Yes, here is my obligatory 2011 favorites list! I actually do love making this sort of list as it gives me a chance to reflect on a longer timeframe. These images range from January until December so I suppose that indicates some consistency throughout the year. All of the images are from Maine, which certainly says something about my travel schedule in 2011.
While I did not make it out photographing as frequently as I would have liked (who does?), 2011 was a very good year for me photographically. I started new bodies of work about which I’m very excited, started and completed my Stolen 99 project photographing the environment at Peopleplace, had the solo show at Harvard, and was in a wide range of group shows, including at the Univ. of Maine Museum of Art. Here’s hoping for an even better 2012 for everyone!
Without further ado, here are my favorite ten images of 2011 along with a bit of commentary. Like any such list, it is purely subjective, so please let me know what you think and if you have any particular favorites. Thanks for looking!
First up is one of my ice studies from last January, captured along the Megunticook River. I love this series and this image rises to the top for me for its (I hesitate to say the word) painterly quality.
"Megunticook River Ice Study #1". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
Next up is a more recent photograph from November that was taken on Megunticook Lake on a misty, cool morning. My affinity for this image is certainly in the calm composition and the lovely color.
"Megunticook Morning". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
A new series I started this year is my “Nightfall” series. These two photographs from summer 2011 are my clear favorites from that group. With this series I’m trying to provide a fresh perspective on iconic landscapes, and you can’t get much more iconic than Acadia’s Otter Cliffs and the Bubbles.
"Nightfall, Otter Cliffs". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
"Nightfall, The Bubbles". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
…and now for something completely different. Another new series I started this year is my “Pyrotechnic” series – abstracted images of fireworks reminiscent of the forms of nature. You can find my black & white ones here and my color ones here, but as of right now this is my favorite.
"Pyrotechnic #1". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
Another new series this year is my “Adventures in Celestial Mechanics” series. This series will be a multi-year project because of the vagaries of weather, clouds, and life, but I’m ecstatic with how its begun. Three images from this series make my favorites of the year (one is hot off the press, too, taken in December).
"Harvest Moon". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
"Thunder Moon II". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
"Long Nights Moon". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
This photograph, taken in Acadia from the top of Cadillac, is one of my personal lessons of persistence. I’ve been trying for years to make a photograph like this from roughly the same location but in 2011 the combination of light, weather, and my skills finally resulted in what I consider a successful image.
"Eagle Lake, Sunset". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
Last but not least is one of my Waterscapes series…I went back and forth on this selection and could have gone with many others, too, but on this day this is my favorite of that group:
"Waterscapes Blue/Red #5". Copyright Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
