Top 10 Photos NOT on the Website

It’s no surprise that my favorite photos end up on the website. Those selected photos make up a very small percentage of the ones I take. The rest find their way to Instagram or get printed as a bin print but even those make up a small number compared to the total that I upload. My batting percentage of useful photographs is near zero but I attribute that to a high standard I’ve set for myself. Last year I counted down my favorite photos of all time but that list hasn’t changed much over the past year so rather than copy and paste, I’ve removed the gallery worthy photographs from contention. Here are my top 10 photos NOT on the website.

10. Savannah Shutter

I love finding little details like this vine in Savannah. This shot was taken several years ago and continues to grab my attention. I love the contrast between the smooth black shutter and the brick. The gradient of the leaves on the vine crawling up the shutter move the eye through the image and create a nice contrast against the dark slats. It's simple but I am continuously drawn to it.

9. Eagle Beach Fofeti Tree

I had a hard time picking an image of this tree from Aruba. There were two of these gnarled plants growing side by side on Eagle Beach. The twists and turns in the bark gave them so much character. I do have one photo of them on the website but since the photos on this list can't be on the website I had to pick my second favorite.

8. Hanalei Pier

One of the good luck moments in my photographic career, when I arrived at Hanalei Pier on the island of Kauai a chain of storms were blowing through the mountains in the distance. The color photos of this evening are dramatic as well as the sun was setting behind the storms but I prefer this black and white version. You can still see the storms in the distance but your eye is drawn to the pier in the middle of the photo. I love the still water in this shot with the contrasting crash of a wave on the sand in the foreground.

7. Oregon Coast

I debated for months whether to put this one on the website, ultimately deciding against it. This is a photo that may never see the light of day again. The proportions make it hard to share on Instagram and it's too narrow for my standard bin print sizes so this is the first and perhaps last time you'll ever see it. Taken on Canon Beach in Oregon, I love how the mist from the ocean adds depth to the layers of mountains extending to the coast. It's one I can't help but study the details on and wish I could go back to.

6. Moon

I easily could have made this entire list sand dune photos but decided to limit myself to one. This photo looks like a celestial body. The blowing sand added a nice texture to the landscape that evening and, as the sun set, the dunes were prime for abstract compositions like this. I took hundreds of photos that evening but this one was my favorite.

5. Oneonta Gorge

This shot from Oneonta Gorge made my list last year of favorite photos of all time. While it's not on the website this is my favorite shot of one of the most memorable hikes of my life. Pushing myself to the brink of hypothermia and slicing my shin open in pursuit of a photo is the furthest I've gone for a picture. Although a photo coming up on the list comes pretty close.

4. Drift Wood Beach

This is a photo that grew on me over time and is one I wish I'd have captured for the website. With daylight running out fast, I had to crank my ISO for this photo and as a result gets very grainy when enlarged. The grain does enhance the photo in my opinion but I wish I would have found this composition earlier in the evening. I returned to this spot a year later and this skeleton of a tree was no longer vertical. This is a token to remember to capture the shot right the first time.

3. Lake Superior Ice Cave

I mentioned above about the crazy lengths I've gone to for a photo. This is a close second. This is an ice cave that formed over Lake Superior. In my four years in Marquette exploring the ice, this was the only year caves formed. I jumped down through the hole in the top right corner not knowing how thick the ice below would be. I was fairly certain it would support me and if not the water below wouldn't be terribly deep. The ice held and the risk paid off with this shot.

2. Right and Left

Here's a new one from 2018. Captured in New Orleans' French Quarter, I love the yin-yang between the two buildings. A rare photo of an industrial setting but I do enjoy urban decay. I've had a number of photos with similar details make the website in the past but this one I didn't feel as strongly on. If you're interested you can find it among my bin prints.

1.Solar Eclipse

The top non-website photograph from my favorite photo list last year, this timelapse from the solar eclipse in 2017 remains my favorite photo not on the website. Of all my photographic endeavors, this one still blows me away. with only a 200mm lens I can't believe I was able to capture the event in this manner. I might need to upgrade my telephoto capabilities and hunt down the next one just for fun.


What do you think of my list? Do you have a favorite of the bunch? Did I leave your favorite off the list? I'd love to hear your thoughts!