Most years, in January or February I try to post a story about some of my favorite photos from the previous year. But this year I was so busy then that I never got around to it, and thought, “oh well.” Now, though, I have time on my hands, so here goes.
Part of the reason I try to do this, and urge others to as well, is that it gives us an opportunity to look back and be grateful. Life tends to move along so fast, with all the responsibilities ahead, that it’s easy to forget where we’ve been and what we’ve done, and how lucky we’ve sometimes been.
That seems particularly true for me this past year. I was able to spend a month (a MONTH!) in Antarctica. Over the course of the year, I visited new places and old, and had some incredible experiences with both old and new friends. I try to limit these year-end stories to about a dozen photos, but some of the places offered so many wonderful moments that I could have used a dozen from them alone. Picking just one photo was a tough challenge in itself.
Perhaps the biggest benefit to doing this right now, at this time, is not just to re-live some of those memories, but to realize that what we’re going through right now will pass, and eventually just be a memory. Not all memories are good, but hopefully we learn from the experiences we’ve been through, and if lucky, they can make us a better person. Or in this case, photographer. I hope you enjoy the photos and stories below, and take some time to go back and pick out your favorite photos, and moments, from last year.
I spent the month of January working in the Antarctic, teaching photography on an expedition ship. It was my second opportunity to work down there, and was just as amazing as the first time. On the way back from visiting one penguin colony, I saw a group of penguins jumping on and off a small berg, and asked our zodiac driver to head over there. Getting close, I told my group to focus on the berg and just blast away anytime they saw movement. That’s one reason I always want a camera with a fast frame rate when photographing wildlife. If you want to learn more about the trip, and see more photos, you’ll find a blog post from the first of the two expeditions here. Nikon D500, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 220, 1/1600 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 200-500mm f/5.6 lens at 380mm.
I’d taken groups to Iceland a couple of times before, but February of 2019 was the first time in winter. At times we had rain, snow, sleet and high winds, but that’s the price you sometimes pay to experience sights like this. Luckily the entire group returned with all fingers and toes intact! Nikon Z 7, Manual exposure, Sunny white balance, ISO 1600, 4 seconds at f/1.8, Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 lens.
The dunes at Sossusvlei are considered a highlight of any trip to Namibia, and they didn’t disappoint. In fact, the entire country was fascinating, with great landscape, people and wildlife photography to be found. This was my first trip there, and I was scheduled to take another group in April of 2020 until COVID-19 shut us down. Luckily, we’ve re-scheduled to make the trip in 2021, and believe me, it will be worth the wait. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/320 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 lens at 120mm.
When tornados ripped through Springfield, Mo. in May, I got a call from Getty Images asking if I could go there to cover the damage. This little girl was helping her grandparents salvage what was left. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 320, f/8 at 1/400, EV -.7, Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at 18mm.
In June I led my first workshop to Page and Monument Valley. Bryce Canyon is only a couple of hours from Page, so one afternoon we drove up there for sunset. I’d brought along my infrared camera, which gave a unique look to the classic Bryce landscape. Nikon D80, Manual exposure, Preset white balance, ISO 100, 1/250 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 16-35mm f/4G IF-ED lens at 17mm.
I volunteer with Disabled Sports USA, so in July they invited me to Minneapolis to photograph the ASUSA Junior Nationals. I always try to look for a unique angle, and found a gap in the fence at the finish line. That, and putting the camera on the ground, combined for a nice frame. Nikon Z 6, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, 1/2000 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
I’d been wanting to take a group to Alaska and spend time at a bear camp, and that finally happened last summer. To get there you take a bush plane for about an hour, then land on a beach. Most people stay one night, but we were there for three. We saw Brown Bears (what we’d call grizzlies) every day, but after breakfast our second day this sow and cub put on quite a show for us, just outside the fence around our camp. I made other, perhaps better bear pictures, but this made the best memories. Nikon D500, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 320, 1/1000 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-500 mm f/5.6 lens at 500mm.
Best Buy has about a hundred stores around the country with expanded photo departments (“Camera Experience Shops”), and I help train the people who work there. This was at the end of one of our week-long workshops in September, where we did a full day of shoots at a ranch outside of San Antonio. For the finale, we had bikers doing jumps, and with those clouds, I knew I just needed to get lucky with one frame. I normally wouldn’t use a small aperture when the subject is so far away, but that’s what helped create this sunburst. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 400, 1/1250 at f/16 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 14-30mm f/4 lens at 14mm.
Bhutan is far, far away and thus not easy to get to. But after taking a group there in 2014, I knew it was worth the travel. The people are incredibly friendly and it’s still relatively tourist free. Last October I returned with another group, and on this day we visited a nunnery. The cat, of course, made the picture. This photo is a great example of why I always try to carry two cameras, one with a wide lens and the other a telephoto. If I were changing lenses, I’d have missed the picture. Nikon Z 6, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 450, 1/100 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -1.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 24-70mm f/4 lens at 63mm.
In November I was back in Utah, leading my annual workshop to Arches and Canyonlands. When possible, I always try to include at least one night shoot on every workshop, and on this trip we do several. I’ve also become a big fan of Lume Cubes, so I can light a scene and then let everyone shoot. In this case I have one light on a stand at far left, with barndoors to limit the light to the tree. Then a second light is on the ground behind the tree, to add some separation for the tree from the ground and bushes. There was a third source of light as well, the fading sunset, on the rocks. And then we got very lucky with a shooting star. Nikon Z 6, Manual exposure, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, 20 seconds at f/5, Nikkor AF Zoom 14-30mm f/4 lens at 22.5mm.
For December I’ve actually included two photos, because, well, it turned out to be a Super Bowl season for Kansas City. I’m usually on the road a lot in the fall, but this past season I was around for many of their home games, which meant I was able to cover Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs making their run for the championship. Nikon Z 6, Manual exposure, ISO 2000, f/4 at 1/1600, Nikkor 200-400mm f/4 lens at 340mm.
Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones joins the crowd in celebrating their advancement to the playoffs as time runs out in their final regular season game against the Chargers. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/800, EV 0.0, Nikkor 24-70mm f/4 lens at 31mm.
(If you like this story, please share it with your friends and let them know about the links on photography that I post on my business Facebook page. I’m also on Instagram and Twitter, @reedhoffmann. And if you’re curious about the workshops I teach, you can find them here.)
All great images, but my photojournalism heart was moved by the little girl helping her grandparents after the tornado hit their home. Powerful image!
Thanks J. Scott. I still miss parts of the PJ life, mostly the interactions with people. I was lucky to get to Springfield after the weather had started to clear and the mad rush of news people had passed. Gave me time to wander and find people like this family.
Thanks for sharing this Reed. Great images & great stories. Looking back sure makes us appreciate what we have!
Agreed, Norm.