Some favorite photos of 2018

Easing into 2019 »

Some favorite photos of 2018

December 31, 2018 by Mike Powell

As another year in my journey through photography comes to a close, I decided to share a few of my favorite photos of the past year. I initially planned to choose one image for each month and that was doable for the first few months of the year. Once I moved into the prime seasons for shooting, though, there were so many good photos I couldn’t select a single one, so I chose multiples for those months and ended up with these thirty photos.

If you want to see the images in a larger size, all you need to do is click on one of them and they will then be displayed in a slide show format.

Thanks so much to all of you who have followed my blog postings and supported and encouraged me in so many ways. It has been a wonderful year and I look forward to more photos and new adventures in the upcoming new year.

Happy New Year to you all and best wishes for a blessed 2019.

Yellow-rumped Warbler January 2018

Downy Woodpecker February 2018

Osprey March 2018

Cedar Waxwing March 2018

Wild Turkey April 2018

Downy Emerald April 2018

Prothonotary Warbler April 2018

Common Yellowthroat May 2018

Snapping Turtle May 2018

Emperor dragonfly June 2018

Green-eyed Hawker June 2018

Snake/fish July 2018

Great Blue Skimmer July 2018

Halloween Pennant July 2018

Green Heron July 2018

Calico Pennant August 2018

Great Blue Skimmer August 2018

Red-footed Cannibalfly August 2018

Monarch Butterfly August 2018

Migrant Hawker September 2018

Ruby-throated hummingbird September 2018

Russet Clubtail October 2018

Blue-faced Meadowhawk October 2018

North American Beaver October 2018

Bald Eagle November 2018

Horned Grebe November 2018

Eastern Bluebird November 2018

Red-shouldered Hawk December 2018

Great Blue Heron December 2018

Golden-crowned Kinglet December 2018

Posted in Birds, Dragonflies, dragonfly, Nature, new year, Photography, wildlife | Tagged birds, Canon 50D, Canon SX50, dragonflies, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Tamron 150-600, turtles | 31 Comments

31 Responses

on December 31, 2018 at 7:48 am | Reply Arkenaten

Beautiful photographs, Mike. I’m partial to your shot of the Emperor as I managed my first photograph of this dragonfly this year and it has visited our pond every year for the fast five!

All the best for 2019.
- on December 31, 2018 at 8:13 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks. It certainly is a spectacular dragonfly. I was thrilled to be able to get some shots of dragonflies, including that one, when I was travelling overseas for work. I love the ones where I live, but it is exciting to see other ones in other parts of the world.
on December 31, 2018 at 8:51 am | Reply Sue

It’s tough to narrow down the choices when there are so many good ones to choose from. What a wonderful collection you have here!
on December 31, 2018 at 9:21 am | Reply Dan Antion

These are wonderful choices, Mike – Happy New Year!
on December 31, 2018 at 9:28 am | Reply Reed Andariese

Very nice series Mike! And Happy New Year!!
on December 31, 2018 at 9:28 am | Reply kenneturner

We continue to enjoy each and every photo. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
on December 31, 2018 at 10:12 am | Reply Beth Howell

Always enjoy your photos and narratives! -looking forward to more in 2019. Happy New Year!
on December 31, 2018 at 10:23 am | Reply diannmeynor

Happy New Year Mike! AWESOME choices! Love ALL your work…..Thank You for sharing with us!!
- on December 31, 2018 at 7:05 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks for your encouragement, Diann, and best wishes to you for a wonderful 2019.
on December 31, 2018 at 11:01 am | Reply Georgette

That’s a wonderful collection of photos from just one year! They are all so very beautiful. I am especially intrigued by the red-footed cannibal fly, never having seen one.
on December 31, 2018 at 11:04 am | Reply pattyanneart

Gorgeous collection of photos, Mike!
Happy New Year!!
- on December 31, 2018 at 7:04 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks very much, Patty Anne. Have a wonderful new year too.
on December 31, 2018 at 2:46 pm | Reply Mike Hartley

Nice work Mike. Have a great New Year
- on December 31, 2018 at 7:04 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Mike. Happy New Year to you too and best wishes for a wonderful 2019.
on December 31, 2018 at 5:16 pm | Reply Laura (PA Pict)

You’ve had a fantastic photographic year, Mike. Here’s to an amazing 2019! Happy New Year and Best Wishes.
- on December 31, 2018 at 7:03 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks so much, Laura. Best wishes for a blessed 2019 for your and all your “boys,” including her husband. 🙂
  - on December 31, 2018 at 7:45 pm Laura (PA Pict)
    
    Thanks, Mike.
on December 31, 2018 at 6:35 pm | Reply Helen Cherry

Great work Mike !
- on December 31, 2018 at 7:02 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks so much, Helen. Best wishes for a wonderful New Year.
on January 1, 2019 at 9:56 am | Reply Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography

Great collection 👏👏👏
on January 1, 2019 at 10:36 am | Reply Louella Lester

Wow, lots of great shots.
on January 1, 2019 at 1:47 pm | Reply Dan Traun

Impressive selection from your body of work. Happy New Year!
on January 1, 2019 at 7:43 pm | Reply Molly D.

What a gorgeous adventuresome year! Congratulations.
on January 1, 2019 at 7:50 pm | Reply Eliza Waters

A beautiful set, Mike. Looking forward to seeing what you post in the year ahead!
on January 2, 2019 at 8:04 am | Reply Ellen

Benjamin was my New Year’s Eve date and we saw the new year in together, because he wanted to see what it “looks like”! Late yesterday just before dinner, we finally had the time required to inspect and fully appreciate this wonderful post. Benjamin had me enlarge each photo for closer examination of the details. Finally, after many returns to each photo, Benjamin pronounced the verdict as to which is his favorite : “They are all the bestest ones and I love every one, but maybe the big blue eyes (Aug.) or the Orange-Bluebird…” and the “or’s” went on and on! We look forward to many more bestest photos in 2019. Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
on January 3, 2019 at 9:20 am | Reply nliakos

I finally remembered to look ,at these when I was at my computer. I didn’t want to see them on the tiny screen. They are wonderful! I look at your posts every day (although I might skip some of the dragonflies…) but there were several here I had not seen. I think my favorite is the snapping turtle. What a smug expression! But each photo is stunning in its own way. I love them all. Have a very happy (and prolific) New Year!
- on January 3, 2019 at 9:35 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks so much, Nina, for your kind words. I like to shoot a variety of subjects because I find them to be interesting and because I know that some viewers prefer certain subjects more than others. I too love the snapping turtle. Here’s a link to the original posting with that image. https://michaelqpowell.com/2018/05/20/muddy-snapping-turtle/
  - on January 3, 2019 at 10:41 pm nliakos
    
    I see that “liked” the photo when you first posted it, too. 🙂
on January 8, 2019 at 10:59 am | Reply Most viewed posts of 2018 | Mike Powell

[…] to all of you for your overwhelming positive responses to a recent posting Some favorite photos of 2018 that showcased some of last year’s photos that I really like. Check out that posting if you […]
on January 8, 2019 at 11:25 am | Reply Jet Eliot

Oh what a treasure-trove in this gallery, my friend. Each photo is not only a work of photographic art, but also a smiling treat for those of us who tromp outside our whole lives looking for wildlife. As a birder of the U.S. west, I find the prothonotary warbler a jewel here, because we do not get them out here and to see one is usually a trip to a swamp and a view that lasts one or two seconds. The bright springtime setting is exquisite. So many of these photos are activities that do not happen frequently, like an osprey with nesting materials and a beaver swimming by. Thanks for this gallery of life and beauty, Michael.
on January 17, 2019 at 7:33 am | Reply myenchantingfloridalife

Love these! Thanks for sharing!