My Favourite Photos | Rounding up 2017 and my third year in photography
In a few more days, I will celebrate my third year in this (very expensive) hobby - photography. I could never have imagined that a hobby acquired so recently could have such a great impact on my life. Back in my first year of university, I was trying out new activities with the enthusiasm most freshmen had, and photography was the one that occupied the top spot in my heart.
Looking back, there were hints that this would be my favourite pastime and even career. I remember walking around with a film camera (those good old days!) during my primary school's field trips. At that age, I was already inclined towards nature and wildlife photography as I remember trying to exclude human subjects from a photograph of a temple and repeatedly snapping away at the fish in Underwater World. In my freshman year, I bought a new handphone - Nokia Lumia 1020. This handphone was my first step towards wildlife photography where I mounted a cheap Taobao "telephoto lens" to the camera. The limitations showed quickly, and I went on to purchase a secondhand Samsung NX1000 with a 50 - 200mm lens. I consider the day I purchased the NX1000 as the start of my photography journey. In order to obtain more reach, I wanted to buy a Tamron 150 - 600mm lens (V1). Hence, I moved on to a Canon 650d, and from there my lens collection expanded.
I currently have Canon 70d, 650d and 6 lenses. I have been eyeing a Canon 80d/77d/7d Mark II for years, and if you consider the amount of time I have spent in photography, that means I wanted those cameras since the start. Sadly, I cannot afford them (I bought all of my cameras at ridiculously cheap prices). Almost everything I own is from the secondhand market except for my Canon 55 - 250mm lens, flashes, tripods and my newest addition to my kit - a Zhiyun Crane 2. I do not know if I went crazy, but I still cannot believe I was decisive enough to buy a brand new Crane 2 a few days ago. The gear lust continues...
To mark my third year in photography, I decided to blog about my favourite photos. Drum roll!
FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPH & FAVOURITE WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPH
This was my most-loved shot in 2016, and it remains in the top position again this year. I love it so much. This photo of an elk was taken in Jasper National Park during my winter trip before leaving Canada.
FAVOURITE BIRD PHOTOGRAPH
Technically birds should belong to the wildlife category, but I have an enormous collection of bird photographs which warrants a separate category. I took this photograph at my hall. I was shopping for snacks when I spotted these Oriental white-eyes and made the decision to run back to my room to get my lens. SO FLUFFY AND CUTE.
FAVOURITE MACRO PHOTOGRAPH
This photograph of a yellow palm dart (taken in Yunnan Garden) reminds me to look above and under leaves when I am shooting insects. I hardly take photographs in the portrait orientation thus this stands out to me.
FAVOURITE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPH
Such a beautiful day. My biological clock turned upside-down towards the end of my stay in Edmonton. Although I was sleep-deprived, I checked the weather forecast at around dawn and found out that the day would be clear. Clear days were rare occurrences in Edmonton and I decided to head to Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park. It is a decision I will never regret.
FAVOURITE SUNRISE PHOTOGRAPH
Yes, it is Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park again! It was a blessing to be able to watch the sunrise in this gorgeous place.
FAVOURITE SUNSET PHOTOGRAPH
I know I might have gone too far with the editing of the colours, but I love this shot nevertheless (the golden orange hues are real). It is not my "best" sunset photo, but it speaks to me, and reminds me of the 6 months I have spent in Edmonton.
FAVOURITE LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPH
I had a hard time deciding between this and another photograph which was also taken in Edmonton. You would think I was crazy if you were present at the scene. It was cold (I think 7 degrees Celsius) and I took my jacket off and was walking back and forth trying to make myself appear as shadows in the photo. My jacket made me look like a lumpy mess instead of the silhouette I wanted. The high level bridge is iconic in Edmonton, which explains why I like this photograph. I have several shots without the weird shadows, but I would like to commend myself for the effort in enduring the cold.
Five out of the seven photographs were taken in Canada. This is really what photography is all about - story-telling. My short stay in Canada holds some of the most cherished moments of my life, and my emotions are conveyed through my love of the photographs. There are many more photographs which I adore, and also many more which I have forgotten about and are lost in my hard drives.
Thank you 2017. You were great, but became tough towards the end. However, every year has its difficult moments (I distinctly remember saying the same in 2016), and I hope photography can help to keep the light burning.
