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William Neill’s Top Forty Images for 2011

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

I have just put together a collection of my favorite photographs from 2011. Usually, I edited this collection more tightly but I think it might be helpful to show the wide range of creative tangents I took this past year.  To read more about my perspective on the importance of annual assessments, I suggest that you read my On Landscape column in Outdoor Photographer: Best Of The Year - An annual review of your images can point you in new directions of creativity

To see my collection of images from 2010, see My Favorite Images of 2010.

Please tell me which photographs of mine from 2011 are your favorites.  It is always interesting to hear this feedback, so select your fav 3-5 images and tell me why you like them!

Thanks, and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.

Bill


Winter Fog and Oaks, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/6.7, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Calla Leaves, Ahwanhee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1.5000005191107″ second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


White Orchid, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro,
1/20 second at f/2.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Clearing storm, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Madera County, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/3 second at f/8, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Foothills and Winter Storm,Table Mountain,California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/6.7, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Almond Trees Blooming, Kern County, California  2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/2 second at f/8, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Almond Trees in Bloom, Kern County, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/9.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Buckeye, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/3 second at f/19, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Pear Blossoms, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/4.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Pathway and Pear Blossoms, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/9.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Plum Blossoms and snow, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/2 second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Pond and Fog, Coarsegold,, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/10 second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Buckeye and Oaks, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Morning Mist and Pines, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/250 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Spring Oak, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
HDR at f/16, ISO 160
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Roots and Rocks, Merced River at Happy Isles, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
2″ second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Dogwood blossoms and the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
3.0000010382213″ second at f/32, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Hosta Leaves, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/15 second at f/16, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Pine and Waterfall, Tioga Road, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Rock, Water and Tree, Cascade Falls, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/2 second at f/27, ISO 320
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Evening Light, Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/22, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Flower Impressions, Pier 39, San Francisco, California 2011
Apple iPhone 3GS,
2″ second
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Waterfall in Morning Light, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/9.5, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Waterfall and Sunbeam, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1.5 second at f/27, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Sunbeam on waterfall, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
2″ second at f/16, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Late Summer Meadow, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/8 second at f/13, ISO 320
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Maple Leaf, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro,
1″ second at f/32, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 

Autumn forest and slickrock wall, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/1 second at f/16, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Reflections, Virgin River, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/8 second at f/19, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Virgin River Reflections, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/4 second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


River of Light, Virgin River in the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
second atf/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Sandstone Sculpture, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
3.0000010382213″ second at f/19, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Canyon Sculpture, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
1.5000005191107″ second at f/16, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Slot Canyon Sculpture, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1.5000005191107″ second at f/22, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Hoodoo, Stud Horse Point, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/2 second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Eroded Rock, Stud Horse Point, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1″ second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Rocks, Stud Horse Point, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
3.0000010382213″ second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Morning Fog and Oaks, Ahwanhnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
second atf/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Sandhill Cranes landing at sunset, Consumnes River Preserve, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF300mm f/4L USM +2.0x,
1/250 second at f/8, ISO 1250
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

 


Yellow Orchids, 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
2″ second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

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Posted in Inspiration, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Nature, Nature's Design, Patterns of Nature, photography, Resources, Sierra Nevada, Southwest, Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park | 29 Comments »

River of Light, Virgin River in the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah 2011

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM___ISO 100

During my recent trip to Zion, I met up with my friend and former assistant John O’Connor to take a hike up the Narrows of the Virgin River.  We were so caught up with making images of all the wonderful reflections and other canyon details, we didn’t get very far, not even to the Orderville Canyon fork.  Oh well, next time!  Just when we decided to head back down river, I stopped dead in my tracks, in the middle of the river, when I saw these wonderful rapids and reflections.  This image was created with Nik HDR Efex Pro, using five exposures that were each one stop apart.

This river hike reminds of many years ago when I hiked down the Paria River, not photographing much walking downstream.  When turning the opposite direction, I started seeing photographs everywhere!  By the time, I came out of the canyon, it was pitch dark.  It took me about half an hour to find the trailhead parking area.  The image below, made with my 4×5 camera in 1985, became one of my first posters published in the late 1980s, and one of my best-selling fine art prints sold throughout the country by The Nature Company.

Reflections, Paria River, Paria Canyon/Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, Utah 1985

Both photographs were made while standing in the cold rapids.  I used a longer exposure in the 1985 image, and so the reflections are smoothed over like a watercolor wash.  I cropped out the sunlit cliffs above each frame to avoid the extreme contrast and simplify the composition.  The results in both photos focus the viewer on the colors and textures in the river’s water.

I have many more new images to polish up in post-processing, so stay tuned for more from my southwest trip. Next up, slot canyons!

Enjoy, William Neill

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Finally, I am excited to announce my new Affiliate Program for my ebook series!  If you review the ebook or place the affiliate link in your blog or website, you will receive 30% of the sales that you send our way.  We are just starting up this program, but I wanted you to know right at the beginning. I hope to have a new ebook or two ready to launch in the next fews months, and having the Affiliate program should help launch the sales!  Click here for more details.  Thanks for supporting my photography!

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Posted in Desert, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Nature, photography, Southwest, Zion National Park | No Comments »

Lily Flower, Ahwahnee, California 2011

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__TS-E90mm f/2.8__1/30 sec at f / 22__ISO 200

Practice, practice…

I’ve been very frustrated lately because I haven’t been able to get out of the office and up to Yosemite for waterfalls, reflections in the meadow, corn lilies in the high country.  Fortunately, my water lilies are in bloom and I check them out every day.  We had an amazing rain storm Tuesday night and the next morning, and so I took a lunch break on my patio.  My water lilies had been washed clean and were gleaming with water drops.  I used my trusty 90mm Tilt Shift lens, making two frames to merge into this square composition using Photo Merge in Photoshop CS5.  The storm was starting to clear, with the sun on the edge of a cloud which gives this image a fresh and sparkling mood.

So when I finally get up to Yosemite Valley next week, I’ll have had recent practice.  Practice seeing every day, get your camera out whenever and wherever you get inspired, and be ready for the next opportunity.  Oh yes, and it might just happen in your back yard!

Enjoy,  Bill

William Neill’s Yosemite Volume One

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Posted in Macro Photography, Nature, Nature's Design, Patterns of Nature, photography, Photoshop Resources | 4 Comments »

Roots and Rocks, Merced River at Happy Isles, Yosemite National Park, California 2011

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__2.0 sec at f / 19__ISO 100

I have been very overwhelmed with work and thus have a large backlog of images to process.  I made this image last month at Happy Isle in Yosemite, which is an amazing place anytime but especially during high water.  This subtle image is part of my ongoing efforts to reveal the Inner Yosemite!  I hope you enjoy it and also hope to post more new work soon.

New App – William Neill’s Yosemite Volume One

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Posted in Landscape Photography, Nature, Patterns of Nature, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park | 3 Comments »

Dogwood blossoms and the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2011

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__3.0 sec at f / 32__ISO 400

Here is my favorite image from  Saturday May 7th in Yosemite. The dogwood were beautiful, and I had a blast! More to come!  I posted this image on FB earlier but loaded the wrong jpg.
Enjoy, and please give me your feedback!  Bill

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Posted in Landscape Photography, Nature, Nature's Design, Patterns of Nature, photography, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park | 9 Comments »

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