Favorite Shots of 2011

I decided that this year would be the first of what I hope will be an annual list of favorite photos. As I looked back on this year I found that it was somewhat easier to pick my favorites than I thought it would be. This could be a bad thing. It could mean I didn’t shoot enough. But let’s not dwell on the negative. On with the positive.

Thoughtful Place. I took this shot the first week I got my Tokina 11-16mm lens. This spot is very close to my office and I really lucked out with the fantastic sky. Many of my friends and fans have stated their affection for this shot. I like it too, thus its inclusion into my best of 2011 list.

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Lake Desoto, Arkansas. This peaceful place was where we spent spring break this year with family. Beautiful and relaxing.

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John on the Lake. This is my friend and coworker, John. I caught this shot of him as he was paddling over to meet my family in Arkansas. John liked the shot so much that he said he wanted it beside his casket at his funeral. I think that is somewhat high praise, even though it is a bit morbid.

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Main Street, Fort Worth. My home town’s Main Street isn’t the most spectacular in the nation, but it has it’s own charm. I hope you agree.

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Texas House of Representative. One of many shots I took of our State Capitol. This one had the distinction of getting an Editor’s Choice pick on the NAPP web site.

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John and Leta. This was the only shot out of many that turned out. But it is a great shot of my in-laws. Sometimes you only need one shot.

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Bait and Tackle. This photo was taken during our annual company Christmas party, which this year just happened to be at Rough Creek Lodge. I like the solitude in this setting. Just me, the water, the boat house and that beautiful sunset.

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TCC and RadioShack Campus. The old RadioShack Campus, which is now the Tarrant County College Campus, reminds me of just how fast things can change. RadioShack moved into this campus in the earlier 2000s, then shortly thereafter sold most of it to TCC. That doesn’t change the striking architecture, but does change the meaning a bit.

So there are my favorite shots. I’m pleased with them and with the year I’ve experienced.

It was a tough year in a lot of respects. Family challenges, financial challenges and career challenges seemed more intense this year than in previous years. But I look back and think of the positives too. I spent some really good times with friends and family. Three wonderful vacations, a daughters graduation and my fiftieth birthday were a few of the highlights. But the most satisfying and gratifying thing that happened to me and my wife this year is that we got our oldest daughter back. I will not go into all the details, but I will say that we are happy beyond belief that our family is whole once again. And that is the biggest accomplishment we have had in many years. Now on to 2012.