Today, July 31st, marks exactly ten years since my first camera came in the mail. That little compact camera launched my photographic journey in a way that I couldn’t have ever guessed at the time. To mark this anniversary, I chose my favorite photo from each year I’ve been shooting, and wrote a bit about what they mean to me. It definitely wasn’t easy choosing only one photo, and I have countless runners up.

Year 1: 2009-2010

I hardly lacked subjects my first year of shooting. Living in Tokyo, I took countless images of my surroundings, ranging from everyday food and streets to views like this one. Shot from the Fuji TV building’s observation sphere, this is one of my first proper night scenes. Sure, the quality isn’t the absolute best, but I’m still quite happy with how I worked with my limited gear. I remember pressing my camera right up against the glass and holding my breath, since I didn’t even have a tripod for this shot.

Year 2: 2010-2011

Back in Minnesota, I had upgraded to a well-loved Canon Digital Rebel XT which I got as a gift. Even though it was already rather old, it was a big step up from my old compact, and I shot a ton of photos with it. I took this one in Grand Marais, MN. I’d probably crop and edit it a little differently now, but I still think that it still holds its own against my current work. (I’ve definitely gotten better at keeping my sensor clean since then!)

Year 3: 2011-2012

I took this photo during an incredibly early sunrise, once again in Grand Marais. At the suggestion of a family friend, we got up well before first light to meet the sun on the beach. It wasn’t easy waking up that early, but it introduced me to my love of (occasionally) getting up for sunrises. It’s certainly a different way to appreciate landscapes.

I was tempted to go back and re-edit this shot for this post, but that seemed against the spirit of things to me. Those shadows are just a bit too deep, and I’d love to see a little more detail in the rocks. Aside from that, I still enjoy the colors and composition here.

Year 4: 2012-2013

I captured this photo of a roadrunner in the backyard of my grandparents’ old house in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Chasing it around with my (new to me) Canon 50d, I got the first set of wildlife images which I was truly happy with. It’s not technically perfect, but I still love the dynamic pose and simple color palette.

Year 5: 2013-2014

There’s a whole lot I could say about this photo. I took it in Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge on one of my most memorable shoots ever. In fact, I later wrote my college application essays about this very shoot.

As for the image itself, it’s still one of my favorite photos ever. It won the Minneapolis StarTribune’s weekly travel photo contest, and then went on to get selected as one of their reader images of the year. It certainly earned its place in my portfolio, where it stays to this day.

On a side note, this photo is a great reminder that you don’t need the best gear around. I shot this with the Canon 75-300mm, a lens widely and deservedly considered the worst lens in Canon’s current lineup. I certainly agree with that evaluation, but I still was able to get this image (and quite a few other great shots).

Year 6: 2014-2015

To be totally honest, I think that this year may have been the low point for my photography. I just didn’t shoot all that frequently, and I still hadn’t learned many of the techniques that I now have memorized. That said, I still got some nice images. I love the clean look of the white background and how it shows off the contrasting colors. This image also took some serious experimentation, which taught me quite a bit about lighting and editing.

Year 7: 2015-2016

This photo brings back so many memories. It was near the end of my first year at college, and one of my high school friends visited with his 1968 Mercury Cougar. We had a great time cruising around, catching up, and taking photos the whole way. I love the composition here. The juxtaposition between the sleek, environmentally friendly wind turbine and the slab-like, gas-guzzling relic from an age past adds just a little humor. If I could go back then, I’d shoot with some slightly different settings, but I wouldn’t change too much else.

Year 8: 2016-2017

This has to be one of my luckiest photos of all time. My family was driving through Rocky Mountain National Park just before sunset. We rounded a corner, and saw a herd of Elk near a parking area. I quickly grabbed my camera and hopped out of the car. The elk on the right was rubbing its head on the left one, so I brought the viewfinder to my eye, focused, and took a quick burst of photos. Fortunately, I had the right settings dialed in, and managed to get a sharp, well-focused photo.

The pose, background, and lighting all come together to capture the mood of that evening as well as I could ever hope. I particularly love the splash of warm light on the opposite side of the valley. Mirroring the warm tones of the elk fur, it provides a reminder of the sunset without distracting from the central focus. I’m proud to call this shot one of my best of all time.

Year 9: 2017-2018

Contrasting with my previous image, this photo was meticulously planned. I had recently learned about a lot of the signs of a good sunset, and all of the conditions were coming together perfectly. So, I grabbed my camera and tripod, and made my way to the edge of the St. Olaf Natural Lands. Staking out a spot by the pond, I chose my composition before the first hint of light broke through the clearing clouds. As the colors spread across the sky, I experimented with various shutter speeds, aiming for the perfect blur in the wind turbine. I even timed my photos to get my preferred position of the blades.

This photo showcases that year’s significant increase in attention to detail. After learning a significant amount more about the technical aspects of photography, I set myself to putting them to use. I started thinking through every setting far more than before, considering every impact of each decision across the whole frame. I consider this the breakthrough year for my previous tunnel vision, where I’d focus on a specific part of the process (say composition), and neglect the other aspects. That’s not to say that I’ve been perfect since then, but I definitely take a better rounded approach.

Year 10: 2018-2019

It wasn’t easy choosing an image for this year. But it certainly wasn’t for a lack of solid contenders. If anything, I had too many good images to choose from. That meticulous attitude towards shooting carried on, and it continued to drive the quality of my photos up. This photo isn’t any exception.

Once again, I saw the perfect sunset coming together, so I quickly thought of a location, grabbed my gear, and set up. I carefully thought through every step of my process, from composition to editing, and got this shot. I feel like it perfectly captures the feeling of that warm spring sunset, which is all I could ever hope for.

For a more in-depth explanation of how I took this photo, check out this blog post.