As the 2012 year draws to an end, I thought I'd post my favourite ten photos that I blogged during the year (some were shot prior to 2012, but never posted until this year).

Here they are, in the order that I blogged them. You can click each photo to view the blog post for that particular photo.

boats along the Prinsengracht

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands

straight down

Kwinana Beach, Western Australia
GoPro HD Hero2 (suspended from a kite)

old boat in the canal

Marken, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands

2011 has been another busy year for me. It has been busy at work throughout the year, and I spent a number of weeks on work-related travel, visiting Melbourne (three times), Adelaide, Calgary (Alberta, Canada), Brisbane, and a remote mine-site in the north of Western Australia near Kununurra.
I took a camera with me on most of the work-related trips, and in most cases, managed to find some time for photography.

ore stockpiles

remote mine-site, Kimberley, Western Australia

snow-covered mountains in the mirror

Spray Valley Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada

I also spent three weeks in the Netherlands on a family holiday - the first time I had been back for about 13 years. I came back from the Netherlands with nearly 3000 photos.

view of Elburg from Sint Nicolaaskerk

Elburg, Gelderland, The Netherlands

As I indicated 12 months ago, I made a start in kite aerial photography (KAP) this year, using an old Canon PowerShot G5 point-n-shoot camera. I also had an Introduction to Kite Aerial Photography guest post published on DIY Photography.

KAP self-portrait

taken with remote-controlled camera suspended from kite

Southern River, Western Australia

I recently purchsed a GoPro Hero2 camera, and used it for a few KAP sessions earlier this week (photos from those sessions coming soon). The GoPro Hero2 is smaller and lighter than the old Canon G5 I was using, has a wider angle lens, and will provide 11 megapixel still photos and full HD video.

GoPro Hero2 camera in its weatherproof housing

Early in 2011, I also did my first new-born newborn baby photoshoot - taking photos of Zoe Madison when she was two weeks old. It was a lot of fun, and the parents and I were happy with the results.

Zoe Madison

In 2011, I shot a few weddings. While I enjoy shooting weddings, I do not want to take on too many weddings, due to the time and effort it takes.

Marius & Alice

University of Western Australia

Throughout the year, I also went out on a few photowalks with friends, family, and colleagues, to a variety of locations.

lonely

Warnbro, Western Australia

Hovea Falls

John Forrest National Park, Western Australia

dugite snake (pseudonaja affinis)

Harvey Dam, Western Australia

My cheapest gear acquisition in 2011 was a DIY camera wrist strap, made out of cheap paracord. After several months of use, I can say that I'm definitely finding that it works well for me, and I am not missing the neck strap at all.

DIY camera wrist strap

One of my more exciting gear acquisitions was the Phottix Odin, a wireless TTL flash trigger. The Odin provides full TTL functionality for multiple remote flashes - and does so wirelessly, using 2.4GHz RF, providing more reliable triggering and much better range than Canon's built-in infrared triggering.

Phottix Odin transmitter control unit

I have used the Odin for a couple of weddings, as well as various family shoots and product-type shoots, and have been very impressed with the functionality and features it provides.

Adrian & Roslin & bridal party

shooting into the sun, with two bare 580EX flashes triggered with a Phottix Odin, in TTL mode

The number of RSS subscribers continued to increase during 2011.
According to Google Analytics, of the blog posts that were posted during 2011, the most popular were:

• Review: Phottix Odin TTL Flash Trigger
• Review: Phottix Strato II Multi Trigger
• Understanding Your Camera: F-Numbers, F-Stops and Stops
• DIY Camera Wrist Strap
• Understanding Your Camera: The Manual Mode Myth
• Understanding Your Camera: Camera Modes Explained
• Long Exposure at Point Peron
• KAP Self-Portrait
• Visiting the Solicitor
• Analysing Lens Usage
• eBook Review: 100% Reliable Flash Photography
• Newborn: Zoe Madison
• Yes, Filters Do Protect Your Lens

As shown by the list of popular post above, gear-related posts continue to prove popular.
Due to insufficient time, I only posted three articles in the series I am writing as I teach camera basics and camera operation to my children (and all three show up in the most popular posts above).



I intend to write more articles in the Understanding Your Camera series as I continue to teach camera basics and camera operation to my children.

Nicholas

Glen Brook Dam, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia

Bookings for a couple of weddings for 2012 have already been received, and I may look at writing some posts about what happens while shooting a wedding.

More gear reviews are planned, as well as a number of book reviews and ebook reviews.


Thanks to all the people who have responded to posts with comments over the last years, and I wish all my readers the best in your 2012.

If you are not a regular reader of this blog, you may want to consider subscribing via RSS or via email, to ensure you don't miss out on any new content.

Looking back at 2010 makes me realise just how busy a year it has been for me.
In addition to being busy with family committments and community-related committments, I travelled fairly regularly for work, spending a total of 7 weeks away from home.
I visited Sydney (twice), Adelaide (three times), Brisbane, Gold Coast, Roxby Downs, as well as a road trip to various locations through NSW, including Newcastle, Wollongong, Nowra and Botany Bay.

I always try to take a camera with me when I travel for work, and managed to find some opportunities for photography in those locations.

looking down on City Beach

Flagstaff Point, Wollongong, NSW
Canon EOS 50D, 10-22mm @19mm, 1/200 sec, f/11, ISO100

I participated in the Worldwide Photo Walk for 2010, attending one of walks in Perth with my two oldest children (aged 10 and 11). I also went on several other photowalks with friends and colleagues throughout the year.

St Mary's Cathedral

Perth, Western Australia
Canon EOS 50D, 10-22mm @21mm, 1/125 sec, f/6.3, ISO100

One of my more interesting photography-related purchases in 2010 was a Canon EF 35mm f/2 lens. On a Canon 50D body, I prefer the 35mm focal length rather than 50mm (a 35mm lens results in an effective focal length very close to 50mm, rather than the 50mm lens' effective focal length of 80mm).

Here's an overview of all the photos that I blogged during 2009.
Click the thumbnail to go directly to the corresponding blog post.

Happy new year!

Here's the most visited tutorials, hacks, reviews and gear-related posts during 2009 (based on the number of page views between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2009, as reported by Google Analytics):

1. Faking Tilt-Shift - a Tutorial for Realistic Miniaturised Photos
2. Tag Your Camera
3. Review: Phottix Cleon II Wire/Wireless Remote Control Set
4. Review: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens
5. A Cheap Clamp for Holding a Remote Flash
6. Review: Phottix Hero LiveView Wireless Remote
7. Review: Phottix Nikos Digital Timer Remote (TC-501)
8. Review: Phottix Plato 2.4GHz Wireless Remote
9. Canon 50D Remote Shutter Release
10. Yongnuo Remote Shutter Release - cheap but not too nasty
11. Canon N3 Connector Pinout and Wiring
12. Review: Phottix Tetra Wireless Flash Trigger (PT-04 II)
13. More on Tagging Your Camera
14. Making Bookmarks With Your Photos
15. Review: Phottix Cleon Wire/Wireless Remote Control Set
16. An Improved Clamp for Holding a Remote Flash
17. New Toy - Cokin Z-Pro ND Grad Filter Kit
18. Selling Photos For Publication - How Much Should You Charge?
19. Canon 50D - First Impressions
20. Canon 7D Announced

Here's an overview of all the photos that I blogged during 2008.
Click the thumbnail to go directly to the corresponding blog post.

As the end of 2008 is getting closer, I've been looking back at my blog. It was started in early 2008, and the first post was published on the 3rd of February.
At the time, my intention was to share some of my photos, as well as posting articles, reviews and tutorials on various photography-related topics.



I'm intending to continue in a similar direction, with photos, articles, reviews and tutorials. In 2008, I've also enjoyed a number of photoshoots with friends and colleagues, and hope to do the same in 2009, with our first shoot already planned for early January.

Feel free to leave comments if there's any particular topics you would like me to write about in the future, and I'll see what I can do.



Using wordle.net, I generated the word cloud below, using the text of all blog posts this year.
The size of each word is proportional to the number of times that word appeared in the text of the blog posts.




Below a summary of the 15 most popular posts during 2008 (based on the number of page views between 1 January 2008 and 28 December 2008, as reported by Google Analytics):

1. Tutorial: Faking Tilt-Shift - a Tutorial for Realistic Miniaturised Photos (posted 2008-03-21)
   This tutorial provides a detailed description on how to create realistic looking miniaturised photos in Photoshop. Most tilt-shift tutorials rely on a blur applied to a simple gradient, but this tutorial takes it to the next level, showing how to create complex gradients to provide a much more realistic result.
   
   
2. Review: Canvas Print from RedBubble.com (posted 2008-07-16)
   Ever wondered exactly what a RedBubble.com canvas print looks like? This post provides a review of a large canvas print purchased from RedBubble.com, along with plenty of photos of the canvas print.
   
   
3. Rant: Health Issues with Compact Fluoros (posted 2008-04-08)
   With Australians being forced to switch from incandescent globes to compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), this post takes a closer look at the issues relating to the mercury content of CFLs.
   
   
4. Photos: Young Gouldian Finches (posted 2008-02-24)
   Some photos of our first batch of baby Gouldian finches, after they ventured out of the next for the very first time.
   
   
5. Tutorial: Making Bookmarks With Your Photos (posted 2008-04-27)
   Producing bookmarks with your photos provides another mechanism for you to share your photos, and can also provide a way to publicise your website. Bookmarks can also make attractive gifts, and can easily be slipped inside an envelope along with a card. This tutorial describes how you can easily make bookmarks with your own photos.
   
   
6. Review: Canon 50D - First Impressions (posted 2008-10-06)
   Initial thoughts and comments on the Canon EOS 50D, after having owned it for a week. Having upgraded from a Canon 350D to the 50D, I also describe the key differences between the 350D and 50D.
   
   
7. Info: New Toy - Cokin Z-Pro ND Grad Filter Kit (posted 2008-07-29)
   A quick look at the Cokin Z-Pro ND Grad Filter Kit that I purchased.
   
   
8. Photo: Port Arthur Penitentiary (posted 2008-06-12)
   One of the many photos taken during our Tasmanian holiday, this shows an unusual view of the Penitentiary at Port Arthur, underneath a rainbow.
   
   
9. Photo: Photographer Silhouette (posted 2008-04-02)
   Taken during a photoshoot in South Perth, this is a silhouette of one of the other photographers, showing him composing a shot near the river edge.
   
   
10. Info: Street Photography and People's Privacy (posted 2008-07-24)
    A discussion about photographers rights, after I received an email requesting that I remove a photo from my online gallery.
    
    
11. Photos: Spider Macros (posted 2008-04-06)
    A collection of four photos of an Australian Garden Orb Weaver spider, taken with one of my favourite lenses, the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. This was the first time I've tried macro photos of a spider, and I was quite happy with the results.
    
    
12. Info: Getting Your Kids Started in Photography (posted 2008-12-08)
    I introduced my children to photography at a fairly young age, and in this post, I share some ideas and suggestions for getting your children into photography.
    
    
13. Info: Selling Photos For Publication - How Much Should You Charge? (posted 2008-11-18)
    If someone wants to buy one of your photos for use in a publication, how do you decide how much you should charge for the use of your photo?
    
    
14. Photo: Narrows Bridge into South Perth (tilt-shifted) (posted 2008-02-26)
    A tilt-shift photo of the Narrows Bridge and South Perth, taken from Kings Park, and digitally tilt-shifted.
    
    
15. Info: Canon 50D Firmware 1.0.3 Available (posted 2008-10-28)
    Canon released updated firmware for the Canon 50D, with the intention of resolving an issue some people were having with the 50D throwing "Err 99" errors.

I have been tagged by Nick, so here's my responses to "The Five Things Meme":


5 Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago

1. enjoying the first few weeks of having our first child
2. working at a power station in Dampier
3. working on a minesite in Collie
4. working in a client's office in Brisbane
5. attending a training course in Sydney

(As you can see, I was away from home a lot during October / November 10 years ago. Of the 10 weeks after my son was born, I was away from home for 5 of those weeks.)


5 Things On My To-Do List Today

1. lots of things to do at work
2. debug some issues with my blog, caused by an upgrade I did last night
3. respond to some emails
4. finish this blog post
5. get to bed on-time, as I have an early start tomorrow morning

5 Snacks I Like

1. chocolate
2. mixed nuts
3. dried banana
4. fruit
5. dutch licorice

5 Things I Would Do If I Was A Millionaire

1. donate to our church
2. pay off my debt
3. invest
4. travel overseas with my wife and kids
5. travel interstate with my wife and kids

5 Places I Have Lived (For Various Lengths Of Time)

1. Launceston
2. Brisbane
3. Perth
4. hotels in various locations while travelling for work
5. dongas on various mine sites

5 Jobs I Have Had

1. roof carpenter's assistant
2. trade's assistant for electrical contracting company
3. project engineer
4. applications specialist
5. consultant

5 People I Tag

1. Adrian
2. Alex
3. Bert
4. Neil
5. Shawn

Here's a summary of the 10 most popular posts during the month of July:

• Review: Canvas Print from RedBubble.com (posted 2008-07-16)
  Ever wondered exactly what a RedBubble.com canvas print looks like? This post provides a review of a large canvas print purchased from RedBubble.com, along with plenty of photos of the canvas print.
• Photo: Young Gouldian Finches (posted 2008-02-24)
  Some photos of our first batch of baby Gouldian finches, after they ventured out of the next for the very first time.
• Tutorial: Faking Tilt-Shift - a Tutorial for Realistic Miniaturised Photos (posted 2008-03-21)
  This tutorial provides a detailed description on how to create realistic looking miniaturised photos in Photoshop. Most tilt-shift tutorials rely on a blur applied to a simple gradient, but this tutorial takes it to the next level, showing how to create complex gradients to provide a much more realistic result.
• Photo: Port Arthur Penitentiary (posted 2008-06-12)
  One of the many photos taken during our Tasmanian holiday, this shows an unusual view of the Penitentiary at Port Arthur, underneath a rainbow.
• Photo: Paddle Steamer Decoy (posted 2008-02-10)
  The Paddle Steamer Decoy is an iconic paddle steamer in South Perth, and this photo was taken early one morning, with the city of Perth providing a background skyline on the other side of the Swan River.
• Photo: Photographer Silhouette (posted 2008-04-02)
  Another photo taken during the same photowalk as the Paddle Steamer photo listed above, this is a silhouette of one of the other photographers, taken while he was composing a shot near the river edge.
• Photo: Spider Macros (posted 2008-04-06)
  A collection of four photos of an Australian Garden Orb Weaver spider, taken with one of my favourite lenses, the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. This was the first time I've tried macro photos of a spider, and I was quite happy with the results.
• Photo: Sydney Opera House Before Dawn (posted 2008-03-31)
  A photo of the well-known Sydney Opera House, taken just before dawn on a cold and windy day during a photowalk with some local OCAU Sydney photographers.
• Rant: Health Issues with Compact Fluoros (posted 2008-04-08)
  With Australians being forced to switch from incandescent globes to compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), this post takes a closer look at the issues relating to the mercury content of CFLs.
• Photo: Mozzies Beware! (posted 2008-03-27)
  This photo, taken during a dinner party at a friend's house, is a simple composition, with the a Citronella burner starkly silhouetted against the blue sky.