My 23 favourite pictures from 2013

Oh, my do I enjoy taking pictures! It's becoming a bit of an obsession, having outlasted several other hobbies and interests I've had over the years. So, here we go -- my favourite pix from 2013.

What makes them "favourites"? In each of these pictures there is something about it that makes me want to look at it again and again.

(P.S. In my first draft of this post, I used the word "love" about 23 times. Those of you interested in writing may be interested to see how I edited to say the same thing in different words without being awkward.)

Produce from the organic food basket we had delivered weekly.

I am drawn to the colours in the food basket.

Our beach, beautiful, even in winter.

I remember the serenity of the beach and the idea of visiting a "summer" place in winter, "away from the madding crowd."

My niece, Melissa, with her fiance, Elvis

I was so happy with how this picture turned out! They are so happy together and weren't planning to do an engagement shoot, so we spontaneously took a few pictures during a family gathering.

Giant's Causeway, in Northern Ireland

This picture is not a spectacular work of art, but does mark a memorable moment of 2013: visiting a landmark that I had always wanted to see.

Creamy cheese in an open market in Ireland

Oh, how the light makes the cheese look so edible. The market was a photographer's delight! Heck, Ireland itself was a photographer's delight!

Ring of Kerry shrine

Sometimes, the composition draws me. (I would like to edit the above picture so there's a little more light on her face, but I love it even as is.

I am captivated by clouds and storms. (Preferably when I have a warm, dry place to hide.) The light in this picture is mesmerizing.

Yellow!

 Sometimes the scenery is just so perfect . . .

Absolutely scrumptious fish & chips

 I do have a fondness for photographing food.

Trinity Library, home of the Book of Kells

Ah, those clouds!

I love the light and simplicity in this picture.

This one just made me laugh. The sheep were quite oblivious to our bus.

This picture almost lets you touch the texture of this headstone.

I didn't take this picture, but it's one of my favourites nevertheless.

You're probably sick of seeing this father-of-the-bride picture about now, but I think I never will be.

Aside from loving this little dog, I'm also happy that I captured the mood in this picture.

Again, the subject is dear to me, but I also like the warm tones and focus of this picture of Scooter.

My flower garden means I get to have fresh flowers in my house all spring and summer, and look at pictures of them through the cold months. Flowers also make delightfully stationary subjects for a photographer to practice with. (Maybe that's why I also like food photography.)

Old architecture is so beautiful, and I especially love the light streaming through these windows.

Over Christmas, I did a lot of food photography, and was very happy to see that I'm making progress. The challenge has always been to get enough light and to get just the right depth of field (i.e., what's in focus and what's blurry). I've also started paying more attention to "staging" -- all the background and surroundings in a food photograph.

I could look at this one every day just for the fact that it makes me laugh. I also like the focus and lighting.

My favourite kitty cat. It's hard to get a good picture of her when she's moving, so I was pleased with this result.

It was quite a year. And here we are, almost with January this year!

Do you take pictures? Do you have faves? What do you do with them? (I add mine to my desktop slideshow and screensaver, so I get to see them again and again.)

Are any of my pictures amongst your favourites?