Your Top 10 Photos of 2011...

[w7xman]

Many of us take our camera along with us all year, and we capture special moments in all seasons in some amazing places. These may be aestetically beautiful, or capture something with a special meaning to us personally.

I invite you all to join me in looking through your photo vault this New Years, and post you top ten shots of 2011.

Perhaps include a nice blurb about what, where, and why too...

Happy New Year!



A little history, a little inspiration from past years...

2011 Best Single Shot Thread:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=42924

2010:
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=38676

2009:
http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=33595

2008:
http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26831

2007:
http://vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19465

Note: As always when posting pictures here, please host them on a third party site, and post a smallish picture here!

(I'll Put Mine Together Tonight)

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

I love these threads and seeing everybody's photos (and thanks for linking the past threads, I've been looking at them instead of cleaning like I'm supposed to be doing ).

I guess I'll kick things off with some of my favorites from the year ....

1. Lone bison in Yellowstone

2. Visitors at Yellowstone watching Castle geyser erupt during a full moon

3. Norah at Island Lake in the Wind River Range

4. Family shot at Desert View at the Grand Canyon

5. Steve and Norah admiring Torre di Tobli (Dolomites)

6. Steve and Tofana de Rozes (Dolomites)

7. Steve and Mt Averau (Dolomites)

8. Mt Paterno and Rifugio Locatelli at sunrise (Dolomites)

9. Family shot at a viewpoint near Lagazuoi (Dolomites)

10. Starry sky over Tre Cime (Dolomites)

 

[JacobH]

Well these are some ridiculously tough acts to follow. Here are some of my humble attempts at photography.

1) Me on Pierce

2) Looking the other direction on Pierce (with a big storm coming in)

3) Found this guy on the way to Mount Straightback on Easter Sunday

4) The kiss! St Joseph's, Lucinda, PA

5) My hiking buddy Kirk on a not-so-sekret abandoned trail

6) Looking back at the lone cairn from the top of Arrow Slide

7) Kirk again, taking a break on the Airline

8) The closest I've ever been to a moose, the woman (I don't know her) in the picture is just for scale/distance purposes

9) Gray Jay on Mt Hight

10) Winkley Pond in Barrington

 

[mtruman]

OK, I guess this means that it's time to post my favorite photo of 2011 over in that thread so that I can then get to this one.

Thanks for starting this again Jim - it's my favorite thread every year.

Off to a great start too with the entries from Jacob and pudgy_groundhog. The shots of the Dolomites are incredible!

Really looking forward to all the rest to come.

 

[w7xman]

Great start to the thread! I love that the thread is always a great mix of personal, doccumentary and stunning!

I had a great year with my photography, but not a great year with hiking. I ended up with sprained arches this fall, and rested a few months to heal. I'm in good shape now, and am looking forward to some hiking again this winter.

Instead of hiking, I really focused on classic New England nature scenes, and was fortunate to capture some great light this year.

I have to break my Top 10 Rule, as I added #11 yesterday morning!

Here we go...in chronological order...

#1 - Spring Snow...Tucker Brook Falls
Winter is a tough time to photograph waterfalls in New England, as they are typically iced over solid. A freak April Fools Day snow allowed for some fun shots though!


Spring Snow at Tucker Brook Falls... by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#2 - Nodding Trillium...Epping, NH
I had never seen this flower before, and had always wondered why the trillium on the Lamprey floodplain never bloom. Turns out I was looking in the wrong place! Really pretty little flower!


Nodding Trillium... by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#3 - Swirls Below the Pulpit
I work in Bedford, NH and try to make it a point to stop at interesting places on the way home. Pulpit Rock is one of my favorites, and it looked great after this spring's incessant rains!


Pulpit Brook, Bedford, NH by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#4 - Alpine Flowers on Monroe
I've wanted to get a shot like this for years...and everything really came together this night!


Alpine Flowers on Mount Washington... by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#5 - Rainbow Over Lupine
I always make it a point to stop by the lupine festival in Sugar Hill. This morning was the last weekend, and rain was forecast, so noone was around. And then this happened!


Magic Happens... by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#6 - Nap on the Back
I spent a week kayaking with a local loon family in early July, and they became quite comfortable with my presence. I love the connection of the loon and its mother in this shot!


Nap on the Back... by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#7 - Sunrise From Mount Clay
My absolule favorite morning of the year...


Sunrise From Clay by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#8 - Stream's Golden Glow
Driving around the Jefferson area, a tiny stream caught my eye. Never noticed it before...roadside gem for sure!


Stream's Golden Glow by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#9 - Dramatic Sky From Mount Morgan
I was severely limited in hiking this fall...but managed a few short hikes. Had a hunch about good light for sunset this evening...and was wrong. Fortunately, the show during the afternoon was even better!


Dramatic Sky Over Mount Morgan by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#10 - Morning Stretch
Long Pond is a true quiet White Mountain gem. Was set up for sunrise there when a loon family stole the show! Thank goodness I brought my long lens in my pack that morning!


Morning Stretch... by Jim Salge, on Flickr

#11 - Snowy Owl on the Coast
I had my Top 10 Set, but yesterday morning I had a spectacular encounter with a snowy owl on the coast of New Hampshire. There are a lot down here this year, but it's the first one I'd ever seen. A few hours of crawling around allowed this shot to happen!


Snowy Owl in New Hampshire by Jim Salge, on Flickr

Well, there it is!

Looking forward to the rest of the thread! Happy New Year!

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Spectacular, as always, Jim. I think the loon mother is my favorite.

Tim

 

[freighttrain48]

Here are my top ten. Keep in mind I am not a great photoghrapher like a lot of people on this site, in fact most shots are from my cell phone. They are not ranked in any order.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Eisenhower with Jen, Amanda and Matt

Flags on the 48 - West Bond

Mountain Ash on the LT, ascending Jay Peak

Jen and Amanda above Jefferson Ravine (my favorite of the year)

The family on Jefferson

Pinnacle Buttress and Pinnacle Gulley

Washington, from Ball Crag

Grass pink orchid, Philbrick-Crescenti Bog, New London, NH

Milk snake, Mt. Kearsarge (south)

Spruce Grouse on North Weeks

Happy New Year!
Tim

 

[Stash]

A light year for me so I can't count to 10 but here are a few....

1. From my favorite hike of the year (even if it wasn't winter)
2. Presidentials in the background
3. When the colors around you are black and white

 

[J&J]

Gray Jay on Mt. Tom.

Chippie.

Ruffed Grouse.

Fisher.

Ermine about to put the hurt on a Red Squirrel.

Female Spruce Grouse.

Red Fox.

Garfield views.

One step over the line.

Black Fly season on West Magalloway or John it's time to go now.

 

[Dana]

From this year's early snowstorm, on the trails behind my house:

Harriman in March:

My daughter's the real photographer in the family, though... me, daughters, and one daughter's boyfriend on the way down from Mt. Washington:

Would you believe a bolt of lightning came out of clouds a moment later? No? Oh well, I tried...

 

[MichaelJ]

Here are my top ten. Keep in mind I am not a great photoghrapher like a lot of people on this site, in fact most shots are from my cell phone.

It does not have to be a technically exceptional photo to be your (or anyone's) favorite photo!

 

[dailey7779]

Cool pics everyone, keep on shooting in twenty-twelve!

Mount Washington Hotel and the Presidential Range (Jefferson through Eisenhower)

Lakes of the Clouds Hut and Mount Monroe from the Crawford Path

Owl's Head and the Franconia Ridge from the Cliffs of Bond

Adirondack Mountain Reserve gate on the private road to Lower Ausuable Lake

Lake Placid from Whiteface Mountain

Basin and Saddleback Mountain from Sawteeth

Giant Mountain from Ausuable Club

Marcy Dam (pre and post Irene)

Trap Dike (pre and post Irene)

Sildes on Mount Colden (pre and post Irene)

 

[JustJoe]

Tough to look though thousands of photos to find the 10 best. Here's 10 I like anyway.

1. Sunrise over the Presi's Rt. 3 in Twin Mtn.

2. Franconia Ridge last February

3. Surviving 60+ on Bond Cliff, last Wednesday

4. Common Wild Violet

5. Sunset on Middle Sugarloaf

6. Not sure what these clouds are but though they looked awesome. Crane Beach. Ipswich, Ma.

7. The Balsams from The Pinnacle

8. Rime ice on Garfield

9. Nineteenmile Brook

10. Stillness on Lonesome Lake

 

[PamW]

Awesome everyone! Keep 'em coming (and you don't have to do 10-- any number below that would be great!). All of mine are from an old iPhone-- amazing what a good location and great light will do. I had to travel every week for work for most of 2011, but got out west because of it. I haven't posted many of my NH trips on the web and there were way too few of them anyway More in 2012!

This one is from Ansel Adams wilderness, Thousand Island Lake-- best campsite so far, and a great 4 day trip with my husband and 12 year old daughter.

Same trip. Sunrise on Garnet Lake, with Banner and Ritter Peaks behind.

Same-- just a little while later.

Sunset from the night before-- Garnet Lake

Heading down the JMT towards Garnet with Volcanic Ridge and a glimpse of the minarets

At 12,500 ft ridge on Longs Peak Trail while on a three day solo backpack in Rocky Mountain NP. I was soooo happy!

Amazing lighting in a meadow near my first night campsite, Estes Cone in background

Sunlight through the clouds from Garfield I met erugs on this hike.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Ten

As always some great and meaningful shots from EVERYBODY! Thanks ALL for sharing! Tough for me to narrow it down to 10, but here goes:

Sunset over Great Pond (Kingston Lake)... January 21, 2011

"More snow? Whateva!" February 1, 2011

Rime Feathers on Mount Washington. March 23, 2011.

Today in Pawtuckaway... Hepatica (Anemone americana) April 9, 2011.

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) May 24, 2011.

Moose (Alces alces) June, 4 2011.

Emma on Boott Spur. July 23, 2011.

Rainbow on the Powow August 8, 2011.

Salisbury... October 15, 2011.

Lonesome Lake, October 28, 2011.

KDT

 

[John in NH]

Thanks everyone, I always appreciate the effort it takes to get and share these great shots.

I fortunately had a great year adventuring, and less free time for processing photos, so I give up... these will have to be the top 10 for me.

1. Sunset Over Striations, Cadillac Mountain, Acadia NP April 2011

2. Breaking into the Rime, Top of Edmands Path, Mount Eisenhower December 2011

3. Clouds Cutting Through Smugglers Notch, Vermont October 2011

4. Three Hikers Swallowed By Clouds Above Kings Ravine, Upper Airline Trail, August 2011 (look closely for the hikers for scale!)

5. After The Storm, York Lighthouse, (After 20 mile training run on Maine Coast) April 2011

6. Golden Hour on Chocorua Lake, October 2011

7. The Tree, Kancamangus Highway, October 2011

8. The Ice Tree, Round Pond, Belknap Range, NH Feb 2011

9. Shadows and Snow Drifts, Mount Major Summit, Feb 2011

10. Moose Mother Calling To Two Yearlings, Sandy Stream Pond, Baxter State Park, September 2011 (watched them for one full hour, it was longest, best wildlife encounter ever!)

 

[JohnL]

Though I don’t necessarily consider these my 10 “best” photos of 2011, they are a representation of a well rounded set of my top nature related photos of the year. Thanks to everyone who has shown and will show their photos. Some really nice stuff in this thread.

An alien hovercraft masquerading as a lenticular cloud low over Echo Lake.

A central section of Beaver Brook Falls in Colebrook, NH.

A Starflower (Trientalis borealis) from the woods behind my house.

An Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis) from the woods near a walking path in Chelmsford.

An in-camera experiment while taking foliage shots behind my house.

Crazy Hill in Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, NV.

Pink Canyon in Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, NV.

Standing in the tidal flow shortly after sunrise at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA.

Before sunup at the National Wildlife Refuge in Concord, MA.

Trying not to get swept off my perch by the incoming high tide on the rocks near Ogunquit, ME.

JohnL

 

[DSettahr]

In no particular order:

Sunset on Cotton Hill, Cotton Hill State Forest, May 2011

Campfire near Henderson Lake, High Peaks Wilderness, October 2011

Passing through the site of the logging town of Griffith, Big Branch Wilderness, June 2011

Sunset at Duck Hole, High Peaks Wilderness, October 2011

Sunset on Sleeping Beauty, Lake George Wild Forest, November 2011

Watching the sun set on Sand Lake, Five Ponds Wilderness, November 2011

View of Algonquin through the clouds, High Peaks Wilderness, January 2011

Realizing on Allen Mountain that I am the only human being for miles, High Peaks Wilderness, January 2011

Leaving treeline on Mt. Marcy, High Peaks Wilderness, March 2011

Exploring Duck Hole after the dam failure, High Peaks Wilderness, October 2011

Sunset on Sand Lake, Five Pond Wilderness, November 2011

Sunset over the Great Range, High Peaks Wilderness, January 2011​

 

[The Unstrung Harp]

Awesome, gorgeous pictures, everyone!! Here are my humble offerings. Most are from my Trek For Peace blog, and some are not.

Sunset on Mount Battie, midcoast Maine, late summer:

Sunset at Togue Pond in Baxter SP, Maine:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yMTCIwpnxXA/TkCrtlqiLbI/AAAAAAAADt0/ItdMtBFg2p4/s1600/best%2Bvespers.JPG

Franconia Ridge in NH, of course! Mid August.

Alpine meadow along the Traveler Loop in Baxter last June. My uncle came along and brought with him fabulous stories of his recent Kilimanjaro climb!

Snowshoeing on North Haven Island, off the coast of Maine, last Feb:

Owl - August - Baxter SP - Maine:

Tumbledown! Near Weld, Maine. September.

More Togue Pond at Baxter:

South Branch Pond reflection, June, Baxter:

Early front on the morning of my 30th bday, right before my first 12 mile trail race. Midcoast ME.