We were really fortunate to have the opportunity to see a lot of new and different places in 2008, and of course, we went to nearly all these new places with cameras in-tow. Immersing ourselves in these new places and trying to capture exciting/interesting/meaningful images every where we went challenged our creativity while encouraging us to try some new techniques from behind the lens. I feel like we both improved as photographers over the past year, and while we certainly have a long to go and so much to learn as photographers, I think we both are starting to feel confident that we can go out and get at least one good, solid image each time we shoot. We've pooled our best photos from 2008. It was a tough decision since we had so many images from so many different places and experiences. The ten photos below are the "top ten". Over the course of the next few weeks (in between thesis writing) I'll be putting the finishing touches on a book highlighting our all of favorites (roughly 100 images) from the past year...more to come on that later. Now for the top ten, in roughly chronological order:

1. Red Hat. Terry captured this image while waiting for me a mountain bike race.

2. California Poppies. Terry's lovely image from Henry Coe State Park last March.

3. Middle Young Lake at Sunrise. From my late-June solo backpacking adventure to Yosemite.

4. Love Bugs. I happened across these two while hiking back up to the car from the beach somewhere north of Santa Cruz.

5. Aspens in Autumn. I came across these trees not too far from the Big Wood River during my last morning ride in Ketchum, Idaho.

6. View from Hurricane Point. This was one of those days when you almost turn around half way to the intended destination because it seems that the conditions aren't going to cooperate. But we pushed on and I was rewarded with this vista over the Big Sur coast.

7. Green Bird. Terry patiently waited for this guy to pose just right for him. Inside the rainforest exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

8. Butterfly Close-up. Terry loves chasing butterflies with the macro lens. This one is also from inside the rainforest exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

9. El Capitan over Merced River. Terry's capture on the day after Christmas. Absolutely amazing conditions.

10. Deer Run. I had a tough decision trying to pick just one from my Yosemite shots. My first choice was very similar to Terry's shot above, so to add a little variety, I went with the deer in the woods.

Thank you to everyone who has been supportive of our little hobby this year. Hopefully we'll have even better work to show off at the end of 2009.