A new decade is only days away, so it's time to celebrate the creativity of the past and get ready for the future by sharing your favorite photo of 2019.
2020 always seemed like a date from science fiction novels to me, and here we are about to be living in it. No flying cars, unfortunately, but we have had advances in image making and editing that have made the photographic arts more accessible and varied than ever before. As a result, the definition of what makes a photograph, or a photographer, has become increasingly blurry around the edges. Personally, I'm a big fan of the changes, because it's opened up worlds of creativity. What I have to ask myself now is: What will the next ten years look like? What changes can we expect to see, what new obstacles will we have to navigate, what opportunities will arise for us to take advantage of? As we get ready to head into this new decade, this is a great time to look back and the awesome stuff we've created and consider what the next ten years might hold for photography.
To that end, I put out the word on Facebook and asked Fstoppers community members to show me their favorite photograph of 2019, and I want you to do the same. It doesn't have to be your best technical image, or your highest paid image, though it's certainly fine if that's the case! Sometimes it's a favorite because it captured a special moment, or the instant you learned something that will forever change how you work, or the shot you've been trying to pull off for months.
This is a personal favorite of mine from 2019. I love the image itself, but it's also my favorite for another reason. In a way, it's a symbol of where my photography is headed now that I have a dedicated space to work in. It's also the culmination of finally having the time and the focus to get creative after having kiddos in the house for 16 years. I know more about who I am and what I want as an artist, and I've finally arrived at a time when I have both the skill, the equipment, and the time to create it. For me, 2020 will be the start of a new era in my personal work, and I'm incredibly excited to see what it brings.
Model Jason Klein with props by Gryndel Ghoulderson
What about you? What was your favorite creation of 2019, and does the new decade represent a change in direction for you, or maybe just the hope of new beginnings and bigger and better things to come? Share your photo in the comments and let the community, and the world, know what you've got in store for us in the new decade! Let's end 2019 with a photographic bang and inspire one another to new heights for the new year.
To motivate you, I asked Fstoppers community members to share some of their favorite photos of 2019. Join the fun!
Lead image shared with permission of Kate Woodman
You're most welcome!
I love the contrast and the almost graphic, illustrative feel. I hope it's hanging on you wall somewhere ;)
Yes, it is...a 16X24. :-)
Excellent shot!
Thank you!
WOW! nice shot
Thanks a bunch!!
Whoa! The church floats in abstractness. Very nice.
Thanks for the kind words!
https://fstoppers.com/photo/437527
Love the color grade and feeling in this shot. Really makes you wonder why this dude is there and what happened to get him to this point. Nicely done!
Nice touch with the scuffed up knees. :)
I really liked this shot I took
You can never lose with that black and red contrast. Love the shapes you created!
Thank you
Nice! Beautifully controlled colors, lighting is great too. Well done
Thank you
Tender and Burro Crane Car. --135 Ilford Ortho Plus @80ASA. #8Wratten Filter.
Old things have so much character, don't they? What is it about this shot that makes it your fav?
Thank you, I am glad you like the image. Yes I agree, I like the way the Ortho film, which I was test driving, caught the overall vintage character of the two forgotten railcars. Knowing that Ortho film is not Red sensitive, I think it brought out the texture, detail,and showed strength of the pieces. Like me, they are dinosaurs, but on occasion can still roar when we choose too. FYI for anyone thinking on using Ilford Ortho use the following as a start. Daylight: ASA 80, Tungsten ASA 40 Mix: ASA 50. Filters to use: Daylight: Wratten #8 or Watten #11 Yellows. Tungsten or Portrait: 80A . Don't use any Reds, 25 A,B,C or 29 A, B, C Ortho Red blind. If you use them your film will develop blank. When using filters do not forget you filter factor adjustments. This scan doesn't give the Bromide print justice in my opinion. My only regret is I need to go back, and shoot it either 6X7 MF or 4X5 LF.
My favorite shot of 2019...
Those smiles are so genuine and engaging!
Thank you. My daughters best friend (dark hair) called me out of the blue. “Can we do a best friend photo shoot?” How could I say no?!?! We had a lot of fun.
The answer is you can't say no, lol. They will love having this photo to remember their friendship as grow older.
That's one of the most rewarding parts of being a photographer. Takes a lot of talent and skill, but the results bring smiles and preserves memories!
Absolutely. Definitely agree.
I've no expertise whatsoever in people/portraiture... but when my wife asks me to take a new photo for her Twitter avatar... it's always a riotous good time.
Your capture of the girls' friendship definitely resonates. :)
Thank you! It definitely has to be fun. I have spent a ton of time trying to create “perfect” photos. There are times we need to be technical, but I try to use what I have learned over the years as a loose base, then let the emotions speak for the final image.
Very well said. :)
This is probably one of my faves from 2019, as it is a personal piece of mine I created while I was dealing with a major bout of depression/suicidal ideation, and me breaking through said ideation/depression.
This is stunning, Crystal.
Thank you!
Wow, that is super striking! Nice work!
TY!!
Not only well conceived, beautifully executed. Great shot
Incredibly creepy, aaannnddd powerfully gripping. Amazing image. :)
Continuing my current fascination with primitive lighting and moody themes. Model, Kimberly Jay. My living room, slightly redecorated.
So much mood!
I love this image I made with my daughter!
I bet she loves, it, too :)
Jason, is that a shadow to the left of your daughter? How did you get the interesting color? :)
This is probably my favorite shot taken this year. Ironically it was taken just last weekend. The reason it's a favorite for me is that it's a culmination of several things that I've been working on for some time; a different approach to lighting, a different approach to direction and interacting with models, and a different approach to post production.
I like how the dark background seems impervious to light. And, also the motion of her hair... neat arc. :)
One of my personal projects i did in Barcelona. Can't wait for the next ones
I have several pictures I took this year that I really like. None of them were really technically challenging, but they struck a chord with me. This is one of them.
This is a favorite of mine from this year. Fall colors along the Two Hearted River in the upper peninsula (UP) of Michigan. Its not perfect, which is fine. It makes me feel calm and takes me back there. Every year I spend 2 weeks in the UP camping, exploring and photographing fall color in October. This year my teenage daughter went with me, she is a senior in HS so it was a special trip. She shot a similar photo and I like hers better, oh, and I almost fell in looking for a spot to shoot through the think brush.
Those colors tho!
This has been a good year for me photographically. Took a lot of keepers, but lighthouse shots turned out to be my favorites. Looking forward to an even better 2020!
I can only guess at the peace of standing in this spot. I know just what that sand feels like on bare feet.
It was very relaxing and peaceful
Street photography, cheerful young lady, a participant of 2019 Surin Candle Parade. Not so often I get such a nice smile when taking pictures in the street!