My Top 10 from 2024

Take a look at my personal favorites from the year.

Similar to last year, I had so many photos that I loved from this year that it was quite challenging to slim down the list to a top ten. This list is MY favorite shots of the year, but not necessarily the best images I took. Linked in the title is the newsletter that this image came from, and after the photo, I say a few words about it.

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#10: Hola Paloma. Valladolid, Mexico (March)

I love this image because it's unlike the landscapes I typically capture. The pastel walls in Valladolid were fun to look at, the low light led to interesting shadows, and the pigeon was in a perfect spot. I enjoy photographing architecture, especially when it's something I don't see often.

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#9: Oh Deer, What a Surprise. Corkscrew Pass, Colorado (June)

Yeah, the heavy edit does a lot of lifting, but this is my best example of a right place, right time shot. I probably wouldn't have seen the deer if our 4x4 guide hadn't pointed it out, and it's not super sharp because we were moving, but I love how it's backlit. It was even more beautiful to experience in person. All of us in the Jeep gasped.

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#8: Above the Clouds. Maui, Hawaii (October)

Standing on top of Haleakalā at sunrise was magical. I think it felt more special because I could see a close-up of sun rays hitting the clouds through my camera lens h I knew what I was capturing. When I look at pictures like this, I feel heaviness in my chest because I see (and feel) the majesty and power of nature. It's even better because I was there. I witnessed this in person.

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#7: Kaheawa Wind Power Farm. Maui, Hawaii (October)

A heavy, high contrast black and white edit is a “Rachel staple.” This edit brought out that bit of sun hitting the one wind turbine while shadowing the turbines that were clouded. We were quite far away from the turbines, so I'm glad the composition turned out how I wanted. This is my current phone wallpaper!

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#6: Cottonwood Cloud. Cottonwood Pass, Colorado (August)

Despite the clouds, this was a standard Colorado bluebird day. That helped this black and white edit by providing a dark sky which brought out the bloop of a shadow on the Rocky Mountains. I liked the angle of this shot as we were at 12,000 feet of elevation, so it feels like we’re floating along with the cloud. Another one of those right place, right time images.

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#5: Waxing Gibbous Moon. Santa Fe, New Mexico (May)

As a self-taught photographer, I've learned a lot the last couple of years by playing around and shooting everything. It turns out that it is much simpler to shoot photos of the moon than I thought. While Adam made dinner in the van at an awesome camping spot, I took pictures of the Sangres at sunset. I noticed that the low sun lit up the moon, bringing out the ombre effect of the waxing gibbous moon. I think I like this image because I'm proud of being able to create this image.

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#4: Before it Melts. Glacier National Park, Montana (July)

The funny thing about this shot is that I posted the horizontal, color version in my newsletter. I don’t remember why I went through my Glacier photos again, but I noted this one as a picture I skipped and wanted to edit. I liked this black and white edit, which cleaned up the trees in the foreground and the cloud inversion happening in front of the glacier. This looks like an epic view from the top of a mountain, but it’s shot from the Jackson Glacier overlook. It was the right place, right time, with a good enough zoom lens to create the composition I wanted.

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#3: Ol’ Scraggs. Glacier National Park, Montana (July)

It was funny to me that we ended up so close to these big horned sheep in Glacier after having my first encounter with big horned sheep in Cañon City in April. This picture is a bit deceiving as I had a zoom lens and it’s a crop. But this guy stood still and stared at us for a while. That helped me get a sharp shot that feels very alpine-esque. It was an extraordinary experience for me, with a good picture to boot.

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#2: Colorful Colorado Montana. Glacier National Park, Montana (July)

I just laughed when I realized the last three pictures are from Glacier National Park. It was such an epic location. I can’t gush enough about the park and encourage everyone to visit! It quickly jumped to my favorite national park that I’ve been to (so far). This image was taken at sunrise after finding a last-minute camping spot at the campground. Bowman Lake is extremely isolated, only twelve miles from the Canadian border. This sunrise was quiet, with only four other people watching with us. While we were lucky to be treated to a colorful sunrise, I’m not sure anyone can take a bad picture of Bowman Lake.

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#1: Across the Yellowstone River. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (July)

This image might be my favorite that I’ve ever taken, and I’m fully prepared to submit it to the Iowa State Fair photography salon in 2025. As I mentioned in the newsletter, I was going to take sunrise shots at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, but the cloud cover prevented that plan. So I was lucky to even get this image! I'm not sure what drew my eyes to this set of trees, but the deer in the foreground was a fun surprise when I started editing. I’m glad this photo turned out because I don't get to shoot fog that often.

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Which one is your favorite? Do you think I should have picked any different photos for this list?

As always, thank you ALL for reading through my weekly newsletter. I’ve gotten a recent uptick in subscribers, and I am elated that so many of you are interested in my travels and photography!

Here's to a safe, joyous, and photography-filled 2025. Cheers.