Favorite Images 2016

It is the end of another year.  It is bitter cold in Iowa as I write this post and choose my favorite images of 2016.  A good day to stay inside and reflect on the year through my photography.  This year is such a diverse set of images, interesting how my photography changed this year.  So many of my images this year were spur of the moment and unplanned.  The images this year were made using three cameras, my Nikon P7000, Nikon D7000 and my iPhone 6s.  The images made with my DSLR Nikon D7000, were made with only two lenses, my 50mm 1.8D and my 105mm macro lens.

I took a look back at previous years to see my favorite images from 2013, 2014 and 2015.  How different they are from this year.  I cringed when looking at my images from 2013 as it seemed I was trying too hard and concerned with making images that would please others.  It was all about macro photography and finding my style and path in 2014.  And 2015 was a gallery of images from Arizona and Iowa and I see the personal struggle in my images of trying to figure out where I should be.

And here we are at the end of 2016 and the images I chose as my favorites.  Several of the images were not shared in previous posts.  You may click on any of the images below to view a larger size.  Did you look back at previous years?  If so, drop me a line and let me know what you see!  For now, enjoy my favorites images 2016!

Friday Floral – Pink Hedgehog Cactus

This pink hedgehog cactus in full bloom was tucked away along a trail at the Desert Botanical Garden.  The garden waters all of the flora and fauna in the garden, so every spring you are sure to see an array of color throughout the garden.  Cactus flowers can be found along all the trails in the garden and bloom at different times.  Some bloom during the day while others bloom at night.  This particular cactus blooms during the day.  Hedgehog cactus also bloom in a vibrant orange.

pink hedgehog cactus flowers

It has been a while since giving the technical info for one of my images.  This image was shot with a Nikon D7000, 105 mm 2.8 macro lens, polarizer filter, ISO 100, F5.6, 1/3 sec.