your favorite shot for 2008

This is my favorite photo for 2008. It's not the best shot I've taken this year, yet it embodies all my aspirations and fears, and the valuable lessons I've learned about love, and about myself. Crouching on the beach, sand between my toes. Breathing in and out as slowly as I can to make this moment last. The simple expression of everything that is meaningful in my life.

I spent the last couple of days browsing through my personal photo folders and reflecting on this past year. And I thought it would be great if you could share your favorite photo for 2008 with a short comment about what this past year has brought into your life, as well as your hopes and your dreams for 2009.

 

Today's giveaway is a signed copy of Irene's Blurb book "Polaroid Stories" as well as a special set of 8 Polaroid postcards. Simply leave a comment in the section below to be entered for a chance to win. Good luck!

Comments

[Marcie]

So hard to pick just ONE favorite photo. So much has to do with the ''moment' and how I felt right then and there. I had to choose three..all of which - I notice - are about mother and child. They resonate with me personally:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=493
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=472
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=389

[elianne]

3 of the best:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27135969@N00/2786915808/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27135969@N00/2782055522/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27135969@N00/2409523965/

[Tracie]

I'll have to search my archives for my favorite shot. I started playing with my camera in earnest in February 2008 so I have loads of pictures from this year. I hope in 2009 to continue to learn more about photography and to explore this creative outlet!

[Marcene]

Okay it is very hard to pick just one, but if I must...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21008348@N03/2758481917/
I think I learned a lot this year about photography. Mainly, that I don't know a lot! Overall, I've enjoyed doing a picture a day, but sometimes it got pretty tedious. We'll see what next year brings.

[heidi]

I just happened across this blog and love it!

[Wendy]

my favorite picture of 2008 because it's gone. and it makes me sad. it helps me to remember it was here. it's what makes photography amazing.

http://wendesu.typepad.com/square_one/2008/12/favorite-photo-of-2008.html

[Laura Glover]

I am now looking through 2008 photos to make a "year in review" book. Love your site.

Laura G.

[vivienne]

i've been revisiting the visual history of the past year through my eyes too! Though its mighty difficult to decide on one picture as a favourite (and I think i'm going to have to write a blog post about it)! But at this moment my favourites are all based around the new little humans who came into the world this year.

I love this one because it was my first photoshoot with twins, and I adore these two little ladies:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/missvivienne/2835550454/in/set-72157604746638189/

And this diptych because these two people brought such beauty into my life this year and it has been such an honor to watch her belly swell, see him born and watch him grow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/missvivienne/2443140694/in/set-72157604746638189/

wishing you all wonderful reflection on the past year (in all its struggles and glories)!

[Grey Street Girl]

This is a gorgeous shot. I love how they're both looking at their dad.

I guess I have three that stand out for me.

One for luck of the shot - the bird landed right in front of my lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greystgirl/3125968031/in/set-72157606858508892/

One for composition - I love reflection shots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greystgirl/2956703344/in/set-72157606858508892/

And, one for creativity - This is four photos in a mosaic spelling LOVE:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greystgirl/3105914273/in/set-72157606858508892/

Can't wait to check out everyone else's photos!

[adrienne]

I made a 2008 year in pictures for my mother for Christmas. She loved it!

[jeanne]

What a good idea! Mine is here http://jeanne-lifeorsomethinglikeit.blogspot.com/2008/12/sunday-fog.html

[sebrina]

This is my favourite picture of 2008 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunmamma/3128551252/
I love Christmas and this picture tells the story of how I feel about Christmas. The is the picture I have received the most comments on on Flickr and my first picture to make it to "explore". So I am pretty proud of it :)

[victoria winters]

Hmm. I'll have to hunt for my fave!

[Nicole]

http://www.nicoleneffphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/lillie-5.jpg

Just a couple hours after my niece was born by C-section. It was a beautiful thing to see her daddy just instantly adore her. She's still in the NICU, but improving by leaps and bounds.

[kristin]

oh so easy , this picture i keep coming back to. always making me smile and giggle and my heart swell. this year was the year my son shed many of his previous fears, the year he embraced the ocean like i dreamed one day he would, or i hoped... it was his summer of discovery and utter freedom that only childhood brings. this shot was taken on a cold walk on the beach, but even the cold would not keep him form the waves. no bathing suit, who cares mom! off went his clothes and he couldn't run fast enough to his new love, the ocean. ahhh sweet summer. this shot embodies all of what this summer was to us.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2763011289/in/set-72157606143607982/

[Safire]

Hmm...off the top of my head, this is my favorite shot I took this year:
http://www.redgage.com/#rf:/photos/Safire/bird-nest-at-timp.html:innercontainer:pager.pageForwarder

There are too many to post here, but this continues to be one of my favorite.

[Sharon]

Hands down this is my favorite shot I got in 2008.

http://flickr.com/photos/queenofsheba/2837214480/

I captured my middle child in exactly the way I see him--so much of the sweet baby still in him, but also showing glimmers of the big boy he wants to be. His eyes speak volumes.

[Jean M Fogle]

Once again, I was dragged kicking and screaming into a new photo venture. I knew I needed to learn lighting but have always liked natural lighting the best. I would never have learned lighting before the digital age, I would have wasted way too much film!
I posted one pic that I think shows what I now love about lighting!
http://pixels-n-pen.blogspot.com

[Elizabeth Harper]

My favorite picture of 2008 was taken using a self-timer in a field of buttercups in Cornwall England earlier this year.

It reflects two people very much in love...happy just to be together. We've decided to make together last forever when we say "I do" in 2009.

Hooray for love!

http://www.giftsofthejourney.com/Elizabeth_Harper-Gifts_of_the_Journey/Blog/Entries/2008/6/30_The_Gift_You_Keep.html

[Shawna]

I made the second annual book of family photos with iPhoto for the grandparents for Christmas. It'd be hard to choose which one is my favourite.

[Mommy Smores]

This is my favorite photo of 2008.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29156425@N06/3144511168/

This is a moment that I'll always cherish...and when they are older and start bickering, I'll remind them of this photo and how underneath it all, they love each other. (I'll keep my fingers crossed that I won't have to remind them tooooo often!)

[sandi]

Hmm..I will have to look through mine to find my favorite. But I love yours! Awesome photo.

[AppleTree]

So many great shots...

[Terri]

These are my best shots of 2008

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mondaysmemories/2698779319/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mondaysmemories/2689580633/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mondaysmemories/2840994308/

This year brought a huge change for us. My husband took a job that has him 488 miles away 3 weeks every month. It was hard at first but I have some how managed to keep the house running without falling part myself. I'm not sure what this coming year will bring, but I know what ever it is I will make it through it. I've learned that I'm much stronger then I think I am.

[nikkole!]

i just stated with my camera may-ish
i have nothing too great cause im still learning
learning and loving it...
always so hard to pick a favorite of anything
but this really captures life at my home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/_nikkole/3072525459/in/set-72157610491093245/

[Bridge]

http://flickr.com/photos/ridethewavesoflife/2286843255/in/set-72157603974258359/

This is my favorite shot this year.

[Bet]

It was hard to pick just one but this photo symbolizes a lot of things from my childhood and my life today. Most if not all will see just a spiderweb and a clothespin. It reminds me of all the times my Mom & I talked while hanging the clothes out to dry. We talked about everything. The spiderweb reminds me of the relationships I have now with my Mom, my sister and my nephew's wife... three amazing women I love. Delicately woven, amazingly strong, we hold our families together...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/3031360801_ac2cf1b7a5_b.jpg

[marty]

We spent the year with my husband's health becoming an increasing area of concern for us...for a year we faced and battled that death...slow and merciless...was in the making...ALS became a fiendish member of our family...lurking morbidly like the elephant in the room no one talks about...but this enemy brought about the opposit of it's intent...instead of constant fear we learned to cherish the beauty of all that we have...all that we are...to trust in something more than ourselves...to trust in the goodness of the One who gave us faith to know He is good and does good...this photo for some reason makes me see hope...clean and pure...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martyhadding/2893564566
After a year of this we learned that his condition could possible be caused by a reaction to a medicine he'd been on for two years...he stopped and slowly we are getting our life back...but forever the hope shines even brighter because it contrasted with the darkest thing I could imagine...losing my best friend...my lover...the other half of my soul.

[Esperanza P.]

My favorite shot would have to be of my niece laughing as she was taking her first steps toward my mother.

[jeanne]

perfect timing with this one with the end of Polaroid film coming soon!! It is a sad time in history!!

[Regina]

This is what came to mind as a favorite shot. Not because it's technically perfect. I did have fun learning a couple editing techniques. But I think it rose to the surface of my memories because I loved spending so much time working on a common project with my husband all this summer & fall. Here's how I let my blog readers in on the fun. http://rgrdesigns.blogspot.com/2008/06/home-improvements-disrupt-artist.html

[Liz]

so, this is one of my favorites OF me, although i did not technically take the photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2916220427/in/set-72157594587518806/
it's been a great year for dancing.

this is one of my favorites: my first house! a big accomplishment for this year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/3110346911/
also, we had *feet* of snow in Portland for the first time in sixty years! it was great!

[Melissa (Photomom86)]

as for everyone here, picking just one is tough. BUT the picture that makes me smile and says a millions things to me is this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24035778@N04/2665668407/

I've always had a dream to one day make money taking pictures of families and children. Being around all of the Sisters gives me such inspiration and makes me want to make that dream come true. In 2009 I want to make that start to happen. Maybe looking at this picture from 2008 will encourage me daily.

[Julie Marie]

I love looking thru my old photos... it brings back memories, feelings ....

[jenny d]

i wish i *could* pick a favorite image for 2008! so many photos represent so many different things to me... i think i would need favorites in about 20 categories to make this possible! <3

peace,
jen

[Puna]

My favorite photos are of the ones I take of my children.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/about/the-boy-and-the-girl/

[mnkathy]

Hmmmmm...hard to pick just one, isn't it? Well, here is ONE of my very favorites as it is the only one donning my walls here at home:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25773211@N07/2480600563/
2008 introduced me to photography (I am still VERY novice)--a love I never knew I had. I hope 2009 keeps me learning and growing and capturing the unexpected.
Thanks for this post. Love beachy family photos.

[Charlane]

love your shot - my favorite of 2008 is a family shot too

http://flickr.com/photos/charlaneg/2909847878/

[dr lyn]

I think this is it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11439752@N04/2497450674/in/set-72157605201726500/

Not perfect, but so much emotion. It's how I'll remember this year of the twins' lives -- hugs and great big giggles.

Small moments -- taken on average days. Yep, those are the ones....

[Lady North]

Here is my offering with Blessings to everyone - thank you for a wonderful site!

http://wolfraingarden.blogspot.com/2008/12/best-shot-2008.html

[Erin]

Great shot! I don't know if I can pick just one favorite of 2008!

[Gayle]

It was really hard for me to find a favorite shot for 2008. As my children get older I have less and less opportunities to get a shot of my entire family together. This is not my best shot, but it is my favorite. All three of my children, and my husband, are in it. Sort of!

http://planetmfiles.com/2008/12/28/favorite-shot-of-2008/

I wish all of you a happy and healthy New Year!

[Jennifer]

OH man, I'll have to search through the files to find my favorite. I'm sure it's either of my dog, the hubby, or both. :)

[kosenrufu mama]

these are two favorite shot this year...
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2008/11/aria-fresca-in-compagnia.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23206424@N07/2991888027/
i'm grateful for what was in my life this year, full of joy and love, for the next year i will try to be a better person and to improve all my life... in every aspect of my life.... have a wonderful year all of you!!!!

[shelli]

I guess my favorite photo must be the one I put in my header on my photo blog. It's of my son with his grandparents (my in-laws) when we spent a week with them on Edisto Island, S.C. this June. It was a lucky shot. I love that my son and his grandfather are looking in the same direction. I love the angle of the sun. I love the color. It was a poignant moment during a fun vacation for all of us, and I look at it and feel how time is flying by. How much bigger my son already is and how I have another child on the way! I have the feeling that while my child(ren) is (are) young will be the happiest time of my life (despite myself - I always wanted so many other things), and here I am, in the thick of it.

http://www.mamaofletters.com/Site/The_Focal_Point/The_Focal_Point.html

You can see the full photo here:

http://web.me.com/pabis/Mama_of_Letters/Camera_Happy/Pages/Nikon_D60.html#3

[Kim]

What a great photo, and idea...I'll have to go thru my folders..

[Marcy]

I've taken many, many pictures this past year-- it's been the first full year of owning a dslr camera, and the year when I discovered my passion for photography. I was lucky enough to live in Europe for the first half of the year and took pictures of many beautiful places there. But I think my favorite shot may be the one linked below, one of my baby boy, the subject of over half the pictures I've taken this year. Not only is it probably one of my best shots, I also just adore his expression and how it captures the beauty that is him. This year has been dominated by 2 things for me-- motherhood, and photography. This picture exemplifies them both.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightymarce/2786711106/in/set-72157604871988654/

[Jennifer]

What a great idea. To go through your photos like that. I am def going to do it!

[SusanG]

Your photo tells a story...I love Irene's postcards...Thanks so much for your posts.

[stella]

that pic inspires me to grab my gear, and RUN RUN RUN to the beach, right now! (instead, I'm at work)
oh well! Thanks for sharing x