Favorite Pictures of 2016: #10 through #7

What would the end of the year be without some kind of countdown? Even though the year does not go down as what I would consider a banner year in my life there were still plenty of amazing moments I will never forget. Before I get into the countdown of my favorite pictures of 2016, I should say there was a very deliberate reason I chose the word "pictures" instead of "photographs". For one, I do not consider myself a photographer by any stretch of the imagination. I don't care about exposures, shading, shadows, or any of the other details photographers go to great trouble to get perfect. To me, photography is about preparation and patience to capture a moment that will evoke an emotion from everyone. Pictures are about capturing a moment with a story behind it that is so beautiful to you people will be moved to emotion. These are the pictures I captured in 2016 that were so beautiful to me because of what they meant in the moment.

#10: Rogue Watching the Sunrise

Anyone who knows me well enough to know how much this dog has meant to me this year probably knew I'd sneak him into the countdown at some point. Let's be honest, when you go through a breakup in your 30s no one wants to hear about it. At this age people are focused on their families and their relationships, so they'd rather not have their single friend bring them down with whoa is me stories. Rogue was there to stare at me adorably while I vented, complained, yelled, and (I'll admit it) cried. 

I caught this pic on a typical morning, with a typical (beautiful) Arizona sunrise, I figured I better not place it too high on the list. Rogue and I were out for our normal morning walk when we sat down at a picnic table in the park where we often sit so I can drink my coffee. He usually spends this time sniffing the dirt or climbing up and down on the table. However, on this day he was so serene just staring at the sunrise. The reason I love this pic is because it came on my birthday, it was a perfect present from nature. It was just me and my buddy enjoying a sunrise.

#9: Coffee at June Lake

I would have actually put this one a little higher on the list, but looking back on it, the coffee cup kind of ruins the shot. I actually took this one to send to my Mom to make her jealous that I was spending my morning enjoying coffee in such beautiful surroundings, knowing I'd be back in North Dakota in a few days. I'm very glad I asked for suggestions about places to go near Yosemite National Park. I found out about June Lake from someone on a National Parks Facebook group page. As the last of three gorgeous mountain lakes in the opposite direction of Yosemite than we were traveling, there is a good chance we wouldn't have followed the whole loop without that suggestion. On the morning the photo was taken, my then-girlfriend and I woke up from a night of camping in the woods near Mammoth Lakes, CA in what may not have exactly been a "legal" campsite. It was 4th of July weekend so the "legal" ones were a little difficult to come by. As we headed back toward Yosemite, we stopped off in June Lake for a second time to get coffee and pull up our folding chairs on the beach to enjoy a beautiful morning.

#8: Proud Bison Snaps a Picture of a Proud Bison

Being born and raised in North Dakota and attending a school with a Bison for a mascot, I had seen a few in my lifetime. But the previous sightings had always been from a great distance or in a domesticated setting. Yellowstone National Park offered an opportunity to see these majestic creatures (yeah I'm biased, Go Bison!) in a natural habitat. I captured this shot as we spent our day roaming through Yellowstone. The geysers were amazing, but the wildlife was the part I loved about the park. However, this would not be the closest interaction we had with bison that day. As we left Yellowstone out of the Northeast exit toward Cooke City, MT, a family of about 6 bison calmly strode alongside the road heading back toward the park. I was in such awe as we watched them pass, that I completely forgot to take a picture.

#7: The Campground I Cannot Wait to Visit Again

This shot from Burnt Corral Campgrounds in Arizona's Tonto National Forest, is actually one of the bigger disappointments of the year. The reason for this is because it was a campground, I never actually had a chance to stay at (yet). I love this picture because it came at a time when I was incredibly optimistic about the future. The ex and I had recently reunited after being broken up for 2 months. We had been traveling down the Apache Trail for a short Sunday adventure. This was a drive I had made once before, so we had stopped at several of the usual stops, Saguaro Lake, Apache Lake marina, all the historical markers and viewpoints. This time around, I noticed the sign for a campground, so we decided to stop of and scout it for a potential future camping spot. The campsites next to the lake were amazing and offered the view I captured. I was in love, the future seemed bright, and the world was full of so much beauty.