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Best Photos of 2016 by JMG-Galleries Blog Readers

27 Jul
Best Instagram Photos 2016

Best Instagram Photos 2016

What better way to start 2017 than to be creatively inspired. The results of my 10th annual Best of Photos project hopefully will do just that by introducing you to photographers and their work from all over the world. Many of my blog readers are photo enthusiasts and many are seasoned professionals, but the great thing about photography is that no matter what your experience level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer.

If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2017? blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently.

Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers.

Best Photos of 2016

  1. Jim M. Goldstein – Best Photos of 2016 by Jim M. Goldstein
  2. Randy Langstraat – My Ten Favorite Photos of 2016
  3. Chris Moore – Exploring Light – 2016: A Year in Review
  4. Denis Balibouse – Denis Balibouse Reuters 2016 Photos
  5. Craig L. Howe – A Thousand Words
  6. Michael Russell – My Top 10 Photos of 2016
  7. J. J. Raia – 2016 Jim Goldstein Project
  8. Harold Davis – Harold Davis Best of 2016
  9. Wendy M. Seagren – Wendy Seagren Best 2016 Blog
  10. Stefan Bäurle – Top 10 Favorites of 2016
  11. Phil Slade – Another Bird Blog
  12. Scott Wyden Kivowitz – Best & Favorite Photographs of 2016
  13. Rick Holliday – Best of 2016
  14. Russ Bishop – Russ Bishop | 2016 – The Year in Pictures
  15. Bill Bean – 2016 Favorites
  16. tim fiddimore – Photos 2016
  17. Rachel Cohen – My Best of 2016
  18. Brian Knott – FMKPhoto – 2016 Year in review
  19. Alexander S. Kunz – 12 Favorite Photos from 2016
  20. Monika Chace – 500px Monika Chace 2016 favs
  21. Martin Quinn – Quinn Images – Best of 2016
  22. Jenni Brehm – Changing Perspectives
  23. QT Luong – Year 2016 in Review: Treasured Lands
  24. Greg A. Lato – latoga photography
  25. Fred Mertz – Fred Mertz Photography
  26. Martijn van der Nat – Best of 2016
  27. Bryan Bzdula – Top 25 of 2016
  28. Joseph Smith – 2016 Year in Review
  29. Khürt Williams – Ten Best Images of 2016
  30. Free Roaming Photography – Twelve Favorite Photos from 2016
  31. Peter Carroll – 2016
  32. Chuq Von Rospach – My Best Photos of the Year for 2016
  33. Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images – My Favorite Landscape Photos of 2016
  34. Johann A. Briffa – 2016: A Photographic Retrospective
  35. Jao van de Lagemaat – Jao’s photo blog: Most memorable images from 2016
  36. Greg Russell | Alpenglow Images Photography – 2016 year in photos
  37. Richard Murphy – Best of 2016!
  38. Jim Stamates – My favorite images of 2016
  39. Brent Huntley – Photography and Travel
  40. Olivier Du Tre – Best of 2016
  41. Scott Thompson – Scott Shots Photography – My Top 10 Tahoe Area Photos of 2016
  42. Martin Nunez – My 12 best photographs of 2016
  43. Kyle Jones – 2016 Favorites
  44. Rob Tilley – Best of 2016 – My Favorite Images of the Year
  45. Pete Miller – Favorites of 2016
  46. Denise Goldberg – top photos : 2016
  47. Mike Chowla – My Ten Best of Images of 2016
  48. Deb Snelson – Favorite Photos of 2016
  49. Glenn Tunaley – Best of 2016
  50. Clint Losee – Top 10 of 2016 – My 10 Best Landscape and Scenic Photos
  51. Neil Bennett – Best of 2016
  52. Alan Majchrowicz – Photo Highlights 2016
  53. Dotty Molt – Best of 2016 – Every Image has a Story
  54. Björn Göhringer – My Top 14 Photos From 2016
  55. Richard Wong – Favorite Photos of 2016 – Richard Wong
  56. Brian Snyder – 10 Best Photos of 2016
  57. Deborah – My 2016 Favorite Images
  58. Phillip Colla – Natural History Photography – Best Photos Of 2016
  59. Richard Cummings – Fine Art America
  60. Todd Henson – Best Photos of 2016 – Todd Henson Photography
  61. Wendi Kennedy Photography – The 10 Best Moments/Photos of 2016
  62. Naomi Creek – 2016 Top 10
  63. MICHAEL KATZ – Michael Katz Photography
  64. Neil Creek – Neil Creek’s Top 10 Photos 2016
  65. Adrian Klein – Best Photos of 2016
  66. T.M. Schultze – T.M. Schultze Website
  67. Ilias Katsouras – Okrivadas
  68. Kevin Ebi – Living Wilderness: Best of 2016
  69. Kurt Lawson – 10 Favorites of 2016
  70. Caleb Weston – Dubland – Caleb Weston Photography
  71. Thomas Yackley – Yackley Photo
  72. Tim Manske – Beyond The Blue Ridge Favorites of 2016
  73. Patricia Davidson – My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2016
  74. Jon McCormack – 2016: From Istanbul to California’s Sierra Nevada
  75. Tim Aston – Best of 2016
  76. Werner Priller – Favorites/Best of 2016
  77. Rich Greene – My Faves of 2016
  78. Roland Tuley – My 6 Best of 2016
  79. Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston – Top 10 Favorite Images from 2016 – Journey of Light Photography
  80. Melissa Leady – 45journal-2016 Top 10
  81. William Neill – My Favorite Photographs of 2016
  82. David Hunter – Favorites of 2016
  83. Dennis Wister – 2016 Top Picks @ 500px
  84. Gabor Ruff – Natural History Photography – Highlights from 2016
  85. Zolt Levay – Zolt Levay’s Best of 2016
  86. Steve Levi – LEViiMAGES – blog – 2016 Year in Review
  87. SkyVista Photography by Steve Luther – SkyVista Photography Best of 2016
  88. Doug Wiggers – Top 5 Images of 2016
  89. Franka M Gabler – Franka M. Gabler – Favorite Images from 2016
  90. Tom Whelan – Twelve from 2016
  91. David J Grenier – 2016 Top Twelve Photographs of the Year
  92. Drake Dyck – Wild Drake Photography
  93. Morkel Erasmus – Sixteen Scenes from 2016
  94. Mike Christoferson – 2016 – One Month at a Time
  95. Annika Ruohonen – Annika Ruohonen Photography
  96. Derek Fogg – Year in Review – 2016 – Scotland Bottom to Top
  97. Bryan William Jones – Jonesblog
  98. Alan Dahl – 2016 Favorite Photos
  99. Robin Mayoff – RHM Images
  100. Peter Knott – 2016 Favourites
  101. Jackson Frishman – Favorites of 2016
  102. Earl Robicheaux – Naturesetude Top 10 Images of 2016
  103. Mark Hespenheide – 2016-Favorites
  104. Andrew Thomas – USA National Parks 2016
  105. Vladimir Vozdvizhenskiy – 2016 Top 10
  106. Nick Fitzhardinge – 2016 – a review
  107. John Fujimagari – The Stentorian Image
  108. Larry Millican – The Annual Ten
  109. Mike “Mish” Shedlock – Top 15 Iceland
  110. Carl Donohue – Expeditions Alaska
  111. Carol Schiraldi – Best of 2016 – My Top Images
  112. Catalin – My favourite shots of 2016
  113. Frank Klug – Favorite Photos of 2016
  114. Tony Wu – Favorite Photos of 2016
  115. Josh Meier – Best of 2016
  116. Mark Graf – 2016 – A Year of Leaves
  117. Richard Valenti – Best of 2016
  118. Tori Bateman – Tori:B’s Best of 2016
  119. Milan Hutera – 2016 In Pictures
  120. Malcolm Andrews – The Aerial Horizon
  121. Helly Sellers – What a year!
  122. Dean Foster – My Best Photos of 2016
  123. Ron Niebrugge – My Photo Blog – Niebrugge Images
  124. Navin Sarma – Navin Sarma Photography
  125. Daniel Leu – Favorites 2016
  126. Scott Thomas – Views Infinitum
  127. Scott McGee – Under Pressure Photography
  128. Suzy Walker-Toye – My Best Underwater Photos of 2016
  129. Anne McKinnell – Top 10 Landscape Photos of 2016
  130. David Leland Hyde/Landscape Photography Blogger – Favorite Photographs of 2016
  131. Mike Cleron – 2016 Favorites
  132. Lon Overacker – Lon’s Favorites of 2016
  133. Bill Evans – My Favorite Images of 2016
  134. Rob Weir – Rob Weir Photography
  135. Jim Campbell – Best of 2016
  136. Neil Corman – Ten Images from 2016 by Neil Corman
  137. Duffy Knox – Top 10 of 2016
  138. Dayne Reast – 2016 Highlights
  139. Phyllis Whitman Hunter – Phyllis Whitman Hunter Photography
  140. Sara M. Skinner Photography – My Top 10 Favorites of 2016
  141. Steve Cole – The Last Stands – 9 Saved Places
  142. Sue Shuey – Overall Best of 2016
  143. Bob Blesse – Best Images of 2016
  144. Andrew S. Gibson – Creative Exercise: Your Best Ten Images From 2016
  145. James Bruce Schwabach – “Portfolio of Images From White Sands
  146. David Maurer – 2016 Best Photos
  147. Holly Davison – Holly Davison’s Best of 2016
  148. Maxim Nekrasov – Creationings
  149. Sarah Marino – Nature Photo Guides
  150. Ron Coscorrosa – Nature Photo Guides
  151. Paul Rosenblum – 2016 Best 10 Underwater
  152. Dave Wilson – Best of 2016
  153. Colleen Miniuk-Sperry – CMS Photography – Colleen Miniuk-Sperry Photography: Favorite Photos From 2016
  154. Brenda Ahearn – 2016 Favorites
  155. Bryn Tassell – Bryn Tassell Favourites of 2016
  156. Harold Klein – Best of 2016
  157. Robin Black – My 10 Best of 2016
  158. Adam Elliott – My “Best” Photos of 2016
  159. Tommy Lim Kang Wen – Milky Way and Aurora Australis in Lake Tekapo
  160. Photography by Vidya – Best of 2016 by Vidya Narasimhan
  161. Greg Clure – Best of 2016
  162. Michael Frye – My Top Photographs of 2016
  163. Pat Ulrich – Favorite Photographs of 2016
  164. Stephen L. Kapp – Top 10 Images of 2016
  165. G Dan Mitchell – 2016 Favorite Photographs
  166. Pablo Sánchez – Pablo Sánchez Landscape photography
  167. El Paisaje Perfecto – El Paisaje Perfecto
  168. Deirdre Ryan – My Personal Favorite Images Of 2016

Have a great 2017!

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A Worthy Project for Landscape Photographers: League of Landscape Photographers

27 Jul

Three cover splay

Canadian landscape photographers Samantha Chrysanthou and Darwin Wiggett have created the League of Landscape Photographers, a self-identified group of artists who photograph the world around them in accordance with high ethical and artistic standards. ‘Landscape’ in this group is defined broadly to include wilderness and human interactions with and connections to the land. There is no cost to being a League member but each member must post a personalized code of ethics on their website or social media pages to join. League members share and discuss their ideas, portfolios and projects in the League Facebook group and on the League blog. The pinnacle achievement of the group is the annual, collectable fine-art Leaguemagazine to be released in the fall of 2017. There is currently a fundraising subscription campaign on until April 4 with the goal of getting $ 30,000 CAD to fund 1000 copies of the magazine that will go to subscribers worldwide. All proceeds from the subscriptions go to the creation of the magazine with its evocative imagery and high-end local printing and design. This is a magazine funded by photographers for photographers (no ads or commercial content) and funds raised go to fairly pay ALL contributors for their creativity. League magazine strives to promote photography with a conscience and show that photography can make a positive impact through thoughtful and ethical creativity.

Act quickly as their fund raising deadline is drawing near.

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Upper Yosemite Falls Moonbow – Getting The Shot

27 Jul
Upper Yosemite Falls Moonbow - May 9 2017
Upper Yosemite Falls Moonbow - May 9 2017

A large moonbow arcs across the mist from Upper Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park

There are quite a few photos in my portfolio that I look back upon and question my sanity due to the absurd conditions I’ve endured to capture them. This particular photo is up there on the insanity scale.  This past winter has seen extraordinary snowfall levels in the Sierras and now that Spring has rolled around the water levels are quite high in Yosemite Valley due to the snow melt.  That translates to huge waterfalls and under the right conditions moonbows (rainbows at night via moonlight).

I’ve taken moonbow photos from the Upper Yosemite Falls trail several times, but this year was like none other. I took up position in a new spot this year with a good friend Brian Hawkins. Our hike started off innocently enough with a hike that started at 4:30PM and later ended at 5:30AM. The reason for the long duration of the shoot was a combination of bringing a lot of gear (3 Canon DSLRS, 2 tripods, and 4 lenses plus extra layers of clothes) and the interest in shooting multiple time lapses + stills. Time lapse sequences run a couple hours and the moonbow wasn’t going to appear until 11:30PM.

Start of the Upper Yosemite Falls moonbow hike (4:30PM)
End of the Upper Yosemite Falls moonbow hike (5:30AM)

Now that I type it all out It really is rather nuts. I, of course, don’t think this before the hike because I have selective memory issues or quite simply my elevator doesn’t go to the top floor when it should.

Hiking with a full photo backpack means slow going on a hike that is 1.5 miles with a 1250 foot elevation gain. Leaving “early” affords me the time to properly stake out the right location, set up all 3 cameras, eat and start shooting. On the way up the focus is squarely on the task at hand and making it to the setup spot early.

Waiting in heavy mist and gusty winds.

Are we having fun yet? Waiting in heavy mist and gusty winds. Only 4 hours to go.

The most painful part of the excursion is the wait. This year this was particularly true given the setup spot quickly became inundated with heavy mist from the falls when the wind kicked up (10mph gusts). Without exaggeration, we were waiting in a windy rainstorm. A sane person might consider moving to avoid the heavy mist, but once you’ve invested the time to set up multiple cameras and climb down steep side trails it quickly becomes a less attractive option. This, of course, was constantly second-guessed throughout the night as conditions remained miserable. Eventually, we called uncle and left the cameras running but took shelter a 1/8th of a mile away on the main trial to stay dry.

So what does one think during the hours of waiting for the moonbow to appear and during the moonbow sequence run? Let me tell you in order of thought.

  1. I am so freaking wet and cold.
  2. I should have brought more layers to stay warm and dry.
  3. It’s so wet I’m not sure any of this footage will come out.
  4. I don’t think I could have carried anything more.
  5. What the f*ck are you thinking that this would be a good idea!
  6. I’ve never seen conditions so good for moonbows, but it’s too good. There’s too much water.
  7. What was that noise!? F*ck it better not be a mountain lion. Crap it was just my jacket hood rubbing against my head.
  8. I can’t feel my fingers. I should use those hand warmer things. Cr*p they’re in my camera bag back in the heavy mist. Forget it I’d rather have cold hands than get wet again.
  9. I wonder if my batteries died. I better go check.
  10. Upon returning repeat all the above thoughts
  11. I am so freaking cold. I am never going to do this again. I don’t know what I was thinking.
  12. Now that it’s so wet and windy how am I going to retrieve all my gear
  13. Holy sh*t! I can’t believe I’m here at 3AM

 

Then after all of this, I get to my camera to see the most amazing sight, Yosemite Falls roaring full of water with the biggest moonbow I’ve ever seen. All those earlier thoughts are lost as I get more stills taken. The results, like the photo above, are like a narcotic that wipes my mind clear. With my “photo-high” in place packing up is less cringeworthy albeit still miserable. Trying to remember, pack and not leave behind gear and accessories for 3 cameras is tough enough, but particularly mentally challenging when cold and tired. Fortunately, years of experience and more importantly being a little too anal for my own good make this a little easier.

Unlike years past the extra effort of trying to dry off gear took some extra time. It also required another round of gear packing. By the time this was all complete the hike down could begin at 3:50AM.

Canon 5D Mark IV + Canon 11-24 drenched from the heavy mist off the falls.
Canon 5D Mark II + Canon 16-35mm Mark II drenched from the heavy mist off the falls.
Canon 5D Mark II + Canon 16-35mm Mark II drenched from the heavy mist off the falls.

Brian Setting Up While Nice and Dry
Brian Soaked After Retrieving Gear

The hike down was cold, but dry and thus in my mind “warm”. On the way down thoughts of mountain lions hiding in the shadows quickly subside, instead focusing on not twisting an ankle due to fatigue or carelessness. Also important is to not step on the many millipedes that crawl across the trail. In between dodging millipedes, I’m left wondering how well my footage and stills came out. Cold and tired I’m thinking it’s doubtful anything could have come out and back to questioning why I thought this was a good idea.

Millipede on the trail

Millipede on the trail

Fast forward 7 hours as I write this and it’s become apparent several shots came out, but I won’t know how much until I’m back home. Between three cameras it’s likely it worked out. I really shouldn’t do this again, but come next year I’m sure all this will be mentally blocked and I’ll be making a similar hike/moonbow shoot just like I did in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and this year. Apparently, I’m a slow learner.

Authors Note: Excuse the typos if any as I typed this on my phone and I’m still very sleep deprived.

Gear Used On This Shoot

Camera 1
Canon 5D Mark IV, Zeiss Distagon T* 15mm f/2.8 ZE, Gitzo Carbon Fiber tripod (small) with canon timer remote controller TC-80N3

Camera 2
Canon Mark IV, Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM lens, Gitzo Carbon Fiber tripod (large) with canon timer remote controller TC-80N3

Camera 3
Canon 5D Mark II, Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens, JOBY GorillaPod for SLRs with canon timer remote controller TC-80N3

 

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Upper Yosemite Falls & Half Dome Moonbow

26 Jul
A wide arcing moonbow stretching across Upper Yosemite Falls on a clear night moonlit night in Yosemite National Park.

A wide arcing moonbow stretching across Upper Yosemite Falls on a clear night moonlit night in Yosemite National Park.

This past week was the optimal time to photograph moonbows in Yosemite Valley. I revisited photographing the moonbow at Upper Yosemite Falls as I had last year, but this time there was considerable more water and as a result the moonbow (rainbow by moonlight) was more easily seen. It was considerably larger, more vivid in color and wider arching. Conditions were great and at times a little too good as the 3 cameras I set up were completely drenched. If you’d like to read about what it took to get this photo be sure to check out my last blog post, Upper Yosemite Falls Moonbow – Getting The Shot, as it goes into a lot of detail about the hike and the challenges I faced.  If you’re curious about gear and settings this was taken with a Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 11-24mm f/4 lens. Settings were ISO 640, 15 seconds at f/4.

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Warning: Avoid This Scam Targeting Photographers

26 Jul

Over at All Things Photo, I’ve shared a video detailing a scam targeting photographers selling prints online. Also included in the video are 7 tips to avoid being scammed online. While the video is on the long side it’s worth a listen to protect yourself and learn the limitations of fraud protection with your bank and insurance companies. If you’re driving you can also listen to the podcast recording via the All Things Photo podcast.

If you haven’t already I welcome you to follow All Things Photo on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

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How I Evaluate Crowdfunding Projects: Kickstarter, Indiegogo & Beyond

26 Jul
How I Evaluate Crowdfunding Projects

How I Evaluate Crowdfunding Projects

13 Questions You Should Ask
Before Backing A Crowdfunding Project
on Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Beyond

Crowdfunding projects via sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have been increasing in popularity and some would say hit the mainstream. No disrespect to my wife, but she’s not an early adopter and it wasn’t until recently a mini ice machine showed up at our door that I realized she knew and took part in Kickstarter. By contrast, I’ve been using Kickstarter since it launched 2009/2010 and Indiegogo since 2014. In that time, for all the bad press these sites sometimes get, I’ve had a really good rate of return on my pledges. Roughly 85% of the projects I’ve backed have been delivered to my door and as it turns out my rate of return monetarily has been 83 cents on the dollar (ie for every $ 1 spent I’ve lost $ 0.17).  It would seem I’ve backed enough crowdfunded projects that I’d be considered a “super backer”, so I thought I’d share my evaluation process with you to increase the odds you back successful projects.

Do I Need This? / Suspension of Disbelief
The first thing you’re likely to see when visiting a project on Kickstarter or Indiegogo is the video pitch. Invariably the product discussed will be the best thing since sliced bread, but before you impulsively back the project ask yourself:

1. Is this a product I really need and/or will I use more than X times to recoup my cost? 

I can’t say I absorbed a lot in my college economics course, but I never forgot the discussion about the difference between wanting and needing a product. Be honest with yourself about whether you’re getting something that will be of use to you or if your money will be better spent on essential goods and services.

2. Is the product too good to be true? Or are the project organizers over ambitions?

One of the most entertaining aspects of evaluating crowd funded projects is to determine if they’re even possible. Does the product defy physics? (Ex. laser face razor)  Figuring out if you’re being sold snake oil is an important part of evaluating a pitch. When in doubt, watch the pitch video a few days later so as to not get swept up by hype and allow yourself time to research the technology/concept behind the product.

Product or Platform Dependencies

3. Is the product dependent on other products to be compatible?

If so will this product be obsolete by the time the product ships? (ex. iPhone cases being released after the next generation phone is released, GoPro accessories, etc.)  The biggest downside to accessory projects is that the product they’re an accessory for can change faster than the project can execute. Cell phone cases, cell phone lens add-ons and action cameras are all prone to this. For this reason, I rarely back these types of projects.

Is This Product Filling A Hole In The Marketplace?

4. Is there already something out there that is equivalent, proven and at a price point I should get instead?

If you like gadgets it’s pretty easy to lose sight of the larger marketplace as a whole when browsing crowdfunding sights. When you browse Kickstarter or Indiegogo your frame of reference will be all the projects on that site.  One project may seem better in relation to another and when you find one that strikes a nerve your reference point will be set against other sub par projects. Ultimately the “good” project catching your eye may be solved by an equivalent product elsewhere… like Amazon, so do your homework. This is especially true for batteries, chargers and similar accessories.

5. Are there or have there been other crowdsourced projects that are similar and how did they fare?

Odds are the products you’ll find on crowdfunding sites will not be one-of-a-kind. Research to see if an equivalent project is on going and/or more likely to be delivered? If you find a similar product that was crowd funded see if it was successful, well reviewed, and/or delivered on time. If a similar project failed in the past investigate why and see if the project you’re considering is repeating the same mistakes.

6. Will this product obsolete itself or be obsoleted by a dependent technology?

Sometimes our immediate desires cloud our vision of the future. Some products and technologies cycle faster than upstart companies (ex. operating systems). If you’re backing software (app or desktop program) is it likely to be compatible in 6 to 18 months? Will the company/product you’re backing be faced with an incompatibility and have to pivot resulting in costly delays?

Likelihood of Delivery

7. When is delivery targeted and what roadblocks are likely to impede that goal?

Most projects are required to list “Risks and Challenges”. Don’t gloss over this section and weigh it heavily in your evaluation whether to back the project. Are all the risks and challenges being accounted for? Are some risks being taken too lightly? If these risks don’t match up to the proposed delivery date reconsider backing the project or communicate your concerns to the project team.

8. Will this project bust because of expensive materials or labor costs?

Some projects face an uphill battle simply because the project organizers lack an understanding of the cost of materials and labor or have initial quotes unexpectedly changed by vendors mid-project increasing overall costs. Of the many projects I’ve backed, this is one of the most common reasons a project fails.

9. Is there a prototype in existence and has it been reviewed by others?

Crowdsourced projects are essentially pre-order campaigns and most crowdsourcing sites require a prototype to be in place before taking pledges. If this is not the case for the project that has caught your eye it’s time to take a harder look and/or reconsider backing it.

Leadership & Experience of Project Organizers

10. Is it a known company or are the project organizers well known?

Is the company or project organizers known? Sometimes established companies use crowd funding sites as a preorder mechanism. Odds are if they already produce and deliver products you’re going to get what is promised to you. If it’s a lesser known company or team look into the credentials of those running the project you’re interested in. It should not be good enough that a social media or celebrity talking head is the face of the company. In the worst case scenario see if the people behind the project have a bad reputation.

11. Do the project organizers have experience in the area of their project (software, engineering, manufacturing, etc.)

Ideally, the person or team assembled for the project that has caught your eye has the appropriate background, skill(s) and network to complete the job. A good idea alone won’t get the job done.

12. Have they successfully completed a Kickstarter or Indiegogo project?

Has the company or team behind the project successfully completed other crowd funded projects? Is the project being run by a company that is already established? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, your odds of seeing the promised product go up exponentially. On the flipside, Google the team or team members to see if they’ve tried before and failed under a different company name. Was it delivered on time? If not how late was it?

13. Do they communicate effectively and frequently?

Never underestimate the power of good communication. It is important to make sure that backer concerns and expectations are addressed quickly. If project comments are addressed slowly or incompletely that is a big red flag. Also important is the ability of project organizers to address hard questions constructively as it may be telling how they’ll communicate when the project hits some rough patches.

Committing to the Project
If everything looks good to these questions, I strive to back projects at a pledge level that is the best value (ex. early bird pricing or multiple unit orders). Then I swing back in a few days to reevaluate the project. At that point, I either back out or mentally validate I’m making a wise purchase. Note: If you get cold feet about a project you can undo your pledge, without penalty, if the fundraising window is still open.

Risk
With all this in mind I usually only commit a monetary pledge I’m willing to lose, assuming the project is never executed and delivered. There is never a guarantee a project will be completed and most crowd funding sites insulate themselves legally from liability if a project is a bust. My track record to date is pretty good with 85% of my backed projects being delivered. Again only pledge or spend an amount that you’re willing to lose. In an ideal world, the organizers will have a great deal of experience with engineering and manufacturing, delivering quite quickly after their campaign ends. For those that are trying their hand for the first time, you’re betting they can navigate the process before their funds evaporate. It doesn’t always work out, but when it does it can be a lot of fun.

kickstartmartvia The Oatmeal

Addressing The Skeptics
Given my earlier reported rate of return, it could be interpreted that every successful project I’ve backed really cost me 17% more. If I’ve lost 17 cents overall for every dollar spent that could be equated to a 17% premium paid for my successful campaigns. In the macro sense, you could look at it this way but consider my reported numbers cover a span of 7+ years. From year to year the amount I lost, per dollar spent, fluctuates depending on how bold/expensive my pledges were. As it turns out my overall average pledge in this time frame was $ 132.77. I’d like to think that most of this “premium” is recouped by grabbing the greatest discounted offers with early project pledges (aka early bird pledges).  On the other side of the coin, one can make the argument that you’re backing projects for more altruistic purposes to help upstarts get started rather than opportunistically satisfying your consumer urges. In my case, I have backed several projects to help other photographers (photo books, conservation campaigns, etc.) so I’m not backing crowd funded projects just for material goods alone.

No matter how you slice it you’re going to have varying degrees of success, but hopefully, my process of evaluating projects helps you avoid scams and/or get the most out of your investment.

Related Reading
The 5 Biggest Crowdfunding Failures Of All Time (2017)
The Ugly Afterlife Of Crowdfunding Projects That Never Ship And Never End (2014)

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Blog Project: Your Best Photos From 2017

26 Jul

It’s that time of year again and if you’re a regular JMG-Galleries reader that means one thing…
it is time to kick off the 11th annual best photos of the year blog project. This is by far my most popular blog project with hundreds of photographers taking part last year (see Best Photos of 2016,  2015, 2014, 2013,  2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007).  It’s great to see the community of photographers that have developed around this blog project. As always I hope the exercise of picking your best photos helps improve your photography (10 Ways to Top Your Best 20xx Photographs).

So without any further delay here is how you take part to submit your best photos of 2016.

How to Participate (Read Carefully)

  1. Review & select your best photos from 2017.
    Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers.
  2. Create a blog post on your website or a Flickr/500px set containing your best photos from 2017.
  3. Complete the form below by Tuesday JANUARY 2rd at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday, or thereabout, I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos on my blog. Throughout the week I’ll also share the results across all my social media accounts.

Spread the Word!
Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited.

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Best Photos of 2017 by Jim M. Goldstein

26 Jul

I’m happy to report 2017 was a much better year than 2016 on many fronts. Family was healthy, we avoided experiencing the passing of family members, there was a fair amount of travel, a few great photos were taken and most importantly to me my boys continue to experience nature and ask for repeat camping trips.

In past years yearly recaps I’ve emphasized how much of my focus has shifted from taking nature photos to instilling a sense of wonder about and deep respect for nature in my two young sons. That continues to be the case.   I’ve never delved into it too deeply in past yearly recaps why my prioritization has shifted. In part it’s likely very obvious for some. That said I do want to call it out. I became a photographer because of my love for nature. If I hadn’t been so intrigued by nature I’d never have had a reason to pick up a camera. With the onset of social media and mobile phones with cameras I’m not sure that can be said of many young photographers today. More and more as I view photography online I wonder whether people are truly interested in their subjects (all styles of photography not just nature) or just trying to increase their follower stats because that’s the thing to do in this day and age. Perhaps my cynicism is getting the better of me after working at Borrowlenses where I dealt with photography talking heads & professional and aspiring professional photographers on a daily basis. An element of my becoming a jaded photographer I’m sure (kudos to my friend Richard Wong for writing that post). I’ll avoid going down the path of airing dirt for now as that’s a series of posts unto itself. Anyhow once my boys got old enough it was quite natural for me to want to go back to my roots enjoying nature over photography. I’d like my children to deeply respect and value our natural world. What would I be teaching them, about nature and in general, if I was always taking photos on our trips versus living the moment?

For that reason my yearly recap photos have and will continue to be split between family photos and everything else. While my boys are in their most formative years I’ll continue to put my emphasis behind experiencing nature versus artistically capturing it. The fact that my boys regularly tell me, often out of the blue, they want to go camping again means the world to me. I’m incredibly grateful one aspect of my professional outdoor photographer mind has not lost a beat and that is timing our trips for optimal conditions. This used to torment me as I’d leave my DSLR behind, but the more my boys reminisce and ask for more nature experiences the more I know I’ve made the right call.

Now that that’s out of the way… my favorite photos, in no particular order are below. Enjoy and thanks for taking the time to view this post and my blog in general.  If you happen to have a recap of your best photos of 2017 I invite you to submit it to my blog project, where I list the best photos of photographers who read my blog. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to get inspired at the beginning of the new year.

Best of  Landscape & Nature

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I took my boys to witness the total solar eclipse in August of 2017. We went off road to an isolated mountaintop with 360 degree views in eastern Oregon. My focus for the eclipse itself was on the experience with my boys, but we did star gaze a lot at night before the big day. In trying to explain how the earth moves I set up a quick star trail sequence to show the boys. This was the result.

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Water levels were near record levels this spring in Yosemite Valley. I made what has become a regular hike to Upper Yosemite Falls to take time-lapses of moonbows with my friend, Brian Hawkins. Like me, he seems to have enough screws loose to think this night hike is a good idea along with huddling in ice cold mist to capture this view.

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At the beginning of the year I timed a trip to Yosemite Valley to capture some long overdue winter star trail photos. This was a single 2+ hour exposure taken with my Canon 5D Mark II. Pictured is Three Brothers with star trails reflected in the Merced River.

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Another single 2+ hour exposure taken with my Canon 5D Mark II. Pictured is Upper Yosemite Falls as seen from the valley floor.

PacificOverlander.com Truck Under the Milkyway

For most of my family trips this year I’ve rented an SUV outfitted with a rooftop tent via PacificOverlander. I took this photo on the first night of one of my trips with the boys as we explored the Owens Valley. While they slept I snuck in this photo of our truck/tent under the Milky Way. If you’re unfamiliar with PacificOverlander it’s well worth investigating. I’ve had several amazing experiences and my boys keep asking me why I keep giving the truck back. They regularly have so much fun on these trips it would seem they’re sold on having a truck/rig like this of their very own.

 

Best of Family

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Taken on our trip to see the total solar eclipse, the boys enjoy hanging out in the tent atop our PacificOverlander SUV. This photo sits atop both my home and work desk. It’s probably my favorite photo of the year as it captures the raw joy my boys have on our camping excursions.

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I spoiled my kids with ice cream atop the Glacier Point lookout in Yosemite National Park. A moment I enjoy remembering through this quick snapshot.

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Wrangling family for a group photos is… a challenge. This is especially true when the boys enjoy making faces and test the patience of my wife. Every so often though a photo comes out just right. This was one that I took while we enjoyed a sunny day at a beach near Half Moon Bay.

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Not a technically great photo, but the fact it captures the raw excitement of my youngest son exploring new places makes it one of my favorite of the year. The had a fun time rock hopping at Olmsted Point in Yosemite National Park.

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Trains… my boys love trains. Given the opportunity they’ll always jump on a train and lucky for them the commuter train, Caltrain, is very close to where we live. Bright eyed and excited I couldn’t help but take this photo of my son as we started to roll.

 

Bonus Images / Honorable Mentions

I didn’t take this first image, but it’s impossible to exclude as it’s a great keepsake from a very fun trip. Below that you’ll see a short slideshow of images that might show a glimpse of the future. While I’m not actively taking serious photos in front of the boys they’ve none the less taken to photography on their own. If you’ve seen my past years “Best of” photos you’ll also see that my oldest son continues to enjoy being part of trick photos (forced perspective, rotated images, etc.). His best this year was “rock climbing” at Devils Postpile National Monument. Lastly my oldest also enjoyed getting drenched under a rainbow at Bridal Veil Fall in Yosemite this spring.
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Click to view slideshow.

If you’re curious to see how these compare to my “best of” images selections from years past I invite you to check them out: Best Photos of the Year by Jim M. Goldstein.

Wow! You made it this far. Thanks for taking the time to view all my photos. Keep tabs on my latest posts by subscribe to my blog or (ironically) follow me on social media. I’m not posting as frequently as I used to, but when I do it’s likely something you won’t want to miss. Also I do have a mail list if you’d like to subscribe (at my current rate I send out 1-2 email per year due to a hectic schedule).

 

 

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Best Photos of 2017 by JMG-Galleries Blog Readers

26 Jul

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Get ready to start 2018 off on the right foot with some creative inspiration. The results of my 11th annual Best of Photos project hopefully will provide just that by introducing you to photographers and their work from all over the world. Get ready to travel around the world in 100+ links.

For those who are new to my blog project, photographers taking part span the gamut of photo enthusiasts to professionals. The great thing about photography is that no matter what your skill level we all can relate equally in our love for the art of photography and visually exploring. With that in mind I encourage you to reach out to photographers whose work you enjoy to keep sharing & growing as an artist.  I am incredibly thankful that this tradition has been embraced and enjoy seeing how familiar faces have evolved their work & grown over the years.  I hope reviewing your best photos of the year and comparing them to years pasts keeps you inspired and aware of your progress as a photographer.

If you’d like to take part next year and be informed when submissions open for the “Best Photos of 2017? blog project add your name to my mail list. You won’t be spammed. I send out newsletters quite infrequently.

Thank to everyone who took part!  I invite you to visit each link below as I have and introduce yourself to many of the participating photographers.

Best Photos of 2017

  1. Jim M. Goldstein – Best Photos of 2017 by Jim M. Goldstein
  2. Randy Langstraat – My Ten Favorite Photos of 2017
  3. Michael Russell – My Top 10 Photos of 2017
  4. Phil Colla – Best Natural History Photos of 2017
  5. Greg Russell | Alpenglow Images – 2017 year in review
  6. Mike Matenkosky – My Favorite Photos from 2017
  7. Khürt Williams – 2017 Favourites
  8. Carl Donohue – Expeditions Alaska
  9. Kevin Ly – Kevin Ly | Best of 2017
  10. Martin Quinn – Quinn Images – Best of 2017
  11. Robin Mayoff – RHM Images Best of 2017
  12. Craig L. Howe – On the Move
  13. Johann A. Briffa – 2017: A Photographic Retrospective
  14. Harold Davis – Harold Davis—My Best of 2017
  15. Denise Goldberg – top photos :: 2017
  16. William Bean – Bill’s Blog
  17. Greg Clure – Best Images of 2017
  18. Rick Holliday – Best Images of 2017
  19. Peter Carroll – Peter Carroll – Favourites of 2017
  20. Mike Chowla – My 10 Best Photos of 2017
  21. Wendy M. Seagren – wendy seagrens best photography 2017
  22. QT Luong – 2017 in Review, Favorites, and Seasons Greetings
  23. Jenni Brehm – Changing Perspectives
  24. Rachel Cohen – Rachel Cohen Photography
  25. Brian Knott (FMKphoto) – 2017 year in review
  26. Shikha Shrivastava – My favorite photos of 2017
  27. Dave Wilson – Dave Wilson Photography – Best of 2017
  28. Larry Millican – Millican Photography
  29. Alexander S. Kunz – My Favorite Photos from 2017
  30. Mark Duffy – 500px
  31. Stefan Baeurle – Top 10 Favorites of 2017
  32. Adrian Klein – Favorite Photos of 2017
  33. Alan Majchrowicz – Photo Highlights 2017
  34. Russ Bishop – Russ Bishop Photography | 2017 – The Year in Pictures
  35. Todd Henson – Best Photos of 2017: My Favorites of the Year
  36. Peter Tellone – My 2017 Top Ten Best Images
  37. Aaron Hockley – thisGruntled – Best Photos of 2017
  38. Tony Wu – Favorite Photos of 2017
  39. T.M. Schultze – T.M. Schultze Website
  40. Andrew S. Gibson – My Favorite Photos From 2017
  41. John Pemberton – JPSquared – Images of 2017
  42. Scott Thompson – Scott Shots Photography’s Top 10 Tahoe photos of 2017
  43. ElDuro Tuco – ElDuro Tuco
  44. The DarkSlides – The DarkSlides
  45. Jon McCormack – From Ancient Cities to Endangered Animals – 2017 in Photographs
  46. Fred Mertz Photography – Fred Mertz Photography
  47. Richard Valenti – Richard Valenti Photography
  48. Jeff Hubbard – My Favorite Photos of 2017
  49. Andrew Scharlot – 2017 Best Pictures
  50. Deb Snelson – Favorite Photos of 2017
  51. Richard Wong – Favorite Photos From 2017 – Richard Wong
  52. Caleb Weston – Dubland
  53. Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images – My Favorite Landscape Photos of 2017 – A Year-End Retrospective
  54. Tom Whelan – Nature Diary
  55. Robert Varley – Robert Varley
  56. Kyle Jones – Favorites from 2017
  57. Neil Creek – Neil Creek – Photographer
  58. tim fiddimore – North Devon 2017
  59. Richard Murphy Photography – Best of 2017
  60. Alan Dahl – Favorites of 2017
  61. Gabor Ruff – Natural History Photography – Highlights from 2017
  62. Kevin Ebi – Living Wilderness: Best of 2017
  63. Clint Losee – 10 Best Landscape and Scenic Photos of 2017
  64. Mark Hespenheide – Best of ’17
  65. Ilias Katsouras – Okrivadas
  66. David J Grenier – 2017 Top 12 Photographs
  67. J. J. RAIA – 2017 Jim Goldstein Project
  68. Rob Tilley – Best of 2017 – My Favorite Images of the Year
  69. Björn Göhringer – Top 14 From 2017
  70. Bernt-Inge Madsen – Bernt-Inge.com
  71. USKestrel Photography (Pete Miller) – My favorite images of 2017: A Different Perspective
  72. Milan Hutera – 2017 in Pictures
  73. Fred Murphy – Fred Murphy Photography
  74. Harry Hitzeman – My Top Photographs of 2017
  75. Andrew Thomas – Best of 2017 – Aerials
  76. Dean Foster – 2017: Year in Review
  77. Simon Ng – 2017 A Year of Water
  78. Michael Katz – Michael Katz Photography
  79. Drake Dyck – Top Ten (favourite) Images of 2017
  80. Jose Manuel Santos – The Magnificent Douro Valley
  81. Gary Buzel – Gary Buzel Studios
  82. Bryan William Jones – Top Photos of 2017
  83. Peter Knott – 2017 Favourites
  84. Kamala Venkatesh – Kamala Venkatesh
  85. Jason Frye – My Top 10 of 2017
  86. Jackson Frishman – Favorites of 2017
  87. Thomas Yackley – Top Ten Landscape and Nature Photos of 2017
  88. Mark Graf – 2017 – A Year of Despair and Dragons
  89. Kurt Lawson – 10ish Favorites of 2017
  90. Jorge Ramirez – Selection 2017
  91. William Neill – William Neill’s Light on the Landscape Photoblog
  92. Daniel Leu – Favorites – 2017
  93. Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston – Top 10 Favorite Images from 2017 ~ Journey of Light
  94. Photography
  95. Mike Christoferson – 2017 Has Come and Gone
  96. Carol Schiraldi – Best of 2017 – My Top Images
  97. Robin Black – My 10 best photos (or personal favorites, anyway) of 2017
  98. Bryn Tassell – Favourites of 2017
  99. Steve Luther – SkyVista Photography Best of 2017 Images
  100. George Stark – George Stark Images
  101. Josh Meier – Josh Meier Photography Best of 2017
  102. Werner Priller – My Favorite Images of 2017
  103. Peter Krogh – Best of 2017 Photographs by Peter Krogh
  104. Under Pressure Photography by Scott F McGee – Top 10 Photos of 2017
  105. Joseph Smith – 2017 Favorites – A Year’s Review
  106. Chuq Von Rospach – 2017 BEST PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
  107. Charlotte Gibb – Twelve Months – Twelve Photographs
  108. Holly Davison – Holly Davison Photography
  109. Colleen Miniuk-Sperry/CMS Photography – Favorite Photos From 2017
  110. Anne McKinnell – Top 10 Landscape Photos of 2017
  111. Jim Stamates – My Favs of 2017
  112. Neil Corman Photography – Ten Images from 2017
  113. Eric E Photo – Analog: 2017
  114. Phyllis Whitman Hunter – Phyllis Whitman Hunter Photography
  115. Catalin Marin – My favourite shots of 2017
  116. Catalin Marin – Corporate work – My favourite client shots of 2017
  117. Simon Ponder – Sponderpoints
  118. Greg A. Lato – latoga photography Favorite Photos of 2017
  119. Paul Rosenblum – Best Shots of 2017
  120. Patricia Davidson – My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2017
  121. Tim Aston – Favorites from 2017
  122. Yosemite and Bay Area Photography by John Harrison – “My Best Nature
  123. Sue Shuey – Best Overall 2017
  124. Ron Niebrugge – My Photo Blog
  125. Michael Frye – My Top Photographs of 2017
  126. Jao van de Lagemaat – Jao van de Lagemaat’s Best images of 2017
  127. David Leland Hyde/Landscape Photography Blogger – Best Photographs of 2017
  128. Mike Cavaroc – Free Roaming Photography
  129. Patrick Endres – 2017 Favorites
  130. Alex Buisse – Best of 2017

Have a great 2018!

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Amuse Park – Match Evaluation

04 Jul

Wanna see how fantastic you unquestionably are at earning dollars? I am particular that many you actually experience like minor entrepreneurs that have not nevertheless be noticed and available the opportunity to dominate the marketplace. Lots of men and women, which include me as well as you, like making lots of income just by playing. Sure you found ideal – just by experiencing a myriad of games; exactly where in the world are you able to find the most fulfilling online games visit website?

In the amusement park guy! There is on the web, on bored.com just a little technique video clip match which is labeled “Amuse Park”. Dude it is so wonderful! Like it! The pictures are unquestionably excellent, the overall match engage in is good and also the issues that you’ve got to perform will critically put anybody on the exam. So…this is particularly anything you need to undertake during the “Amuse Park”. You have got $ 6,000 so you in fact must crafted in the commencing a complete amusement park. Sounds very simple but it surely is not…the pretty to start with stage is analogous to education. The aim of your online video game will be to attract as many guests as is possible just because you need to get to a specific sum of stashed money. It’s possible you’ll established up a carousel or perhaps a castle from the begging. The position where you make it’s extremely important since together with your new developing, you must also place some benches, bathrooms, food-stands and plenty of other individuals. You should also attempt to retain the place clean up and at the time all over again using the services of someone to scrub it charges revenue…cash that you choose to get from a other topic park sights.

Witnessing how persons enter your “Amuse Park” getting an unsatisfied encounter then depart with their mouths for their ears is incredible and also hunting at the sum of cash through the stop from the day leads to you to definitely even open your very own concept park. It truly is not easy – you will need to imagine; plus your considering really should be suitable just because you just do not need to drop pounds so I believe that “Amuse Park” is exactly fantastic to participate in right before you open up your individual personal company.

Hey all people! I’m Alin and composing content which might be connected to pcs is one of my hobbies. I get the job done for Bored and i suppose that enjoying games can also be considered one of my best picks.

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