POY - Picture of the Year / 2009

<p>Well, blame it on Michael Elenko. He suggested or inquired about a picture of the year. I was hoping one of the more brilliant photographers would start the thread out, but since no one has, I guess I will attempt to start a thread. As in the past for this thread please pick ONE of your best images or one that you really like. Mine is a shot from exactly one year ago or so of my wife just before she crossed a bridge at a New York State Park that we live near called Moreau State Park after a newly fallen snow/ice storm when the lake was not frozen yet and there was no wind so the water reflections were quite pleasing. <em>K10D / 16-45 lens @ 38mm / 1/30 sec / f8.0 / ISO 100 / Exp Comp +1.0</em> <strong>Winter Reflections</strong> <a href="http://s407.photobucket.com/albums/pp153/marzrw/Winter%20Scenes/?action=view&current=Bridgescene3-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp153/marzrw/Winter%20Scenes/Bridgescene3-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></p>

<p>Ok, This is my favorite of the year and it came as a complete after thought. As I was loading up my gear to go home from a day at Long Beach, there I saw this image framed through the back window of my truck...For all the fancy DSLR's I have and the greatest wazoo lenses, this image was made with my <em><strong>Pentax Spotmatic, Super Tak 35F/3.5 and Ilford XP2 ASA 400 speed film...</strong> </em><br>

<img src="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/Film2/LfordXP2400SP2TAK359.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Bob, the red against the muted palate of the scene is great. Javier, what a marvellous "found artifact" feel. This is less interesting, but it immediately came to mind as my favorite I took last year.</p><div></div>

<p>Thanks for taking the initiative Bob. I don't mind being blamed for good stuff like this. Each of these proceeding images are memorable and well-executed. A real treat for a gray, dank January weekday. It would be nice to have folks continue sharing their intentions with each shot, a Pentax angle, and a bit of a back story.</p>

<p>This was in a special, somewhat secluded location of a large garden. The day was pretty gray (so what else is new in Puget Sound in late October) so the maple was fairly dark underneath. I was (and still am) figuring out how to use the ring flash. I gave it a blast with the widest lens I had in the bag and then had to calm down some--I'm guessing a few of you had a bit of an adrenaline rush after taking some of the shots in this thread. Post-processing was the harder effort as I aimed for a more even exposure and contrast. Good enough for me.</p>

<p><strong>Autumn Shroud</strong></p>

<p><img src="http://www.smugmug.com/photos/758350025_ChmyY-L.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>K20D, DA 21mm Ltd.,1/30 @ f6.7, ISO 800 + Sigma Closeup Ring Flash</p>

<p>ME</p>

<p>As I sat on a little stool clicking away at the bees, just wishing I could catch them doing something interesting, along comes this near-miss. Aaahhhhhh!!! I think this is a fun photo, reminds me of two pups wrestling in the grass. I smile every time I see it. K20D and Tamron 900 macro.<br>

<img src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/stevet_010/K20D5239edit.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>That's a great kick-off photo, Bob! </p>

<p>This is "one of" my favourites of the year. Since I take so many wedding shots, I'm drawn to more and more unusual stuff. There's no PP work here. Just shot at high ISO and I put the WB way over to blue to enhance the already blue light the performance was using.</p>

<p><a title="ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting" href="http://img19.imageshack.us/i/imgp0925l.jpg/" target="_blank" title="ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting"><img src="http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5717/imgp0925l.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="689" height="1029" /> </a></p>

<p>Beautiful shot, Bob. Colors are just perfect. Javier, I agree, I think that is one of your best! Nick's flower, Michael's autumn and Steve's nature shots are all wonderful. This is really some nice stuff here. I am anxious to see how this thread plays out. Thanks for starting it, Bob. <br>

Mine was shot last April and has been posted before. Shot with the K10D and the DA 50-135.</p><div></div>

<p>Well, this is my favorite shot I've taken this year even if its not technically the best.</p><div></div>

<p>It was tough for me to pick one shot that I liked "best" from the past year. This was taken in late July, during my first visit to the Canadian Rockies. It was the first time I had seen a lake of this color in person, and it was pretty amazing. Emerald Lake, in Canada's Yoho National Park in British Columbia. DA40, K20D, ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/200, handheld.</p>

<p><img src="http://frankbaiamonte.smugmug.com/Travel/Fly-Drive-Road-Trip-Northwest/British-Columbia-Alberta/FB013723/617719180_45GJP-L-2.jpg" alt="" /></p>

 

<p>This is one tough job... here I think this one, quickly, before I change my mind...</p><div></div>

<p>This is not my best, but almost my last picture of 2009. And certainly out of the shoot I was very much looking forward to. Just got back from Surinam where I attended a hindustani wedding.<br>

<img src="http://static.zoom.nl/31F326C3351907FDC3DC3173E536318B-de-bruid.jpg" alt="" width="657" height="900" /></p>

<p>Lens Focal Length: 21,00 mm ()<br />Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec<br />F-Number: F3,2<br />ISO: 1600</p>

<p >I think I have already posted this photo but still to this day its one of my favorites of 2009.</p>

<p >What else would make a great photo other then capturing a dear friend tracking wildlife with you</p>

<p > </p>

<div></div>

<p>Let me share mine - a multiple exposure shot with the K10D and 77mm limited:<br>

<img src="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a199/NolsP/Aliwan%20Festival%202009/K10DIMGP5747K10Adobe-01ver1red.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Great pics all!</p>

<p>I really like the softness in this one.</p>

<p>G</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Everyone has posted some great stuff but IMHO Ryan Watts has posted the best one so far. Congrats Ryan!</p>

<p>From March 2009:</p><div></div>

<p>Very nice stuff! I absolutely love Micheal's shot of the tree. Inspiring!<br>

I don't have much in the way of Pentax shots for the year since I only just got mine. But I did like this one so even though it's been posted before here it is again.<br>

K-x with 50mm A 1.4.<br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2605/4250722731_8bfbef1715.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="358" /></p>

<p>Holy cow this is hard just to choose one for the year! In the end I chose this one:<br>

<a title="Zigzag by Shaloot, on Flickr" href=" title="Zigzag by Shaloot, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3464/3964476242_cf8fbf7cff.jpg" alt="Zigzag" width="446" height="500" /> </a></p>

<p>Taken in September in the Smokey Mountains Park, North Carolina.</p>

<p>Frozen corn stalk. This is probably not my best, but it is one of my favorites.<br>

<img src="http://seaaingray.zenfolio.com/img/v5/p788708355-4.jpg" alt="" /><br>

Thanks...<br>

woof!</p>

<p>Woof, how awesome to see ya here :)</p>

<p>I am unsettled in cropping part of the head and tilting. It is filled with user errors but it reminds me the newbie effort for my 1st shooting in indoor staged performance. I shot it with FA 77mm f/1.8 limited and I couldn't move my position when the dancer is closer to me. That cultural dance was the most exhausting shoot for me in 2009 that involves 10 hours of shooting in rehearsal and formal in two separate days and 20+ hours in editing. It was a tough lesson learned as a newbie not knowing that taking too many pictures could be a tremendous burden after the shooting. I can have picked another better shot for POY but I like this one for the excitement and the pose of the dancer reaching up and it reminds me the lack of preparation and skills in the shooting.</p>

<p align="center">1/500 sec, f/2.2, 77mm, iso 640, 0 Ev, K20D</p>

<p align="center"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3514/3799397342_04cb131121_b.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="1024" /></p>

<p>Here is one taken with my K10D and the lowly 18-55 kit lens at 18mm, which is the worst setting, supposedly. It is not my best but I find it the most interesting as I daresay that even my 50mm M 1.7 would have a hard time doing it better. This is detail from an old Penna RR steam engine rusting in the yard at the Penna RR museum.</p><div></div>

<p>Another kit lens shot from me too. I have used (and now own) other lenses which knock the socks off the kit lens, but no lens gets you in the right place at the right time. This with K10D, 18-55mm.</p><div></div>

<p>here is my entry, something a little different. hope you enjoy.</p><div></div>