The Best of 2011 Part I

Almost 2,500 pictures... That's how many images were captured and were KEPT in 2011! That's a lot of pictures (never mind those that weren't keepers!) and overall, I'm really proud of the results I managed to get out of my little Canon 60D DSLR.

There were a few mis-steps such as the ones from WEEK 7 but there were also lots and lots that turned out pretty well. So without further ado, here are my top picks from the first 6 months of the year.

Max, the Goldendoodle recently featured in WEEK 50 has only one dog as competition in the awesome picture stakes and that's Gracie who was featured way back in WEEK 3.

Periodically throughout 2011 I posted a number of black and white photos. The ones featured in WEEK 6 I'm especially proud of and it was really hard to pick just one but the below image won out purely because it's my favourite candid shot from the whole year.

WEEK 8 was definitely one to remember. I had my closest encounter ever with a Blue Heron in Stanley Park...

..And I captured the below image of the first signs of Spring - I love the colours and the perspective on this one. So much so it was my desktop wallpaper for several months.

WEEK 11 brought with it a trip to The Bloedel Observatory and one of my favorite bird pictures of the year - and considering just how many pictures of birds I ended up taking, that's saying something!

The following week was a huge step forward in many regards since the rare event of the Super Moon afforded me the opportunity to finally get out and try my hand at some long exposure shots.

Despite forgetting to bring my telephoto lens I still managed to capture some great images.

April brought sunny days and cherry blossom all across Vancouver none of which I feel I fully managed to realize. I did get a moody abstract view inside Waterfront Station though!

Speaking of moody... I love this throwback homage to Asian horror movies...

...And this view of a boy on a bridge in Stanley Park, both from WEEK 16.

The above is kind of a busy image but the red shirt and the reflection makes it work for me. At the other end of the scale and also from the same week is this simple and elegant image of a magnolia bloom.

Easter brought with it a trip to visit family in Powell River and my favourite photo turned out to be Piper-Dove and what must surely be an entry in the "Cutest of the year" category.

May began very sparsely due to too many work commitments but it ended on a high with a video tribute to the Vancouver Canucks during the Western Conference Final vs the San Jose Sharks and another successful photo adventure in Stanley Park.

My second favourite candid picture taken in 2011 may not be as moody as the black and white of the sleeping man on the Skytrain but it was certainly interesting...

June brought a real mixed bag of photos from WEEK 22 to WEEK 25. Just as the city of Vancouver went crazy over the sad end to the Canucks run for the cup, so did a flock of seagulls on a colony of unsuspecting starfish...

Far from the ravenous and bloodthirsty end of the bird scale came these lovely balls of cute furry fun.

Keep your eyes peeled for Part II of this retrospective look at a year in photos.

Until next time folks!