Little by little one walks far. ~ Peruvian Proverb
I started my blog about a year and a half ago with the thought of sharing creative inspiration. I imagined I’d share some of my mixed media artwork, DIY, and interior design ideas, which I have here and there. But, I’m amazed at the direction I headed after realizing how much I enjoyed taking photos with the camera my husband gave me for my birthday, a Nikon Coolpix P100. Since then, it’s been such a pleasure to experiment with telling visual stories. I seem to feel most at home when I blend my photography & thoughts in hopes of evoking something new in me or you. I’m deeply grateful for your interest and interaction. Thank YOU for the kindness and encouragement.
I’ve decided to end the year by attempting to choose my top 10 photos of 2011. Ingo Mechmann inspired me to do this, he is a photographer who offers great how to tips on G+. His task is to select a top 10 out of 26K! Having seen some of his portfolio, it surprises me what he chose as his ‘best’ work. I think our audience often differs, and might even be a better judge of what our best work is? With that in mind, I’ve decided to cheat a little and ask for your help if you’re up for it.
Which of these images move you?
Which of these images reminds you of me?
Which of these images would you want to look at for a long time?
May 13, 2011
July 26, 2011
August 14, 2011
September 20, 2011
October 22, 2011
I’m emotionally attached to many of the shots I’ve taken over the year, it’s tougher than I thought to choose what I think are my best shots. I feel strong about these top 5 images above, but the second 5 I’ve yet to narrow down out of these 10 below?
January 27, 2011
June 24, 2011
June 26. 2011
Also July 26. 2011
August 7, 2011
October 7, 2011
October 12, 2011
November 10, 2011
November 20, 2011
December 4, 2011
I think it’s so interesting that we can’t see our own work the way others do. I am so emotionally attached and there are so many variables… the subject, the mood ( mine and sometimes the subjects mood ) the memory of the experience when and where I took the photo, the story I folded the image into, the title I gave the image, etc. All of these things affect my opinion of my artwork. Today I’m just trying to sort a top 10 on the merits of the individual photo?
It just crossed my mind that it’s not fair to have you narrow down only from my top 15, perhaps you feel other images I took in 2011 should fit into the top 10? And perhaps you think some of the above don’t deserve to be in the top 10. Either way, I’d love to know, it’s fun to hear your thoughts.
One of my favorite photos from 2011 did not end up in this exercise. As I reviewed my portfolio, there are many shots that have a soft focus, I seem to like a dreamy otherworldly view of things, but I don’t think many of them are my ‘best’ shots. I still love them but they don’t rank as high in my weird wonderful way of judging myself?? It’s all arbitrary and yet I’m dying to know what you think?
christine m young ✻ artist 
#1 by tara on the wander on December 31, 2011 - 12:19 pm
my picks would be: july 26, dec 4, aug 7, oct 12 and nov 20 — but all are wonderful!!
#2 by pattisj on December 31, 2011 - 2:15 pm
May 13: I could look at for a long time. Aug 14: mushrooms make me think of you, you have found so many interesting ones. The ones that move me most have wildlife (animal, bird, insect) in them.
#3 by Sheila on December 31, 2011 - 2:59 pm
Love Aug 14 – reminds me of seashells in the sand!
#4 by sandy on December 31, 2011 - 3:51 pm
Wow, I am looking forward to your next year, if these are your beginning shots.
Happy New Year, by the way!
#5 by ZORRO on December 31, 2011 - 11:41 pm
December 4 2011… AWESOME!… love it querida!… althought November 10 & August 7 are also very cool. I can’t decide which one I like best!! All 3 is my choice.
#6 by Amy on January 1, 2012 - 10:55 am
i love weed july 26 and the deer ~ i am drawn to them in different ways. for your top 10, maybe july 26, i am awed though at how you communed with that deer, so lovely
#7 by jeanie on January 1, 2012 - 11:19 am
OH, Christine, how can you narrow them down? And why should you! I’m missing my favorite — Sunrise in the snow! The mushrooms remind me of you and the woman looking at things at a market with all those colors is a fave, too. Honestly, I can’t choose! Happy new year, my friend!
#8 by Sharon Stasney on January 1, 2012 - 11:49 am
Christine, I’d have to say my faves are the two I saved to my desktop and used as a background for weeks or months at a time. My current background image is one I call water droplet in pines, I think you called it triangles in your post. The other was the door to the spa in Mexico. I love receiving the images and inventing my own story about them, since I have no idea where they were taken or what their “true” context is. I also love your photos that capture light and bend water. That said, the photo you included here of the railroad tracks, and the play of black & white with color is truly astounding. I’m assuming there was no photoshop involved in making that feel like a bw photo or highlighting the orange color that pops out, right? Thank you for sending me a weekly way to tap into a creative frame of mind. Love you! Sharon
#9 by Frank on January 1, 2012 - 1:06 pm
I love the 2nd, 4th, 5th in the top set and the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th in the second set. They are, of course, all beautiful but those speak most clearly to me.
Happy New Year to you and yours, Christine.
#10 by Susan D on January 1, 2012 - 3:31 pm
Christine! First, i see you in all of them…each one moves me yet in a different direction…some inspire awe and curiosity while others invite me to look inward and to pause, it really is amazing to me how differently I respond to each one and as I reviewed your top 15 here it was a different response with each one…a smile, a moment of silence or pause, an oohhh I wonder…all though tickled my heart. And finally, it is easier for me to tell you my least favorite…although I loved the images of the blueberries in your recent post, seeing 112011 on its own didn’t give me the same response. And the 062411 bird doesn’t have the same connection for me as many of the other animals in your photos do, I can’t define it so I won’t try. Those my friend are my least favorite in this batch 🙂
I love you and have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog and watching this evolve into as much a Christine as any other project you have embarked on. You are such an inspiration to me and I look forward to every blog you post and what you have been inspired to share!
All my love friend…susan
#11 by Hilary on January 2, 2012 - 3:38 pm
Christine, that comment by Frank was actually mine. We were both perplexed by your comment on his blog and figured out that I must have been using his sign in since I was on his computer. 😉
Hilary
#12 by Hilary on January 2, 2012 - 3:40 pm
Christine, the coment by Frank was actually my own. I was signed in on his account when I left it. 🙂
#13 by ladyfi on January 4, 2012 - 10:09 am
How did I miss all this glory! Each shot is sublime!