My Favorite Photos of 2021

What a wild year we had in 2021. We moved across the country, again (I’ll save that for another day). I changed jobs, again. There were a lot of factors that drew my attention away from photography. Despite having some life things pulling me in different directions I still got out and took some really great (in my opinion) photos of random adventures and other subjects around town. I have taken on the difficult task of selecting my favorite photos and sharing them with the world. It’s hard to narrow them down to what I think the “best of the best” are. There were so many to choose from, but here the ones I liked the most. I hope you enjoy them, and thanks for visiting!

Camels Hump Sunset

My wife Amber and I lived in Vermont for a brief stint. We lived on a quiet dirt road near Richmond, VT that we would routinely walk for exercise. As you traveled down the road, the woods gave way to wide open hay field with views of Camel’s Hump mountain and the surrounding area.

Sunset on Kenyon Road

This is another photo from the road we lived on in Vermont. It is easily one of the prettiest sunsets and views we have seen. The fresh blanket of snow made for a peaceful evening.

The Bolton Backcountry

Bolton Valley Ski area is a small locally owned ski resort in Vermont. In addition to the ski area, they have a maintained backcountry area that you can likely spend years exploring. I bought a back country pass and hiked and skied close to 10 miles just poking around the woods. This old barn was along the skin track back to the car, and something about it spoke to me. It’s a good memory from that day.

Happy Places

This is my wife Amber snowboarding at Copper Mountain. This picture was taken on the first weekend being back in Colorado. It’s meaningful to me because Copper is the first place I lived in Colorado, it is where Amber and I met, and there are so many great memories that were created skiing and living at this mountain.

Spring Rainbows

Nothing says “spring in Colorado” like green prairie grass and rainbows. This was taken on a quick after work hike last spring.

The Denver Botanic Gardens

I don’t go to the Botanic Gardens a lot. Maybe once every two years. But It is fun place to play around with the camera. There is a lot of symmetry, and beautifully landscaped buildings, like the administration building shown here.

A Wildflower Cluster

There is a lot that I like about Colorado. Near the top of that list is the wildflowers that pop up every spring. Last year, we had a very wet spring and early summer that made for one of the best flower seasons I’ve seen since I first moved here in 2012.

Herman Gulch

We seem to end up here once a year. It’s easy to see why though with the high peaks, alpine meadows, and high alpine lakes. This is the Rocky Mountains at their best.

Columbines

Here is another example of how great the wildflowers were last summer. I have never seen so many columbines in one place before. On this hike, there seemed to be entire meadows full of them. They were showing off, and letting everyone know why they are the Colorado state flower.

The Boston Harbor

I traveled to Boston for a trade show last summer. My first night there, I had some free time and went for a walk along the water front. Bean Town is really a beautiful city. It is one of my favorite cities that I have visited, and can’t wait to return.

Santa Monica Pier

I visited my friend Kyle in Los Angeles and did my favorite thing; rode a bike to Venice Beach and walked all the way to Santa Monica with my camera taking photos along the way. Not sure why, but a lot of my photos from that trip were lost. I only have about 10 that I did not lose and is one of them. I’m glad I was able to have a few photos to use. I love visiting California.

Santa Monica Sunset

We were walking to dinner on Ocean Drive, and the sunset reminded me exactly what I think of when I think about the California coast.

4th of July in Golden, CO

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, because it is a celebration of what makes our country great (despite it’s flaws). Amber and I packed the head lamps and went for a hike to see the fireworks celebration in Golden. The highlight of the night was the gigantic toads sitting in the middle of the trail in the dark.

Spearfish Falls, SD

There are not a lot of water falls that are this photogenic in Colorado. So the opportunity to photograph them is always fun. Spearfish Canyon was a very beautiful place.

Roughlock Falls

These waterfalls are also located in Spearfish Canyon in South Dakota. I love the different cascades on this one, along with the plant life and the limestone cliffs. The Black Hills are a very cool place to explore.

Devil's Tower

Devil’s Tower is one of the most breathtaking geological features I have seen to date. Also Known as Bear Lodge by native tribes, the side of the rock is striated as if it were scratched out by a bears claws. Absolutely loved visiting this national monument.

The Red Beds

The Red Beds are another geological feature at Devil’s Tower. The contrast between the red rock and soil, the river, and the green grasses below make this one of my favorites from 2021.

Fremont Pass

We returned to Leadville for the first time in a few years and rode bikes and ate pizza at High Mountain Pies. Heading back over Fremont Pass towards home, the clouds started rolling in and made for a dramatic landscape. Bright fall colors with the dark gray clouds always give me a sense that winter is coming.

Aspens

The aspen groves are one of the only sources of fall colors in Colorado. They turn fast, and the colors don’t last long, but they sure do pop when they do.

Ship Rock Road

We are lucky to live near Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. I’ve probably taken more photos around Red Rocks than anywhere else. I like this one, because I’m forced to be more creative in a place that I spend so much time.

South Table Mountain

This is where I do a lot of hiking and mountain biking since it is the closest open space to our apartment. I won’t always be so fortunate to have this literally out of my back door, but I sure have enjoyed it while we have lived nearby.

Philadelphia City Hall

We traveled to Philadelphia this fall for my Dad’s 60th birthday. I wanted to take the opportunity to go to the city and walk about with the camera. Naturally, it rained. But sometimes you have to take what is given to you, and I was really happy with the way this one came out. Not to mention, City Hall is such a cool building.

Potash Road

Not only is this my favorite photo of 2021 but it is one of my favorites of all time. I took a whole lot of long exposures out in the cold this night. Coincidentally, during one of my exposures a car drove through the night down Potash Road and lit up the entire canyon wall. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as a final result, but I think it turned out amazing.

The Moab Desert

This one is just everything I love about the desert. Solitude, remote roads, and views for miles.