At the start of a new year, I like to look back to the images I made the previous year and pick out five of my favorites. They aren’t necessarily the best ones, but they are the ones I enjoy looking at again and again for whatever reason. So, without further adieu, here, in chronological order, are my five favorite images of 2024. I’d love to hear which of these is your particular favorite, so leave a comment and let me know.
“Ghostly Trees”
A lone birch stands starkly against a shadowy forest, Arkansas, January 2024
One of my goals for 2024 was to go out and photograph at times other than early morning, so for my first outing in January, that’s exactly what I did. It was a late Saturday afternoon, and I decided to drive to Dardanelle, Arkansas, which is about an hour and a half drive from my house, and walk along the bank’s of the Arkansas River. I had no idea what I would find, so I didn’t have much in the way of expectations. After an hour of walking along the rocky and sandy bank, I had little to show for it. It was getting colder and darker, and my motivation was waning, so I decided it was time to go home. As I was walking back to my truck, I noticed these lightly-colored, almost ghostly, trees standing in the dark shade of the hill behind them. This image made the trip worthwhile.
“Frozen Remeberance”
Solitary leaf lying on the frozen surface of a pond, January 2024
As one would expect for early January in the Northern Hemisphere, it was cold when I took the picture of the ghostly trees, and it managed to get even colder in the following days. After a week of subfreezing temperatures, the pond in my backyard had frozen as I discovered one Sunday morning when I took the dog outside. As we carefully walked around the pond, I noticed that the frozen surface was clear of everything, except for this single, curled up leaf lying forlornly on the ice.
“Hiddent Treasure”
Vibrant amaryllis flowers emerge from the lush green foliage, April 2024
In April, I made a trip to the Old Mill in North Little Rock, Arkansas. It was the first time I had been there in nearly five years. I, of course, made several photographs that included the mill in them, but I was looking for something a little different. Eventually, I found this small scene that one might find deep in a dark forest.
“Crimson and Gold”
Backlit autumn leaves, Blanchard Springs, Arkansas, October 2024
Autumn is my favorite season of the year, but it’s often too short and unpredictable. Some years, it lasts for several weeks, and the colors are stunning. Other years, it feels like it only lasts a couple of days, or the color is not as strong. Autumn 2024 was one of those years where the season lasted for a few weeks, but the hot, dry summer kept those incredible colors from really blossoming. So, when I made a trip to Blanchard Springs in north central Arkansas in October, I was excited to find these backlit leaves in various shades of red, orange, yellow, and green. Someone commented that it looked like a stained glass window, and I would have to agree.
“A Rainbow of Colors”
Fallen Autumn leaves, Buffalo National River, Arkansas, 2024
About a week after my visit to Blanchard Springs, I traveled to the Buffalo National River, again in north central Arkansas. By that time, a lot of the tree had dropped their leaves, and what color remained was very sporadic and muted. Walking along the river bank, I kept looking for something to photograph. I got a couple of images, but nothing was really inspiring me, so I decided to head back home. As I loaded my gear into my truck I looked down along the curb where I was parked and saw this little scene of fallen leaves in all sorts and shades of color. Naturally, I had to grab the camera and get the picture. I’m so glad I looked down that morning.
Those are my five favorite images from 2024. Leave a comment letting me know which one is your favorite. I’d love to hear what you think.
A wonderful selection of images! I do like the first one, “Ghostly Trees”, in particular. Trees are just quite something. Even in Winter time without leaves.
I wish you a happy and productive year 2025!
Thank you, Stefan. I’m glad you liked them, especially “Ghostly Trees.” I agree with you. . .trees are really special no matter the time of year. May you have a great 2025 as well!
Well I am a sucker for well done tree and/or leaf photography so your Ghostly Trees and Rainbow of Colors strike that tone with me. I know that feeling of traveling far and then trying to summarize the productivity of the trip. I am trying to move away from that into simply “what did I experience” regardless of any keeper photos. So with that, I wish you great adventures and experiences in the coming year.
Thank you, Mark. The various colors in the “Rainbow of Colors” image is what really strikes me, and the starkness of the trunks and branches in the “Ghostly Trees” image is mesmerizing. They are definitely a couple of my all time favorites. When I go out, I always tell myself to not focus on coming back with photos, just enjoy the experience. Unfortunately, old habits are hard to break, but I’m going to really work on that this year and try to create a new habit.