My 5 favorite photos from 2012!  This process has been hugely educational for me, and as you’ll see below, I even discovered an overlooked gem.  Enjoy!

–Dan Thompson

Number of Pictures Taken Annually

John Oliver Cabin

This John Oliver star trail image is really the one that got me hooked.  When this shot finally came together (after 4 or so tries) I can’t tell you how excited I was, and the reaction I got from everyone on it, sealed the deal.  I’ve since remastered it a few times (you can see the original here) and this one here is the most recent version.  It continues to be one of my favorite images, and definitely a top image for 2012.

Cades Cove Black Bear

I absolutely love black bears, but I rarely get a chance to photograph them.  Sometimes though, everything comes together and a black bear just happens to wonder out in front of you!  This was definitely a highlight from the year!  The original post is here

Stay a Little Longer

This was definitely an educational moment for me this year (see the original post here) and it turned into one of my favorite shots of the year!  I love the light on the mountains and this is the image that got me excited about black and white again!

Inside the Fences

I struggle to call this a “favorite” image because of the content, but it was definitely one of the most (if not THE most) meaningful images of the year (see the original post here).  This image has gone on to be featured in a museum, something I couldn’t be more proud of.

An Evening in Prague

I’ve messed around with this image a bit since I originally posted it (see that version here) but it has remained one of my favorite images.  Prague is just such an iconic and picturesque city, it’s hard to take a bad photo there!

Honorable Mention

Berlin Before the Storm

This image is actually the product of going back through all my images to create my favorite photos collections.  I somehow overlooked it and it never made it to Picture of the Week, but I REALLY like this image!  The sky looks scary and the scene has come classic German architecture in it.