[GaliWalker]

Karen² usually puts this one up, but since she's sleeping on the job... Time for the annual SINGLE best photo you took thread for 2013. Previous years' threads here: 2010, 2011 & 2012. The rules are that you decide the criteria for why it's your best, technically or otherwise. It would be nice to know that reason.

[GaliWalker]

My favorite photo was taken during summer on my dream trip to the Karakorams. It is one of my all-time favorite photos, from a technical as well as content perspective. It has all the elements I like to put in a photo. The only downside is that there may be too many things happening, so you really have to see it in large size to get the full effect.

Glacial stream below Masherbrum

[Jim Dockery]

Gali, I like that one, esp. the foreground, but I agree with your downside that it has too many things happening to be your best. There are a few others from that trip I prefer, esp. some of the sunsets that focus more on the mountains, but that's my thing. I'm going to have to think about my personal favorite. I'm still going through thousands of RAW shots from southern Utah and finding some gems that didn't look outstanding on first glance.

[GaliWalker]

Jim, I had two shots taken a few hours apart that were clearly better than others. I went back and forth between them, but decided to go with the one above, since I have both of them hanging in the house, in 20x30in size, and at that scale the one I chose wins. Since the rules only allow posting the one shot, here's a link to the other one.

[Jim Dockery]

Yep, that's one of em.

[Karen²]

Yeah I've been sleeping on the job again! First let me say I really like your choice Galiwalker. My personal style is normally simple, but I find your "busy" photo refreshing, there is so much to look at I keep coming back to it and see new things every time. I had a very non-prolific year photography-wise. I had a busy and exciting year with my job so I didn't manage to get out much and when I did, I tried to concentrate on enjoying time with my family and friends and just having fun. I still went to cool places and did the same things I usually do, but I actually used a point and shoot for much of the year, had really bad weather, didn't plan to be in places for the best lighting and slept through many a sunrise. After a year away from serious photography, I hope to return with a vengeance and increased passion next year, but until then I chose this photo. This one was all about being in the "wrong" place at the "wrong" time. Taken in the remote Tombstone Territorial Park in the Yukon, this storm clawed its way over the peaks and would drive us with hail and 50 mph winds, destroying the fly off our tent and soaking our already soaked gear from 3 days of solid rain. It also leveled the forest near the trailhead which made our escape from hell even more prolonged due to all the fallen trees we had to climb over. Trip report coming soon I hope, as soon as I'm done sleeping on the job.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

[GaliWalker]

Some of the best photos are taken in the crummiest conditions. Cool photo; waiting for the trip report!

[Backpacker Joe]

I dont know that I really have one. I was working all summer on a Nuclear aircraft carrier and didnt get out much. Rampart lakes.

Rampart lakes

[eugenekogan]

I took this photo of Mt. Baker while snowshoeing around Artist Point in March.

Mount Baker, WA prints: fineartamerica.com/featured/mount-baker-in-clouds-eugene-...

[Gil]

I had a number of favorites this year, but I think this is the best.

Colchuck Lake 2

[seattlenativemike]

I keep coming back to this one....and remembering the bugs

Rainier Sunset Meadows Pano

[Sore Feet]

Like seattlenativemike, there were bugs, but one of the few times that I distinctly remembering that I couldn't care less because the conditions were so good.

[seattlenativemike]

^^ what he said

[contour5]

Well, those are some spectacular shots, and I can't even hope to compete with that level of work with my point and shoot rubbish. Still, fool that I am, I must throw down... except I shot too many (50,000, maybe?). I yanked this one out of the pile and sat on the color a little bit:

Glacier-Peak-Reflection-7

[Jim Dockery]

Nice shots everyone. I understand the bug conundrum, but don't know that I've ever been so taken by a scene that they didn't drive me crazy bitting the back of my hands as I worked the camera! I'm a bug wimp though, which is part of why I love to ski.