Top 10 (but who's counting?!) of 2011

Lately I've been pathetic about practicing my photography, as well as blogging.  Actually, I've been pathetic about a lot of things , and I don't know why.  Hopefully the start of a new year (along with taking not one - but two! - classes at school) will help get me going again. Or leave me blubbering and talking to myself in a corner. Either way... :o)

Anyhoo, over at You Capture this week the photo assignment is to show your top 10 images from the last year. Now that I can do... I've tried to not repeat others I used earlier in the year, but some of them I couldn't resist sharing again. I know it's a few more than 10, but I did narrow it down from 40 or so (you're welcome!).

So, in no particular order, here are mine:

Here, nature's own version of sepia tone.

Savannah and some friends at her 12th birthday party had me taking tons of pictures. Looking back at them all now, this seems especially poignant as they're all walking away from childhood and entering those "tween" years.  I can't believe how much these girls have all grown and matured these past few months. The time flies by much too quickly for my tastes...

 Our adorable little Fiona... I can't believe how much I still miss her! 

Couldn't resist this shot of our flowering crabapple tree, right after it snowed. In May. Welcome to Utah, people.

Braden - My crack-up of a son.  You can just see the personality sparkling in his eyes!

 I couldn't resist reshowing this picture of my Dad and his owner, Tiny.  :o)

 Evan... How'd I get such handsome, fun boys?!!!

Savannah and the new trampoline.  If I would let her live on that thing, I believe she'd do it. 

Summer in Paradise... It truly doesn't get much better than this.

Savannah's little friend at the zoo... Even though these little prairie dug bubbles were horribly hot, I had to drag her away. 

 Another repeat, but I still can't get over the emotion I feel from this photo. 

 

My first encounter with a hummingbird (or sphinx) moth. I had never seen one before, but they are so cool! They're huge and, like a hummingbird, their wings beat breathtakingly fast. I never thought I'd say it, but I think I now have a favorite insect!

Finally, a picture of my goofy daughter. I love this picture just because I can feel her personality shining through so much. 

 

I have a tendency to take more landscape photos, I think because they're so much easier.  Mountains and trees don't make faces or groan when you take their photos like my family does.  However, going through the photos from the last year, my definite favorites are those photos of people that are not staged but show the emotion.  My goal for the next year is to expand on catching those day-to-day moments. And hopefully I'll have a few more posted before this time next year. Wish me luck!