About this time every year I usually enjoy browsing the various collections of “photographs of the year” or “the year in pictures” posted by major news outlets. This year was notably different. The photos seemed to blur into a montage of wildfires, drought, landslides, war, air disasters, protests, hunger, disease, and death. I came away more depressed than uplifted. Was 2014 really that bad?
Then I came across this one from NBC News. Maybe I’ll remember the year this way:
“An egret preens itself as it stands on a branch along the River Brahmaputra on the eve of World Environment Day in Gauhati, India, June 4. World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5 by the United Nations to stimulate global awareness on environmental issues.” — NBC News
What a stunning photo PT. Beats the heck out of all those depressing images!
Yep, that’s what I thought.
Beautiful photo! Images like this are the ones that draw me in …
Me too. And there were so few of them this year … so few offering light, hope, happiness, beauty …
I certainly share your passion for beautiful and intriguing photographs but that rug was briefly pulled out from under me a couple of weeks ago when I was introduced by ‘NPR’ to an artist named Richard Estes who is a painter whose paintings look like photographs… literally. I was bedazzled by his work and the technical aspect of it. Forgive me but I must share on the chance you may be unfamiliar with the artist as I was….
http://www.npr.org/2014/12/16/369635057/painting-or-photograph-with-richard-estes-it-s-hard-to-tell
I wasn’t familiar with Estes in particular, but I did write once about photorealistic painting. Estes wasn’t among those artists, but certainly could have been. Amazing work. There’s a link in my post to a Wired article, which does include one of Estes’s paintings.
Thanks for pointing me to your post and link. More amazing work. I especially like the young girl and the toy cars – just so realistic. I’m sure you’ll sniff out some more nice photos this coming year which brings me to…
Have a Happy New Year! 🙂
You, too, Alan. Have a very Happy New Year!
I agree with I.M.,stunning! Alan G. Thank you for that link,all i can say is WOW! 82 years young gives me hope. One of my favorites this year was the video of the monkey saving his friend,oh yes the one of the policeman hugging that young boy.Have a Happy New Year.I believe the goodness is out there we just have to look deeper for it…Mary from Alabama.
Yes, the good is out there. It just seemed in very short supply this year.
Totally agree on the short supply, but what a beautiful example you found. Could never sit patiently long enough to capture a shot like this egret– perfect exposure, the symmetry, the backlighting of each feather- wow! (In your case, if no suitable photos are available… simply walk outside and look to the west/northwest?) Happy 2015, PT!
Er, if you don’t mind, I’ll postpone that walking outside. It’s been a bit nippy here this week. (-8 when I went to bed last night, high of about 5 yesterday). But I can always turn to Erik Stensland’s photos.
Happy 2015 to you, too!
Aye. I noticed that, too. After one batch, I thought, “There’s no place to go but up.” BUT, that is a great photo! Birds. Ya gotta love ’em. 🙂
I always think of you when I see a fabulous bird picture. I knew you’d love this one.