Unlike the assembly of some of my more recent year-end favorite photo lists, I can’t bemoan a lack of options this time around. My curated “not-so-short” list of personal photo favorites from 2024 on Flickr ultimately topped out at 62 entries. Even with all those images to choose from, whittling the list down to a top ten didn’t take as long as I thought it might. As it turned out, most of the final selections just jumped out at me. Even months after their capture, each of the finalists still deeply resonated with me and were easily identified.
The individual reasons for their resonance were as diverse as the subject matter, but they do seem to cut across a pretty standard cross section of my tried and true photographic interests. This bumper crop of photos representing a wide range of themes could partially be attributed to an eclectic (for me) mix of shooting locales. Luckily, this year my photographic fortunes were aided by opportunities to leave the pastoral confines of Lancaster County for a few big trips. Traveling to new places always seems to have a generous effect on my creativity, and with visits to the United Kingdom in addition to our usual family forays to the Jersey Shore and Western Pennsylvania, I had plenty of chances to shoot.
During the curation of these photos I did take a moment to reflect on where I am on my artistic journey with photography. And while I don’t really struggle with technical elements anymore, (any mistakes I still make these days are typically not from a lack of knowledge but rather forgetfulness or general laziness) I do continue to find my overall vision a stumbling block. My output is, and continues to be, all over the place. And while I enjoy many different types of photography, I don’t think I can pinpoint anything that truly unifies what I produce.
I guess my continuing lack of over-arching creative clarity is acceptable as long as I continue to enjoy the pursuit of whatever it is I’m looking to get out of all of this. As for you, I hope you enjoy my favorite photos of 2024 as much as I enjoyed the process of creating and selecting them. That’s probably not literally possible, but you may have a weird kink where you get a lot of personal satisfaction out of other people’s minor achievements. If 2024 has taught us one thing, it’s that anything is within the realm of possibility.
Patriotic Rivets | London, UK | ƒ/6.3 43mm 1/200 ISO 100 | 4.11.24
The first shot of several in this post taken on our trip to visit my son during his semester abroad in London. This ironwork on the Tower Bridge combines a few of my favorite photography tropes: vivid colors, textures, and dynamic abstract patterns.
Red Ascent | London, UK | ƒ/10 45mm 1/160 ISO 100 | 4.14.24
Another London shot that I took while I was killing time before a West End show. This building’s bright colors lines and patterns drew my eye. The memory of taking this photo will no doubt stick with me longer than the subsequent performance of Mrs. Doubtfire the Musial. (That’s a lazy joke, the show was actually fine.)
Millvale’s Cart | Millvale, PA | ƒ/5.6 35mm 1/80 ISO 2000 | 9.22.24
While visiting Western Pennsylvania for a University of Pittsburgh football game, I took a couple of morning photowalks around the small town where we were staying for the weekend. This lonely shopping cart in a distressed alley practically begged to anchor a composition.
Wrong train, right direction | London, UK | ƒ/8 24mm 1 sec ISO 100 | 4.11.24
Once again I’ll be bending the unofficial “no family shots” rule for this post so I can include this photo of my son Jacob. I love playing with longer exposures in subway tunnel shots, and this image taken in the London Underground of Jacob waiting for a train turned out better than I expected.
Frites dans l’abstrait | Wildwood, NJ | ƒ/6.3 46mm 1/125 ISO 100 | 7.23.24
I’m a simple man. I love french fries and abstraction. I mean it doesn’t get any more mainstream than that, right? This outcropping of a three dimensional sign on a food stall on the Wildwood boardwalk was the perfect subject matter to contrast against the bright blue July summer sky.
Peanut Butter | Lititz, PA | ƒ/18 68mm .6 sec ISO 200 | 8.11.24
In 2024 I continued my infrequent photo project highlighting food items I’m trying to eat less of. I like this shot of peanut butter as it’s one of the only photos in the series that came pretty close to my original vision for the shot. The props, the angle, the food styling, and the lighting all came together quite nicely to match what I had pre-visualized.
Getting the crew | London, UK | ƒ/6.3 70mm 1/80 ISO 400 | 4.11.24
I’m not a big street photography guy, but I’m definitely a dabbler. The colors, textures, and lighting of this photo keep bringing me back to it. It also exhibits an air of mystery that I enjoy.
Rush the Tower | London, UK | ƒ/20 25mm 5 sec ISO 400 | 4.12.24
I don’t own a travel tripod, so when I want a long exposure shot when I’m out and about I’m usually looking for the nearest solid object for stabilization purposes. I take great pleasure in knowing that many of my favorite photos were taken atop a garbage can (or in this instance, “rubbish bin.”) I took several cool long exposures of the Tower Bridge this particular night, but this one with the weird lens flares and vibrant multicolored light trails strikes my fancy the most.
1-2-3 | Pittsburgh, PA | ƒ/7.1 70mm 1/80 ISO 1000 | 11.10.24
The more I look at this shot, the more it bends my brain. This compressed stack of three separate buildings into one abstract image leads my eye all over the composition and back again trying to make sense of it all.
Warmups in Silhouette | Robesonia, PA | ƒ/22 30mm 1/30 ISO 100 | 10.11.24
Far and away the most common type of shot I took this past year was of participants in marching band. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to cover my son’s band’s performances at football games and competitions this fall. As his band warmed up prior to a pre-game performance, I was fortunate to capture a silhouette of the instrumentalists against an early autumn sunset.
You might also like
Comment
Hi Brian,
Your selection of images this year, as well as the commentary to go with them, are excellent! I commend you for your eclectic taste in subject matter and your approaches to capturing said diverse subjects – it’s all done so well.
Happy New Year, too!
Best,
Jared
Barna, Ireland