At the end of each year I like to reflect on the content I've created, and select my Top 10. This list represents what I consider to be my best, and most meaningful work based on various factors. There's no set criteria. Some photos demonstrate how my technical skills have improved, while others were selected for sentimental reasons. I have also chosen images that are noteworthy milestones, not only as a photographer, but also as a husband and father.
10. Terrific Two's. Many people warned us about the "terrible two's," but our experience with Ben was quite the opposite. Here he is on the swing set we bought him last Christmas full of joy and ready to play. At the time he was starting to put a couple of words together. Now he's memorized entire books, and can't stop talking.
9. Fitness Portrait of Andre. The opportunity for a commercial fitness session presented itself, and I asked Andre to let me practice by photographing him. This was taken in his cluttered garage, but I managed to clean up the environment with a seamless backdrop, and sculpted him with my lights while shooting in complete darkness. Personal projects allow me to experiment and grow as a photographer, and I hope to do more of them next year.
8. The Engineer. It's a tie between this image and the one of Ben dressed up as a Firefighter. The two images are very similar in composition but the environment in this image, and the textures brought out with the post processing, make this image truly unique. This was also the screen saver for my phone for several months.
7. Milky Way over Cannonville, UT. Getting a shot of the Milky Way has been on my photo bucket list for some time. I had put if off because getting a descent image requires me to drive a couple of hours to a completely dark and unfamiliar location. This image was taken right outside our cabin near Bryce Canyon with a 14mm lens. Not bad for my first attempt at astrophotography.
6. Maritza & Luis, DTLA. My cousin asked me to photograph his wedding, but I was unavailable because of a prior engagement. Instead I offered to make their wedding portrait a few weeks earlier. Many brides don't want to be seen in their wedding dress before walking down the aisle, but when it comes to making photographs that are outside the norm it pays off to be unconventional.
5. Train Tracks and my Rollei. I didn't think I'd ever go back to film, but during the summer I came across a Rolleiflex and a local photographer's estate sale. I've wanted this medium format camera since I began shooting in the 90's, and I knew I had to have it. I learned that the previous owner worked for Kodak for decades, and his entire house and backyard was packed with prints, printing equipment, studio lights, etc. The place looked like an old camera store. In addition to the camera I also purchased some 35 mm negatives from a printing workshop he attended with Ansel Adams with a few portraits of the old master in the darkroom and in his living room. Extraordinary finds that reignited my passion for the film medium, and has made me slow down and be deliberate in my approach.
4. Ramirez Family Reunion, Guadalajara, Jalisco. This is not a technically brilliant photo. There is nothing ground breaking in terms of composition, and it's easy to scroll past this image. To understand the importance of this photo you have to understand it's context. This was the first time in nearly 18 years that my dad had seen his brother, sister, and all the other family members in this photo. After the death of my grandmother they went their separate ways. It was wonderful to be reunited, and be welcomed with a warm reception after so much time had passed. Hopefully this background gives you a better appreciation as to why this image is so high up on my list.
3. Ten Years Strong. This year we celebrated 10 years together as a couple. Well, we didn't actually celebrate because I thought it was our 9 year anniversary, and I was busy doing other things like creating beautiful memories for my family. Anyway, now that we're parents I feel like we've entered into a new phase in our relationship. There have been challenges, but I wouldn't want anyone else by my side. Marrying Elizabeth was the best decision I ever made. Photo credit goes out to my sister Erika who helped with this session. One of my favorite images of us as a couple since our wedding day.
2. Big Brother Ben. Our little boy is not so little anymore. We've witnessed so many changes in the past year alone, and we're excited to see him become a big brother. These are my family's golden years, and I can't help but to try and capture every fleeting moment.
1. Moment in Paradise. One thing Elizabeth and I have always shared, and what we want to instill in Ben, is a love for travel. This year we we had the good fortune of going to Guadalajara, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Hawaii for the first time. This image was taken in Oahu the day we rented a VW Beetle and drove to the Dole Plantation and North Shore. As we were driving back I saw this incredible location, and decided I had to pull over. We were exhausted, Elizabeth had a headache, our clothes were wet, and we were covered in sand, but I setup my softbox, and tripod and got the shot. I know what you're thinking, and yes I carry a light stand, softbox, a tripod, and a backpack with 15 lbs of gear with me when I travel. In photography when an opportunity presents itself you have to be prepared to make the most of it, and hope that the stars (on in this case clouds) align in your favor.
Looking Ahead to 2017
It may come as a surprise that the content I'm most proud of making this year was not any of the images above, but rather a video of our Hawaiian adventure shot entirely on my iPhone. It's very difficult to focus on both photos and video at the same time, and I've always hated editing video, so I've avoided it. However, seeing Ben grow up so quickly has made me realize that still images just aren't as impactful as motion pictures at capturing this special time in our lives, and I need to focus on other forms of visual story telling. By this time next year I hope to have a growing collection of short family films on my YouTube channel. I hope you will follow me along on that journey. Here's a link the movie if you're interested: https://youtu.be/PqkCbqSvcMQ
Thanks for your interest and support. All my best for 2017.
Cheers!
Javier