Top 10 Photographs of 2010

StreetObservations.com - Ah, the Top 10 Photographs I've taken in the year 2010, what were they?  I continue my annual exercise of using the extra days off at the end of the year (and then some) to go through all the pictures I've taken from January to December and select my top 10.  Only 10, no more, no less.  This leads to some tough decisions, as I've come to know and admire many of the shots over the course of the year (as well as some of the people in the photos... known or unknown).  But, because I am a disciplined person, somewhat obsessively detailed and stubborn, and because now it's a ritual, I must continue the tradition. 

There are two developments this year in the equipment category.  First off, I have a new wide angle lens (F2.8 17-55mm... for those who care) that has added a broader dimension to some of the photos (particularly #5 and #6 below). I purchased this in preparation for a trip I took in Venice and Greece.  Secondly, there are two shots that were taken with an iPhone.  These are photos I never would have been able to take, because I wouldn't have had a camera with me. 

Here they are presented in sequence as taken over the course of the year. (Click to picture to see it larger). Some of the pictures have been previously discussed in my StreetObservations.com blog. Clicking (More...) will take you back to those entries.

1. Free Colonial Concert - This is one of the iPhone shots.  I was walking up Wall Street and noticed the "orchestra" at the foot of the George Washington statue.  I rattled off about six shots, but this one captured a sense of irony as the red coats below nonchalantly pass by.  This shot was "short listed" for the EYE'EM awards presented for mobile device photography.  (More...)

Free Colonial Concert

2. Crossroads - This was taken from the steps of the TKTS office in Times Square looking south.  I patiently waited as the news zipper moved along.  I was looking for key words to freeze upon.  I think the word "NEWS" was appropriate.  This picture was included in a slideshow about the "World's Worst Traffic Jams" on the TravelandLeisure.com website.  It was selected to represent New York City.   (More...)

Crossroads - Times Square traffic chaos

3. Thirty Years Later - A bus passes and a young woman transitions to her future self (her umbrella does become more stylish as she ages).  A slow shutter speed made the bus blur.  The thought is that this is a comparison of two women at different times in their life.  

Thirty Years Later

4. Crossing with Twins - Another iPhone shot. My wife noticed them as they prepared to cross Sixth Avenue.  It was Fleet Week in New York. 

Cross with Twins - Fleet Week Marine with twin daughters

5. Brooklyn Bound - From the walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge. Someone thought this was an HDR photograph, which is a technical technique that merges multiple photos to even out the light.  But, it was a cloudy day which made everything balanced (not HDR).  I did do some work to bring out the detail in the clouds though. 

Brooklyn Bound - Brooklyn Bridge taxi below the New York City skyline

6. Determined - I was attracted to the corner of the building and the lighting.  I took about 20 pictures of different combinations of people.  The conviction of this guy's walk and the bright color of his shirt made this one memorable.  It was one of my most popular pictures on Flickr this year. 

Determined

 7. Gondolier Glimpse - Walking the alleys in Venice.  A quick reaction as the boat passed by under the bridge.  Three shots and this one was just right.   (More...)

Gondolier Glimpse - Venice gondola

8. Venice Alley - Something about the way laundry is hung within alleys brings out the old world feeling in this remote part of Venice. 

Venice Alley

9. Returning Home - On the Greek island of Mykonos, there is a mix of tourists and locals.  Those who are residents live above in the alleys that wind up the hill.  They are generally protected from those who are in for the day.  But, they do come down for shopping.  This woman attracted my eye, and I was pleased with the framing on this. 

 Returning Home - Mykonos woman

10. Beckoning Cafe - Also in Mykonos, I was focused on the tables but got an extra dimension when the two people came into view up the road. 

Beckoning Cafe - Mykonos street photography

For reference, my previous selections go back to five years and can be found here:  2009, 2008, 2007,2006, and 2005.   

Top 10 of 2009

StreetObservations.com - As an annual exercise, I go through the pictures I've taken over the course of the year and pick out the 10 that I think are the best. This is highly subjective, of course, but I do take into account reaction to pictures that have been posted. So, there is some external influence. This year was a little tricky as there were really two genres that don't necessarily mix completely.

The first category is what I have typically evaluated - a stylized, nicely composed, striking picture.

The second category is " slice of life" street photography shots, frequently done, in black and white. These may not be beautiful but they capture a moment in time.

Since most of the shots for the year came from the streets of Manhattan (actually all of them), they really do cross over. But, I ended up sticking to my traditional method of selection, I might put the "street photography" scenes in a future post.

I think this may be my best batch in the yearly round up, as compared to 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2005. That's probably because I've been inspired by my relatively new camera.

Here they are presented in sequence as taken over the course of the year. (Click to picture to see it larger). Some of the pictures have been previously discussed in my StreetObservations.com blog. Clicking (more...) will take you back those entries.

1. Fleeting Figure - The light on this winter day seemed particularly dramatic to me. This AM commute shot was taken on Vesey Street (you can see the name embossed in the sidewalk). I've been told this has a very cinematic feel to it, kind of a "film noir" sense. My daughter, the film student, has a version of this on the wall of her college apartment.

2. Sitting Alone - This was taken in Chase Manhattan Plaza on a cold day. There weren't many people out. I was initially attracted by the light which was highlighting the trees above. This shot seems to me to be rather in the style of the painter, Edward Hopper. Of the batch, this was the only one of the ten pictures that I did a bit of cosmetic Photoshop work on. I removed a second railing on the rear fence that went through the girl's head. (Also, some bird crap specs that were on the awning across the street).

3. Sliver of Light - In this case, again attracted by the light, I parked myself up on a plaza that overlooked this corner. I was intrigued by how the crosswalk was lit up in this narrow path. I spent a lunch time taking about 25 shots of people crossing, and this was my favorite. (More...)

4. Coffee Truck Umbrellas - This was near City Hall and the end shot seems a bit surrealistic to me. The way the umbrellas lined up and the stark coloring, I think, adds drama. (More...)

5. Phone Booth Trio - In this case, I was attracted to the phone booths positioned in front of the blue wall. I waited across the street as people passed. Again, maybe 25 pictures. The three people in alignment is just coincidence. (More...)

6. Revolving Women - This was a "high tech"-looking location to me. The chrome in the revolving door and the bright colors of the painting were interesting. I setup so the painting behind was positioned on the side of the doorway. I took about 30 pictures (this one was my favorite) and then security shooed me away. (More...)

7. Minas Mood - This had no setup, I looked, had my camera ready and immediately shot. I knew the pose was going to be an emotional photo immediately. I've been told by someone in Brazil that Minas is a Brazilian state. (More...)

8. And, It's Only Lunch Time - I was hurrying past these guys on the street, but they caught my eye. I had an internal debate as to whether I wanted to take the time to drag my camera out and take the shot. The composition was so perfect though, that I convinced myself to do it. This picture also classifies in the "Street Photography" category, due to the expression on the guy's face. And, that's why it is titled as it is. (More...)

9. Melrose Place Buddies - I was taking a lot of evening shots in the rain with a high ISO (helps in the dark). I'm not sure what was up with these three but they were enjoying their time in the rain. The bus sign for the tv show Melrose Place kind of adds a nice sub-context to it. Their legs are in perfect alignment.

10. Waiting for a Cab - Another rain shot, which are amongst my favorites. The shine and lights always add dazzle to the pictures. This shot isn't one of my favorites, but is one of my most popular on Flickr, so I'm including it. (More...)

As I said, much more of the background of each picture are contained in the (More...) links. I've got my eye on a new lens and some new types of shots for 2010.

Best of 2008

I found that subjects have evolved somewhat over the course of the year. Some previous themes were related to landmarks or different perspectives of particular areas (perhaps I’ve exhausted some of the major categories associated with the New York City area). Anyway, I am now very interested in Street Photography and these reflect this. The newest photos are frequently pictures of strangers on the street, many translated to Black and White. Besides being interesting to myself, I’ve noticed that when I post these pictures to my online Flickr account, these draw a lot more “views” than the more “beautiful” types of pictures I’ve worked on in the past.

Some of the Top 10 pictures come from the most recent Street Shots series on my main site. There are also a few that are brand new. It was a bit tricky to get down to only 10 pictures, and I actually left many many favorites out (it was a very productive year, photographically anyway). Here's what made the cut. (You can click the photo's name to see it on the site’s page). You will see that some of them are linked to blog entries in which I discuss them in detail:

1. Queen Mary 2 – The Queen Mary 2 ocean liner was preparing to rendezvous with the Queen Elizabeth 2 which was making its final trip across the Atlantic. A view from a skyscraper between the buildings of the massive ship.
2. Man with Coffee – It is a lone man sitting in the window of a coffee shop. This was noticed and cropped from a picture of a completely different subject.
3. Fan Fan – A vintage-style capture of a girl behind a spinning fan at a flea market.
4. Alone – A figure silhouetted on a rainy sidewalk taken from above.
5. Watching the Tickertape Parade – Hundreds at their windows overlooking a tickertape parade for the New York Football Giants taking place below on Broadway.
6. Cig – A cigarette dangles from a man’s hand.
7. Crossing Silhouette – The silhouetted legs of a pedestrian in a crosswalk near City Hall.
8. Cigarette Swing – A classic street photography view of a stylish woman walking down a rainy street with a cigarette gesture.
9. Financial District People - The most viewed picture of the year on the Flickr account. A mixture of moods of individuals walking down Broadway.
10. Twilight Windows - As evening approaches, the glowing lights of a brownstone building provide a mixture of moods from each window.