My Favorite Photos of 2016

Continuing my 10th annual year end tradition, here are the my favorite photos that I took during 2016 in no specific order. This tradition started as part of Jim Goldstein’s year end blog project and I appreciate Jim’s continued hard work on this project. You can also see my past yearly favorites, going back to 2007, in the blog archive.

2016 started with a personal goal of completing a Photo a Day project.  As much to get me out photographing more as well as to force me to revisit the photo archive and find some photos that had not been processed yet. While I’m proud of the about 110 photos a day I was able to post (some posted only to my Facebook page), I quickly realized how I underestimated the weekly time requirement for the project that took away from family time and pushed up against primary work hours (or maybe i underestimated my need for sleep in my old age).  While I’m a bit disappointed that I couldn’t reach my 366 photos goal, I have a new respect for those who can do these types of projects. Maybe I’ll try again when I retire from the day job…need to have goals. 🙂

All the below photos are available within the archive where Art Prints can be purchased and stock image licensing is available.  Just click through on the photo or follow the links.

Photo #1

A sailboat crosses San Francisco Bay in front of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

A sailboat crosses San Francisco Bay in front of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

I had made a special trip out to Treasure Island to photograph the San Francisco Skyline light up for the hosting of Super Bowl 50.  While I waited for the right moment for the skyline, this glorious sunset appear over the Bay.  It’s so easy to get target lock while out photographing, keeping your mind open to the evolving scene around you is a skill that takes constant practice.  Here it allowed me to catch this sailboat crossing the bay during this particularly glorious sunset.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #2

Panoramic View of sunset over San Francisco skyline decorated with lights in celebration on the eve of Super Bowl 50.

And here is the Panoramic version of the San Francisco skyline that I had stopped to catch.  It was a glorious February evening which gave the perfect backdrop to a uniquely decorated San Francisco.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #3

Sunset over San Francisco skyline decorated with lights in celebration on the eve of Super Bowl 50.

While running the risk of being repetitive, there was so much detailed lighting on the San Francisco Skyline for Super Bowl 50 that this tighter composition of the heart of the San Francisco skyline also became one of my favorites.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #4

Head on close up view of a male wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) while spreading out his feathers during mating season.

Twelve years ago when we moved to San Ramon, we never saw a wild turkey. Then, about a year after moving, we saw some brown dots on a hillside about 2 miles from home and realized they were a small group of turkeys.  Fast forward 11 more years and we are visited daily by 40 – 60 turkeys in the open space behind our house. One group will roost at night in a neighbor’s redwood tree (by the way, yes turkeys can fly…) and they make a bit of a ruckus when you pull in late and arm the alarm on your car!  So capturing this close up of a male turkey just took going into my backyard and pointing the camera thru the fence.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #5

November 2016 Super Moon resting on Windmill along Altamont Pass in Northern California.

November’s Super Moon coincided with this wonderfully warm and calm night in the Bay Area.  My friend Bruce and I went out to the Altamont Pass windmill farm to catch the moon rise over the Central Valley.  This particular windmill was turning at about one revolution every two minutes which allowed me to eventually photograph this “balancing moon” image.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #6

Fog blanketed Pacific Ocean with the sun breaking thru near the horizon, Monterey, California.

The fog along the Pacific Coast can create some wonderful simple and abstract views.  Especially when the sun start breaking through the fog and creating these pools of light.  That was the case this particular morning on a weekend family trip to Monterey.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #7

Walkers and Joggers on a foggy Iron Horse Trail in San Ramon, California (Black and White).

The Iron Horse Trail (IHT) is a biking/walking trail that runs from Walnut Creek, CA to Dublin, CA.  Near the section of the trail that crosses the route to our house is the wonderful old California Oak Tree that was left in place and arches over the trail.  On certain winter days we’ll get this ground fog that shrouds both the IHT and that tree. I’ve been wanting to photograph the fog and the tree for years.  This year I had a break after dropping the kids off at school and the fog still hadn’t lifted, I was finally able to make the photo that has been in my mind’s eye all this time.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #8

Low Clouds at Sunset over the California Central Valley as seen from above.

2016 had a number of business trip and I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a window seat and having my mirrorless camera in my lap.  On one trip, we were flying into San Francisco near sunset and there were these wonderful clouds covering the Central Valley of California as we flew over.  I just love the low light and texture of the clouds combined with the break in the clouds that created this line for you eye to follow through the depth of the photo.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #9

Aerial sunset over the San Francisco Bay Area while landing into SFO.

On that same flight, as we approached SFO to land, the sun was just about to dip below the mountains of the peninsula and was creating this wonderful effect on the few high clouds as well as the lower clouds (or maybe high fog).  I didn’t think much of this photo when I took it, and the spots created by the light going through the cabin window bothered me at first, but once I looked at this at home, it grew on me more and more.  Maybe it’s the way the low cloud mirrors the wing in the photo like two pieces of bread between the setting sun?

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #10

Window and abstract building facade lighted at night at 680 Folsom Street in San Francisco, California.

Meeting a old colleague for coffee after work in San Francisco, I was glad that I now always care the mirrorless camera with me.  I hadn’t been back to this area in San Francisco for a few years, last time I was there the building was still under renovation.  Now it’s complete and the outside facade over part of the building has this wonderful abstract meshwork with backlighting.  The abstract nature of this facade, with it’s reflection in the mirror main building was enough to catch my eye.  But the unexpected office window cemented the need to pause and create this image.  I really need to take more time out of the day to do more street and architecture photography in  San Francisco!

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #11

Asiel Design installation from 2016 Bouquets to Art at the de Young Museum, San Francisco.

In 2016 I again photographed the entire Bouquets to Art exhibition at the San Francisco de Young Museum, see all the photos in the Bouquets to Art photo archive.  There are always a few of the floral designs that become part of my favorites from the year.  This amazing design by Asiel Design of San Jose which mimics a tree (both above and below ground) both stood on it’s own as well as complemented the Ruth Asawa artwork in the gallery (you can see some of the artwork in the upper right corner).

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #12

Michael Daigian Designs installation from 2016 Bouquets to Art at the de Young Museum, San Francisco.

This particular Bouquets to Art design from Michael Daigian Designs of San Francisco always caught my eye for the way the contains blended with the colors of the artwork yet in a different and complementary way.  They work to help the flowers of the arrangement both blend into as well as stand out against the final composed image.

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #13

Waterlily Pond Floral Design Studio installation from 2016 Bouquets to Art at the de Young Museum, San Francisco.

Again, this design from Waterlily Pond Floral Design Studio of San Francisco helped to complement and augment the original artwork.  The way the metal stand reflects the colors from the painting and helps bring them into the 3D world while the branches and flowers seem to grow out of the frame of the painting.  This is the whole point of Bouquets to Art, to have the floral designs not just be related or inspired by the artwork but to together create an entirely new work of art.  This has become the primary reason why I love to photograph this exhibit every year.  (That and to document my floral designer wife’s work… 😉 ).

Purchase an Art Print or stock image license for this photo from the Photo Archive.

Photo #14

Boy and Unicycle, What Could Go Wrong.

Every yearly favorites has to include a favorite of the kids from the year.  This year we went with a few other families to an old school finish lodge in Northern California.  Out in the wilderness, no wifi, no cell phones, and a group of kids that have to entertain themselves somehow.  One of the other guests had a unicycle that somehow ended up next to my son Matthew. His look still concerns me… (luckily, he was smart enough to not try riding it himself.)

Photo #15

Icegirl Waiting for the Show to Start at Seaworld.

We did a family trip to San Diego this year and visited Seaworld.  While we were waiting for one of the shows to start I turned around to find that my daughter Caitlin had obtained Mom’s sunglasses and was just casually waiting for the show to start.  My wife and I both think of Iceman from Top Gun when we see this photo! This photo is so Caitlin…doing her own thing, whatever!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thanks for making it all the way through this year’s favorites!  Please leave a comment and let me know which of my favorites is one of yours as well.  If you enjoyed these photos, I would appreciate you sharing this with your social network.  And consider liking and following my Facebook page to stay updated to new work.

I wish 2017 to be a wonderful, healthy, and successful year for all of us and full of many more photographic moments worth sharing.  Happy New Year!

8 Replies to “My Favorite Photos of 2016”

  1. Great set of photos Greg. Always a pleasure to see your year end photos and really appreciate your participation in this years Best Photos of the Year blog project. I hope you and your family have a great 2017!

    [Reply]

    latoga Reply:

    Thanks for checking out my favorites Jim, and for all the continued work on doing this project every year. Early January evenings are always filled with exploring photos from your project!

    [Reply]

  2. Very nice collection, Greg. I find myself most drawn to the two black and white images (6 and 7). That lit up fog along the coast is such a simple yet beautiful image. And the people along the foggy trail is a real story telling image. Just makes me stop and ponder it. Nice work!

    [Reply]

    latoga Reply:

    Thanks for stopping by and sharing your favorites Todd. I do plan on exploring the Black and White world more in 2017.

    [Reply]

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