With the first full week of 2010 coming to an end, I figured it was time to pick some images from 2009 which summarized the year. Instead of picking the top images, I picked five images taken in 2009 along with how they changed my style or approach when photographing.
Winter in Washington Park
On the first weekend of January 2009, some snowfall finally graced Denver. Not knowing how much would fall, I planned to wake up early on Sunday morning to see the result and photograph around Denver. When heading out that morning, in my mind I was thinking of the tree at Washington Park I had photographed on a May 1, 2008 (Snowy May Day). Arriving before sunrise at the park, I took the similar photograph, but then decided to explore the subject some more with different angles in addition to what should be included in the frame. The end result is the above image which now includes the boat house at the park. While I went into the location with an idea of the subject, exploring new perspectives and challenging yourself in the field is important. This approach was something I had always done in the field, but on this day it just hit home with the result.
Rocky Mountain News – Final Edition
On Friday February 27, 2009 the Rocky Mountain News published their final edition. The News had been a part of Denver for almost as long as Denver was a city and this final edition marked the end of an era. The final edition which I purchased was placed on the front porch to my house as this is how many people received the paper. The idea for this image came to mind when I was walking back from the local convenience store where I purchased a few copies of the paper. There were two reminders which came with this photograph. The first is to think about how people see the subject you are photographing. In the instance of the newspaper a front porch is where you would expect the paper to land and become a part of your day. Sure there are the days it is in the grass, bushes or elsewhere but that isn’t a positive outlook of picking up the newspaper. The second is to be aware of what is happening around you as you never know when a good photo opportunity may present itself.
Coors Field Seats
While at a Colorado Rockies game this fall with a large group, just before the game I noticed the sun starting to drop behind the stands on the 3rd base side of the stadium. As this late afternoon light streamed through, the beverage holders near our seats started to pick up the light. Pausing from a conversation witha few others, I grabbed my iPhone and took the above image. This image shows the importance of having a camera with you at all times even if it is a mobile phone, and is the basis of the Along the Journey… series.
East of Denver International Airport
During the month of November, I once again did the Thirty Days project. Near the end of the month, I flew back to Denver from a Thanksgiving trip in Southern California. Knowing that the my flight would land after midnight I thought about heading out to photograph at that time, depending on the weather. Upon arriving at my car close to 2am, I thought about it and took a drive east of the airport to photograph. I knew it would be cold, so I prepared myself as best I could in the conditions. After spending about 45 minutes on the plains I headed home tired, but more so happy I pushed myself to use that opportunity to photograph. It is easy to stay somewhere warm, but the images can not be created without pushing yourself. In this instance I found my Day 30 image, but also have ideas to look into later this year.
Hannah’s Birthday at Disneyland
My niece turned five in 2009. For her birthday, she was treated with a trip to Disneyland to see the princesses and fairies. I decided to fly out for the occasion and join my sister’s family, as well as my parents who made the trip to Anaheim. Of course there was no way I would not head there without a camera and during the day I took many images of Hannah enjoying herself at the park. Capturing the moment is important but so is taking time out to enjoy the important moments in life as they will quickly pass.
There were many other pictures taken during the course of 2009, but I feel the above five highlight the year and serve as a reminder of why I photograph.
