Last year, I participated (somewhat) in a photo a day challenge. Talk about a challenge. I think I took about 325 out of the 366 photos. So, while I didn't complete the challenge, I did give it a good effort.
The new year brought one more challenge, picking out your top ten pictures from the previous years. Looking through the best of the best of everyone else, I was in awe. There is some serious talent out there, even when using just an iPhone.
But as I went through my top ten, I discovered it wasn't the best shot that stuck out to me, it was the purpose behind the picture.
So here's my top 10...
1. School had started. We were learning about harvest moons and how they are said to be the biggest and brightest moons of the whole year. I agreed. I planned my shot, took my picture, and then put my camera away for the next month and called it a year (though I still took a few pictures here and there, but only with my phone).
2. My family thinks I'm crazy that when we go to the golf course, they all take their clubs and I take my camera. Capturing a ball in motion is my ultimate goal in life. And this one won me a blue ribbon at the fair.
3. Arilee turned 16. When Justin moved out, Ashlee moved into his room and both the girls got bedroom makeovers. She chose this really bright shade of blue and the first thing she did when it was done was shut the door with the Cricut in tow. An hour later, she revealed her motto in life. It's so her. She is awesome.
4. Mom turned 83 years old in 2012. Dad took the entire family and then some out to dinner at Leo's Place in Idaho Falls, bought us all dinner and gave all the girls a rose. With mom's health the way it is, we hope that wasn't her last birthday we get to celebrate with her (although it's only a few weeks away, so I'm thinking she's got at least one more in her).
5. Spring. There is nothing I love more than laying in the grass on a warm spring day, except maybe looking up and seeing my beautiful children.
6. I had only had my iPhone a couple of weeks when my sisters and I traveled to Mississippi for a week. After taking this picture with my iPhone at the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, I said, WOW, this phone is so cool.
7. I had this hair brained idea to take a whole series of photos using a mirror. I called them "reflections". Some of them turned out really well, too. I think the best part was the time I put into coming up with ideas and executing them, even if the picture didn't turn out as I had hoped. Made me feel alive!
9. Justin graduated. This picture was terrible. The lighting was bad, my white balance was all off, all my settings were screwed up, but the picture says a thousand words. We couldn't be prouder of him.
10. Just more memories of our trip to Mississippi. I cherish these little get aways with my sisters. They are all a lot older than me, grandma's or hoping to be one soon, but they are still some of my favorite people to spend time with and always will be. And when something happens to one, we all feel the heartache. So it has been this past week, which made this picture one of the favorites of the year. I love my sisters!
