My Favourite Photos of 2018

Another year has passed and it only seems like the other day that I wrote about my favourite images of 2017 and now, a year later I sit down to reflect a little on 2018 and think about where I want my photography to head in 2019.

When reviewing my photos taken in 2018, I didn’t just choose those that had the most wow factor, I want to choose those that ignited some kind of feeling, a memory or some significance related to my photographic journey during the past 12 months. Photography has a far deeper meaning to me than just capturing the view in front of my lens. It allows me to take time out of a busy life, to recharge and reflect and most importantly it gives me a sense of personal achievement when I capture a portfolio shot or undertake and complete a personal project and there will be moments throughout this entire process that leave an imprint on me in some way from the place I was at to what I had to go through to capture the final shot.

The first few images I chose are of course going to be my first photographic love which is capturing London, particularly during a sunrise or sunset. These tend to be the photos I work the hardest to get and as a result give me the most satisfaction when all the elements come together. If I had to put a number on it, I would say that even with all the planning, checking weather apps etc, only 1 in 10 attempts to capture some great light at sunrise or sunset result in exactly that and that’s before I have all of the other elements going my way such as the cloud direction, the subject being clear of distractions etc. So not only do these London cityscape photos stand out as my favourites of 2018, they represent all of those early mornings and late nights I arrive back home in Surrey empty-handed because the light was flat or the sky was grey and featureless.

The image below is one I remember specifically as it reminded me about the role I play as a photographer in London and the patience needed while trying to capture a photo. This is such a busy spot and it was such a nice evening so there were many visitors trying to grab a look at Tower Bridge. Normally when taking long exposures, if the exposure is long enough, someone walking into my shot won’t register in the final image but if they stop, even for a short while, I will get a blurry figure in the scene. On this evening, there were so many people stopping to look out over the water, as much as I tried, I could not get a clean image. Every time I thought the coast was clear, I fired off a new shot only for another person to walk into the scene and stand there long enough to be visible in the final image. I could have asked for the other people to move away while I took the shot but I remember thinking at the time that me being there photographing this location gives me no greater right of passage and everyone is entitled to stand where they like and take in this epic view even if it means me missing the shot altogether. So I waited patiently for a gap in the foot traffic and I was eventually rewarded with a 150-second window without someone stopping for too long enabling me to capture this photo below.

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 16mm | 150 Secs | f/11 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF18-55mm | 24mm | 121 Secs | f/10 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF18-55mm | 20mm | 1.4 Secs | f/14 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF18-55mm | 34mm | 1/500th Sec | f/8 | ISO200

The next couple of images were taken in Bruges and Venice. The reason these are in my list besides the fact that I really like the final images are that they spark fond memories of my travels in 2018. It was my first trip to Bruges and I absolutely loved it there You can read about my trip in this post. On Location Photographing Bruges.

I took the photo of the Dijver Canal at sunrise and thats why it is extra special. Whenever I visit a new place such as this I wake up early and venture out before sunrise (as I did in Venice). Not only does this present some fantastic photo opportunities, there is just nothing that compares to experiencing a normally busy place while it is calm and tranquil. I really think it shows though in the images and they spark this feeling in me every time I look back on the photos.

Fujifilm XT2 | XF10-24mm | 10mm | 1/4 Sec | f/11 | ISO200

Fujifilm XT2 | XF18-55mm | 18mm | 1/40th Sec | f/9 | ISO200

The reason I chose these images is that they represent my first significant project to help me both progress and diversify my photography somewhat. These images also spark a feeling of liberation because one of the objectives for this project is to capture London without a tripod and allow me to move more freely as I wander about the city capturing it with a little more spontaneity.

Fujifilm X-T10 | XF10-24mm | 24mm | 1/100th Sec | f/4 | ISO200

Fujifilm X-T10 | XF10-24mm | 24mm | 1/1,600th Sec | f/4.5 | ISO200

Fujifilm X-T10 | XF55-200mm | 70mm | 1/200th Sec | f/4 | ISO200

This last photo of Colley Hill in Surrey brings me both joy and a little regret. Although I really like this image of a place close by many years ago and all the memories it brings, the small amount of regret is that in 2018 I didn’t venture out locally enough. I have focused on London as my main photographic subject and this photo has reminded me to make sure I make time to venture out into the beautiful Surrey Hills to photograph it more.

Fujifilm XT2 | XF18-55mm | 18mm | 1/45th Sec | f/22 | ISO200

So there you have it, my favourite images of 2018. As well as reflect on the past 12 months, I have been making a list of what I want to achieve in 2019 which I will no doubt share in time as these plans evolve.

I wish you all a happy and successful 2019.

Until next time.