This year required some adjusting in my world. Long hours at work were, and still are, leaving me tired and unmotivated to do much when the weekend rolled around. I was missing out on the sunrises and golden hours that I love to shoot. I’ve had to practice some major discipline to get out early, but it has been paying off.

I’ve gone through my 2021 photos and picked my 10 favorites for the year. In no particular order, here they are. I hope you enjoy them as well!

Red fox vixen sits on a stump off the snowy ground with her fluffy tail curled, wildlife photography

While this is undoubtedly my favorite wildlife photograph of 2021, it might also be one of my favorite moments. This red fox vixen, in an attempt to take my attention away from her kits ran to this stump in the opposite direction of the den. It was almost as if she purposefully posed for me. Never taking her eyes off of me.

My brother and I have a lot in common, but one big thing is the love of a beautiful hike. On my fall trip home to PA this year he took me to this beautiful spot. I could have stayed here all day walking along the creek making photos. Luckily, my brother has a lot of patience with me and my camera!

Sunrays filtering through the trees onto south boulder creek in eldorado canyon state park

This was the day I started practicing patients with my photography. I got to the canyon and hiked to this spot before sunrise. Instead of my usual habit of hiking all over, I was determined to stay in this spot until the sun fully rose into the canyon. This was the last photo I took in this spot and obviously, one of my favorites of the year. Had I gotten impatient and left, I would’ve missed this.

wildlife photograph of a bull moose laying in the grass taken at eye level

I was bushwacking to one of my favorite fly fishing spots when I popped out a few feet from this guy. I’m not sure who was more surprised, me or him. Luckily, as I backed a way he stayed and watched as I put down my stuff and got my camera out for a photo. I’m sure I wasn’t the first person he has come close to along those waters.

This happened on my first backpacking trip of the summer. I poked my head out of my tent at just the right time to witness this beautiful rainbow at sunset. Sometimes it’s worth going out into the rain!

After a long day of wondering around miles and miles of trails and aspen trees, I ducked into the trees to sit nest to the creek to eat and layer up before finishing the hike back to the car. I found my self staring at this perfect scene. The perfect way to end a refreshing fall day after a smoke filled summer.

an abstract and intimate photograph of green foliage with a little light shining on it with a black background

Work schedule aside, I often find myself a bit uninspired in the summer with the cloudless skies and as of late wildfire smoke filled days. I was having one of those days when I stumbled upon this foliage. It forced me to get creative and gave me a needed spark of inspiration.

intimate landscape photograph of sunlight filtering through blowing snow in the mountains

The cold wind was blowing icy snow in my face and the last thing I wanted to do was stop, take off my pack and get out my camera. But, thankfully I did! This was a bit of a defining moment in my nature photography journey as I was already imagining the finished product in my head as I was shooting the image. I love the way it turned out, the layers of the mountainside in the background, the light filtering through the blowing snow and reflecting on the boulder, and the added depth the silhouette in the lower right creates.

This might be just a prairie dog, but I love this photo. I feel like it really captured this prairie dogs mood and personality.

sunrise photograph of bear peak in boulder, colorado from ncar

You know it’s a promising day when you are one of 3 cars in the NCAR parking lot on a Sunday, even if it is still dark. I found a great spot relatively out of the wind, got my tripod and camera set up, sat back and watched the sun work it’s magic lighting up the clouds followed by the flatirons.

2021 proved to be challenging, but a great year full of amazing moments. I can’t wait to see what 2022 holds!

Which photo is your favorite? Tell us in the comments.

BLOG

Posts tagged with best-of

My Top 10 Nature Photographs of 2021