I usually do a top 5, but this year was so productive that I will make it a top 10. In 2012, I shot photos in many different locations: New York, West Point, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, San Francisco, California Highway 1, Los Angeles, Boston, London and Paris. It was difficult to choose, but I managed to narrow the list down to 10. Here are my best photos of 2012.
My best photos of 2012: 10. Pont Neuf
Paris, France
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Request to license via Getty Images here.
This year was the first time I managed to be in Paris during the fall. The scenery is very different and I actually think the city looks more beautiful in the fall than in the spring. In this late afternoon shot, I use the sunset warm light to blend the cityscape with the brownish fall tones from the trees. The composition is actually a 5-shot vertical panorama stitch. An 85 filter helps blending the tones in this scene.
My best photos of 2012: 9. Brooklyn Bridge
New York, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Available for licensing via Getty Images here.
This is a lucky shot. I was at the Brooklyn Bridge Park to get some shots of Manhattan’s Financial District skyline and when I looked at the Brooklyn Bridge, I saw the clouds above it forming a cool pattern. So I moved into position so that the lines formed by the clouds were parallel to the bridge.
My best photos of 2012: 8. Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Request to license via Getty Images here.
Frank Gehry’s masterpieces are a fun subject for photography, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall is no exception. Its curved metal forms create some of the best abstracts ever and one of them is registered here. This is a narrow passage between the actual concert hall and a small amphitheater next to it. I shot this originally in black and white, but decided to add a blue filter over the image to get a more pronounced metal effect on the final print.
My best photos of 2012: 7. Exchange Place
Boston, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Request to license via Getty Images here.
Getting very close to a building using an ultra-wide angle lens is something I always do, so nothing new here. But the sky was particularly interesting, since the texture on the clouds looked more like frozen water.
My best photos of 2012: 6. Sunrise in Vegas
Las Vegas, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Not available for commercial use.
Another lucky shot. It is just a combination of being at the right place, at the right time. This was taken from my room in the Bellagio. I managed to get a near-perfect exposure thanks to the city lights.
My best photos of 2012: 5. Millennium Bridge
London, England
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Request to license via Getty Images here.
I rarely do long exposure shots, but this scene deserved one. It is a 30-second exposure shot, which makes the Thames look almost flat. The sky isn’t dark because this was taken around blue hour.
My best photos of 2012: 4. Big Sur
Big Sur, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Available for licensing via Getty Images here.
The image speaks for itself. It is a perfect combination of color, light and elements alongside the California Highway 1.
My best photos of 2012: 3. Grand Canyon panorama from the South Rim
Grand Canyon National Park, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Available for licensing via Getty Images here.
The Grand Canyon is one of those must-see places on Earth. No image can describe the grandeur and uniqueness of this place. The best way I found to show how huge it is was to do a multi-photo panorama from the South Rim. No processing is necessary — just a graduated ND filter and the canyon are enough to make this image.
My best photos of 2012: 2. Downed tree by Mirror Lake
Yosemite National Park, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Request to license via Getty Images here.
Yosemite is another must-see place, and this image shows in part why. This is a very lucky composition, showing the clearing storm clouds, the sunlight shining over the mountains and a big downed tree in the foreground. This is what Yosemite is: nature at its best.
My best photos of 2012: 1. Mirror Lake
Yosemite National Park, USA
Nikon D90, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR
Available for licensing via Getty Images here.
And the number 1 of my best photos of 2012 is also from Yosemite. This is a shot of patience. The wind was so strong by the time I arrived at the Mirror Lake that I could see no mirror at all. So I waited for a window when I could get the reflection. This is probably one of the best photos I’ve taken in my life as well and it is my wallpaper in all my computers since then.