Top Ten Photos of 2015

  2015 was an another exceptional year... I released what I consider my most compelling collection to date, a body of images from Patagonia. With majestic mountain peaks rising nearly two miles above turquoise glacial lakes, vibrant fall color, a barren desert, twisted forests, and some of the largest glaciers in the world, it is a place like no other. I also spent the better part of the year shooting for my latest release, Southern Exposure. The full body of work will be released next month, but it was a very fulfilling experience to shoot alone, with my own vision, the beauty and understated charm of the south... in places few photographers venture.
View these images and more, or purchase a print, on my website: Exploring Light Photography

Here is my selection of my Top Ten Photos for 2015:

10. "Atchafalaya Majesty"
  Having grown up in New Orleans, it's about time I finally made it out to photograph the swamplands of the Atchafalaya Basin. The trip was not without hiccups- persistent wind and choppy water made for less than ideal conditions. One day we got caught in a massive thunderstorm that seemed to come from nowhere. There is no shelter on the swamp, and it takes awhile to paddle 3 miles back to shore! Another day my kayak capsized and all my gear (2 camera bodies, 3 lenses and tripod) dumped out of my backpack into the swamp. Thankfully I had insurance and was since able to replace everything. And more important than that, I was able to fish my camera from the bottom of the swamp when my foot happened to snag the strap, and retrieve the memory card. A couple days on rice and I was able to retrieve all my photos, including this one. Just after the sun set, the afterglow gave a beautiful illumination to this patch of fall color on an old bald cypress which is probably well over a thousand years old.




9. "Allure"
  Glaciated waters under the alpenglow of sunrise light on Cerro Torre, puncuated by vibrant fall color.




8. "Enchanted Forest"
  A brief moment of beautiful sunset light shimmers through the maritime forest wilderness of Cumberland Island National Seashore.




7. "Cypress Reflections"
  Vibrant autumn color reflected on the swamp water on a calm morning.




6. "Forbidden Forest"
  The intertwining of oaks brings coherence to an otherwise remote and wild area in the maritime forest of Cumberland Island National Seashore.




5. "Transcendence"
  Beautiful sunet light reflects off a large lenticular cloud, illuminating the valley and river below.




4. "Quiet Cove"
  Beautiful fall color on old cypress trees reflected on the calm water of this small cove in the swamplands of the southern United States.




3. "Eternity"
  Los Cuernos del Paine peeks through low clouds and fog, illuminated by the rising sun. Just moments later, a heavy fog came through as the scene vanished into the light of day.




2. "Oceanus"
  Located on the east coast of South Carolina, the beach of Edisto Island is scattered with driftwood and skeleton trees. Coastal erosion has killed these trees, but some still stand upright, rooted firm in the soil. While this area has been widely photographed before, I traveled here in the summer of 2015 with the intention of creating something unique. I wanted to make a photograph that captured the subtle beauty and raw emotion one feels when looking at these old trees which, although dead, are alive in their own right and seemingly transcend time. I spent several days here, each morning going out to the beach in different conditions. This one particular morning, the weather didn't seem very dramatic, and most of my hopes were dashed. But as the sun began to rise above the horizon, the light illuminated a lone cloud which framed this one tree perfectly... a nice silhouette with the light reflecting off the water below. I knew I would only have seconds to capture this moment, and after finding the perfect shutter speed I knew I had it. The dramatic light and an incoming tide had produced a brief but unforgettable moment at sunrise this summer morning.




1. "And Winter Came"
  The first light of day illuminates Mt. Fitz Roy on a cold, snowy morning.





Good light and happy shooting in 2016!
Chris