2016 had me travelling to some new places and revisiting one or two old haunts. Above all, I set myself the task of trying or building upon techniques to strengthen my photographic repertoire, and to create images that tell a story, elicit emotion in the viewer.
So this is not a month by month retrospective, but one where I am aiming to illustrate some achievements.
First up, motion. Thinking about slow shutter speeds:
Ghostly?
Busy
On other occasions, I started to think more about isolating a subject:
- Using depth of field
Delicately scattered
2. contrast between decaying and fresh, along with depth of field
Decaying daisy
3. using a neutral background
3. Using silhouettes
Still Life
During the year I had a few goes at still life, not something I had previously done much of. I was reasonably pleased with these, especially the second. It’s all about harnessing the light, in these cases natural light from the sun through the window in my front room:
Creating atmosphere
1.Atmospheric street shots. Find a good background!
Striding through the past?
Contrast & Tension
2. The defining moment:
Two
3. Light and shadow
Monochrome, low key, single subject
Framing
at the Inner Citadel of the Alcazaba, Málaga
Well, that’s it, folks! I shall aim to continue honing my craft over the next year.
All that remains to be said is Happy New Year, and all the best for 2017
Oh, and pop over to Paula’s for more Retrospective here.
WordsVisual 
Wonderful… 🙂
Happy New Year, all the best wishes for you… 🙂
Many thanks, Drake! And glad you like these
Great choices!
Happy 2017!
Thanks, Anna! Happy New Year to you!
Thank you for sharing your achievements again. Your photography is inspiration to many, and I am happy that your last post in 2016 was prompted by me. What’s the building in image #6 from the bottom? It looks familiar. We are now less than 4 hours apart from the New Year. May it take you to some exciting new places!
Glad you like these, Paula! The building 6th from the bottom, with the curvy roof is in Aalborg, Denmark. Happy New Year 🎉🎉🎉🍾
🙂
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Wonderful. Let’s keep growing in 2017–each in our own way!
Absolutely! Got to keep the brain cells going! Growing!
Really nice to see all these again, Sue. Thanks for so many enjoyable images during the past year.
Looking forward to more, in 2017.
Best wishes, Pete.
Many thanks, Pete! Glad you enjoy my images, and I am aiming to create plenty more!
A great retrospective Sue. What I learnt, not what I did. I enjoyed the chance to revisit some of my favourites from your year, and I’ll make a list of your goals to direct my 2017 photographic development – if I may. The light through that eggshell is particularly superb. I’ve just been out to let off a few fireworks with Maja and Jaś – a rocket with starfall never loses its charm.
Ah, the wonders of fireworks with little ones caught up in the wonder of it! Yes, of course you may use some of my goals…I hope you have fun! Many hugs for a Happy New Year!
Beautiful collection of photos Sue! Happy New Year!
Thank you, and Happy New Year to you, Nicole 🍾🎉🎉
A fine collection and some good new tricks. All the very best for 2017 Sue.
Many thanks, Robin. A very Happy New Year to you!
Absolutely fabulous to see these again. Your techniques never fail to inspire me. I look forward to seeing where your eye and your lens take us in 2017. Cheers Sue!
Many thanks, Jude, for your most enthusiastic comment! Here’s to a good photographic 2017 for us both
You’re a great photographer, Sue! The only one I’ve mastered is silhouettes, and that’s mostly accident. Ah well- plenty of scope for improvement. 🙂 Wishing you joy, in whatever shape it takes.
Many thanks, Jo!
Good choices and master shots! Happy New Year!
Many thanks, Ann-Christine! Glad you liked these. And I’ll wish you Happy New Year again
A lot of great work in this past year…here’s to 2017 being even better for us all.
Many thanks, Robert!
Ghostly, neutral background, contrast and train – so many good images it’s hard to pick a favorite.
Wishing you miles of smiles, intriguing images to chase down, and lots of wonder in the New Year!
Thanks, Phil! Miles of a smiles and plenty of images to chase – sounds good! Happy New year to you 🎉
Lovely choices, Sue. Wishing you a joyous, laughter-filled 2017. xxx Ailsa
Thank you, Ailsa! I wish you a happy and healthy New Year 💕🎉🍾
That’s an eclectic array of images. I love the street shots, especially.
Many thanks! I’m quite into street photography at present
Great post Sue. You and I have worked on some similar topics – long exposure, silhouettes and depth of field have been development subjects for me too. Out of this selection, I particularly like your still life shots, the silhouettes on platform, the guy about to walk into shadow, the shadowy monochrome one and the Verde & Co (where is that one?)
Wishing you a tremendous year and I’m looking forward to seeing your development ideas for this year.
Many thanks, Debs! Interesting to see that we were focussing (!) on similar aspects of our cameracraft….. The Verde &Co is nearish Spitalfields Market, not far from the Goat statue.
I wish you also a tremendous year, and hope we might at last meet up!
Sue, you’re really good, at all kinds of photography it seems. I particularly like the street stuff, here’s to another year of great images!
Many thanks, Gilly! And wishing you Happy New Year and much creativity!
So many strong images I remember from first time around, Sue, good choices! And maybe that should be our byword for 2017: stay strong!
Sounds good to me, Chris!
I realise I don’t use enough neutral background. It’s really a good trick I should start using more ! I should start working a bit more on my skills like you did ! It’s going to be my challenge for 2017 ! Happy new year !
Thanks, Gin, glad I can be an inspiration! Happy New Year to you, too!
So many wonderful shots, Sue. And it’s great having the chance to revisit them all in one place. A very happy 2017 to you.
Many thanks, Tish! And I wish you all the very best for 2017 🍾
Happy 2017 to you! I liked very much how you structured this recap, and how you explain all the techniques you tried and the type of photography you developped.
Many thanks! Pleased you enjoyed this post, and Happy New Year to you
Love what you have done here. Especially those that tell a story…
Many thanks, Björn! I do like to tell a story….
wonderful. when you display your work like this, I can’t but admire your versatile techniques. something I should work more on. very inspirational.
Many thanks, Klara! I’m pleased to be an inspiration….
Love the way you illustrated growth with this one Sue, really nicely done. The photos were wonderful and really did a great job of showing the techniques. Happy New Year to you!
Thanks, Tina! I think I have wished you a good 2017 already, but no harm in repeating it…..
Sue, your summary of your creative evolution is a stellar exercise. I was originally drawn to your work, because I could recognize images with your floral signature. Happy 2017 and another year of experimentation…
Many thanks, Sally, and Happy 2017 to you,
Love very much this photographic selection. Thank so much, Sue.
Happy new year to you!
Glad you enjoyed these, Isabel! And Happy New Year to you, too
Your pictures are lile poems, so very touching and precious .. Thanks for this beautiful selection and keep it up for 2017 🙂 All the very very best!
Many thanks, Estelea! I shall do my best for 2017!
A special blogger indeed.
Me, or you?! Or both!!
I meant you! But let us celebrate each other!
Iknow you meant me, and thank you! But I think we should celebrate each other’s camera craft!!
Hi Sue, What a marvelous collection of images. The still lifes are beautifully lit and composed, the depth of field flowers are standouts and your street shots with people walking (it’s a prize to catch the feet off the ground) are terrific moments in time. Great job. Best wishes for a creative and exciting 2017!
Thank you, Jane, for your enthusiastic comment – glad you enjoyed these! Here’s to a creative 2017 for us both
Wow sue – I feel
Like I know so much more about you from your top photos post.
I guess I have not seen the depth of your work until now – and really enjoyed the artsy and original tales in the photos.
The still life set ups were so modern and fresh – but the people and street shots really reflect your eye.
Happy new year
Pleased you enjoyed this retrospective! I usually only have one image in a post, so you don’t get the bigger picture…..
😉
Great variety here, Sue, in your selection. One of the joys of an archive is that we can look back through it and see how we have grown as photographers and notice the incremental improvements we make.
And our changing habits as photographers…for example, Still Life is a relatively new theme for me
perfectly fantastic and beautiful choices Sue!! thanks for the re- sharing of them!
Glad you like these, Hannah, even the second time around!
indeed I do!!
Much to be happy with in your photography growth can be seen here with your selection of images Sue . Some great moments and scenes captured . You and me both then *honing our skills although I have to say I’ve not explored so much variety this year oops last year but intend to try 😉
Happy new year Sue and … keep on clicking 😉
Thank you, Poppy – Happy New Year to you , too, and happy clicking!
Beautiful images, beautiful memories of 2016.
Thanks, Inese…I had a great year for travelling last year!
You had indeed 🙂
😀😀
Oh my! What a fabulous gallery Sue. I am naturally drawn towards the street shots….they are truly special.
Thank you, Madhu! I do love street photography, and 2016 was a good year….hoping I am inspired again in 2017!
Wishing you much happy travels in the year ahead Sue.
And I wish the same for you!
Some really superb photographs Sue!
Many thanks, Adrian!