Time to revisit some of my favorite images from 2023.  I was a bit lazy this year and we ended up with a top 17…

My photography began in earnest in May with the annual congregation of bald eagles along the Washington coastline.  Alas, the action was not as dramatic as in previous years and we rarely (e.g. never) got the desired combination of great light with good action but we had fun trying.

I made a quick trip to look for foxes too late in the season but managed to get one of my best shots of the year.  One great shot can make a whole trip worthwhile.

Our big trip of the year was to Tanzania where we visited the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Park.  It is always a joy to be back in Africa and it was my first trip back to Tanzania in 18 years!  The photography was only so-so but the memories are top notch.

In December I made a trip to Yellowstone National Park – pretty much a photographic disaster.  I had some beautiful days but there was almost no snow (!!!) and few animals.

And just before the end of the year I made a quick trip in search of Short-eared owls and managed to get one of my best shots of the year.  This year it seems that the short trips were the most productive.

On with the show, in chronological order:

1.   One of the few air battles we saw in 2023.  The guy on the bottom makes the shot.  The outrage!

 

2.  Bald eagle at work catching a fish.  I like the peek-a-boo wing effect.

 

3.  We went too late in the season to photograph foxes and there was very little action.  Yet, somehow, I got this one shot that made the whole trip worthwhile.  I had to lay on my stomach to get this eye contact.  And the light….this shot is all about the light!  You can read about the shot here.

 

4.  And while waiting for foxes I managed to get my best shot ever of a California Quail.  More on that here.

 

5.  While in Tanzania we had the good fortune of finding a leopard at a tree with a recent kill.  We were able to visit this magnificent male multiple times over a 3 day period as he continued to dine on the carcass at the same location.  This may be my favorite image from the entire trip.  B&W or Color?  I couldn’t decide soooo…

 

 

6.  Same leopard, same rock, another day.  But those eyes…..

 

7.  Yep, same leopard.  Mood….

 

8.  Lion in a tree?  What’s up with that?  I think this shot is ok, but it seems to be a crowd favorite so it makes the list.

 

9.  Adorable lion cubs.  Check. Dramatic back and side lighting (sunrise).  Check.  Add it to the list.  Check.    What a way to start the day…

 

10.  A lion on the Serengeti plain.  What safari dreams are made of.  In B&W this image feels like it could have been shot in 1950…

 

For those who prefer color:

 

11.  I am a sucker for color and Yellow-collared Lovebirds have it for days (Tarangire NP).  The extra drama with the bird in flight takes it to the next level….

 

12.  The Agama lizard.  I mean just look at him.  He is magnificent!  The colors!  The angles.  The spikey ear things. Those crazy feet.  The attitude…

 

13.  While in Yellowstone I had the most luck with coyotes.  I like how his coloration matches the sage brush.  And the raised paw with the flying snow give a bit of action.

 

14.  Such a luscious coat.  I lied on my stomach to capture this nice coyote portrait.

 

15.  A nice “Yellowstone in Winter” scene.

 

16.  I love the layers and depth of this image and how the bison dominates the horizon.

 

17.  A short-eared owl flying into the setting sun.  The dramatic lighting, the colors and razor’s edge sharpness make this one the best shots of this or any of my years…

 

Pulled back a bit…

 

What are your favorite 3 images?

 

Hope you have a wonderful 2024

 

….michael