Best of 2024 Portfolio
| January 24, 2025 | Posted by Melinda under Uncategorized |
Last year I shared my ten favorite pictures that I took in 2023. This year we are going to continue that tradition.
If you are interested in seeing the albums of images these were taken from, check out my Flickr @drmelnewton (or try gbminx if you can’t find me. Flickr can be weird).
My favorite photos of 204 may not be the best technically, but they do what a good picture should do –
Our patio in athens with a morning cup of coffee
This year I bought a new lens (22mm) in anticipation of taking my first trip overseas. I wanted something versatile and small, and it performed admirably in Greece. It took me a bit to get used to it, but now I *almost* like it as much as my 50 mm.
When I sent this picture to my traveling companions, their first response was “how did you get that picture with so many people swarming around??!!!”. There is no photoshop effects – just a good lens, and picking the right spot to frame the image. Like writing, a picture is always a version of the truth, but is subject to the lens of the creator.
At the annual Bluegrass festival that I *always* go to I decided to focus on night photography.
The contrast of the dark sky looming overhead in the camp, with the jewels of the jam sessions lights peeking through the trunks of the pines, was an excellent opportunity to capture what I think is the best part of the festival – the jamming scene.
I love this picture because for me, this is the bluegrass experience. Camping, tight cozy jams, listeners huddled around the edges of the circle, and kids hanging out with each other and the music (I’ve been going to this festival since I was in elementary school – I was once one of those kids!)
Glow bars are a tradition for my family at the festival. What I like best about this picture is the way Fig’s body is folded around the light in negative space.
That experience photographing the night allowed me to take 2 of my absolute favorite pictures in Greece.
I couldn’t choose between these so I’m sharing both, even though it pushed me over the self-imposed limit of 10 pictures. Let’s call them 6a and 6b. These were taken from a rooftop that looks down on a public square. The market place (placa) is streaming into the square from one direction, with the subway station just off image to the right. This is late, but in Greece that doesn’t matter. Dinners are eaten at 10 pm, kids are still playing music in the square for change, and the pop up vendors are doing brisk business.
Above it all is the ancient acropolis on the hill looking down.
Backing packing trip at Pt. Reyes, running toward Wildcat beach at our first overnight stop of the trip.
Every year I take a portrait photo of Fig that ends up being *the* photo that captures her the best in that time and space. In 2024, this is that photo.
I do appreciate photos with good Easter Eggs. I love this photo for so many reasons. Where I’m standing in Chania, Crete (Greece) is a special place because on the other side of the square is a curious juxtaposition of the conquering history of this port town…..but it was the side of the square that caught my attention.
Finally, the last photo is one that I took on my iPhone, snapped quickly in Athens while my sister rested against the wall during one of our late night strolls. I knew instantly I needed the shot, but I’m not one to have people pose so I whipped out my phone and captured the moment.
What pictures were your favorite last year? I’d love to see them and hear the story.
