisfactory feeling of home.

As spring went on, I took a few trips around New England from Portland, ME to Cape Cod and Rhode Island.

It is always fun to go back to the Portland Head Lighthouse, as it always provides a great opportunity to get something new in a different light and weather. Last time I was there, I took some great stormy images. This time, I enjoyed the soft morning light. I came slightly after the sunrise. The park around the lighthouse generally opens at sunrise, but this time, it opened a few minutes late. I still enjoyed the area with only a few people around and captured several images, one of which makes it onto this list.

After photographing several more locations in Portland, I made my way South to photograph the Old Orchard beach in blue hour. I’ve never been to this area before, and it is definitely on my list to go back.

After finishing up at the Old Orchard Beach I went to the Nubble Light in York to photograph the Milky Way. This lighthouse is a wonderful location, and one of my favorite images was shot there a couple of years ago. This year, the Milky Way shot makes it onto the list of favorites in 2023.

On my excursion to Cape Cod, on the first evening I captured a beautiful sunset at Grays Beach. This is another one of those locations that are worth coming back to again and again as the area offers different beautiful views in different light and time of year.

During my stay on Cape Cod I also went to whale watching. As we were pulling out of the Provincetown harbor, I captured the following shot, which looks great in black and white.

During the same trip, I went to photograph the Milky Way at the Nobska Lighthouse. That shot didn’t make it onto the list, but deserves an honorable mention. After finishing up with the Milky Way, I napped for a couple of hours in my car, waiting for the sunrise. When I woke up, I was met by a heavy mist rolling over the lighthouse and the beach.

As I was photographing the area, there were two swans swimming in the small pond near the houses in the beach area. I captured one of them taking off.

I am not a wildlife photographer as I lack the patience to properly do it, but with my new kit, I did get a few more wildlife shots this year, and I expect this trend to continue.

Finally, the last image for this installment comes from the Port of Galilee in Narragansett. I came to the area on my excursion to Rhode Island. After I spent the evening at the port, I had dinner at George’s of Galilee, which is a great restaurant right on the beach. As I was walking back to my car, I saw a large flock of seagulls circling the fishing docks. I had to stop to photograph it.

To my great shame, I am extremely behind on my editing. There are many more images from these excursions around New England that could have made it onto my favorites list if I finished editing them. Alas, maybe they will make it into the special mention next year.

Speaking of which, here are two images, which were taken in 2022, but because I only edited them this year, they make a special appearance on this “definitely not a blog”.

I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane of 2023. Each of these images represents wonderful memories and experiences for me, and I hope you’ll like them as much as I do.

The next installment (hopefully, next week) will be an international edition dedicated to images from my trip to the Balkans. I am still in the early stages of editing the enormous amount of shots I brought back from that trip, but I am sure I will have trouble pairing the already edited images to just twelve favorites. As they say, stay tuned.

Thank you for visiting

Have a great weekend

The Year That Was. Favorite Images of 2023. Part 1: Shooting Locally

The Year That Was. Favorite Images of 2023. Part 2: International Edition

Dispatches from the Balkans. Part 1: Unleash the Power of Your Telephoto Lens