Top 10 Photographs in 2018

Happy Holidays!

2018 has been one heck of a year. I finished my PhD, which was focused on a novel way for treating Alzheimer’s Disease. Shortly after, I bought my Olympus OM-D EM-10 Mark II mirrorless camera and created this blog. From trips to Joshua Tree, Anza-Borrego, Sequoia, Yosemite, Arches, Canyonlands, and other parks, to Portland and Salt Lake City, I definitely took advantage of not being tied to a research bench. And I’m so grateful for having the opportunity to share my adventures and photographs with all of you. I’m still learning how to write and get creative with my photography and appreciate the feedback and comments you have left, so thank you for that!

As I reflect on the past year, I wanted to share my top 10 photographs that I’ve taken in 2018. Some of these haven’t made it into a blog post, so I’ll just share a little of each for context. Enjoy!

10. Fall in Joshua Tree National Park

I love fall. There aren’t too many places in Southern California that have fall colors, but Barker Dam in Joshua Tree National Park was sporting some really pretty fall foliage when we visited a couple of weeks ago.

9. Winter at Lake Kaweah

Having this view of the Great Western Divide on our way home from Three Rivers was such a treat! I love the snow-capped mountains, green hills, and high water levels. The boat in the bottom portion adds a human touch for scale that I really like.

8. Snowy Lakes Trail at Sequoia National Park

After a grueling 4hr hike through deep snow, with soaking feet and tired legs, the view on the way down was so much sweeter. It was Minhan’s first real experience with snow, and this photo captures the mood perfectly.

7. “Be nice!” in Portland, Oregon

During our trip to Portland, we kept seeing signs telling people to “Be nice!”. When visiting Cathedral Park, I saw this “Love” sign and thought it summed up the PDX vibe. I shot this portrait-style to get the rocks and the ducks in the foreground.

6. Birds at Laguna Niguel Regional Park

With a bit of luck on my side, I captured this American Coot breaching the surface of the water. I love the ripples and bubbles in the water, and the foliage around the area painted the water with yellow and green hues. Still one of my favorites!

5. Milky Way at the Cholla Cactus Garden

I’ve always been fascinated with astrophotography and had horrible luck with clear skies during the year. When the Perseid meteor shower arrived, I finally had clear skies and was able to see the Milky Way core for the first time. Although the core was low on the horizon and partly occluded by light pollution, it was a magical night. I wanted to get Mars in the frame, as it was in opposition and closest distance to Earth since 2003. Mars looked particularly bright that evening!

4. Star Trails at Cholla Cactus Garden

This shot will have a longer post later, including a story of me almost getting pricked by a cactus and my sister needing to use rocks as tweezers to free me! I wasn’t intending on shooting star trails this evening, but with the waxing gibbous moon at over 85%, it was almost impossible to shoot the tail of the Milky Way.

3. Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People

This bridge shot made it to the #3 spot for a couple of reasons. First, the mechanics of how the bridge lights up is fascinating (click the link to read more!). Second, The reflection on the calm waters was really a sight to see. And third, the moon adds a great lighting touch from above that I was excited to get while composing the shot!

2. Fall at Multnomah Falls

I’m obsessed with fall colors and waterfalls. So when I visited Portland, Oregon a few weeks ago and saw the fall foliage surrounding the iconic Multnomah Falls, I had to capture it. More on this shot later!

1. Baby M (Peanut, aka Beanut)

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Okay, I know I’m cheating here a bit by including three shots as my #1. But this roller coaster of a ride with Minhan’s pregnancy is clearly the highlight of my year. And being able to capture a bit of the family’s reactions will stay with me forever. First, how I found out. Minhan left me the first note on my laptop while I was at work. When I came home, I was speechless and unable to put together a cohesive sentence for several hours. We had been trying for a few months with no luck. But now it’s real! People have been asking about names, so here’s a hint: it will start with a “B”, hence the nickname “Beanut” for now.

I’m so grateful for having the support of our friends and family as we move into this next phase of our lives. A lot of people have pitched in to help us out, and in the holiday spirit I wanted to give them a shoutout. So thank you for everything to help us get started – the clothes, crib, toys, and advice (both solicited and not).

I hope that as you reflect on your 2018, you find moments of peace, happiness, and joy. If you’ve got anything to share or just want to leave a note, please feel free to do so in the comments below!

Here’s to an even better 2019!