Top 21 of 21

Being a photographer doesn’t mean you have to be a professional and travel/ explore all over the world. For me, it means that you can see the beauty of everything, which means you can identify unique lines at a grocery store, inspiring composition at a local park, or light/shadow around abandoned farm equipment. Photography inspiration is found in the individual beauty of every human’s face and the personality of animals. When I try not to take pictures, my mind is still snapping away. So I chose 21 of my favorite photos of 2021 to share with you. I’m sure many of them are in previous blogs as well… :) And by the way, these are not the most popular on social media; these photos are my favorites because that’s who I photograph for- myself.

#21- Graffiti Sunrise

The unique colors of the summer sunrise reflected on the many different shapes of a post-monsoon clouds.

#20 Sneaky Snail

I almost missed this sneaky snail when hiking in Washington this last summer.

#19 Colorful Cactus Blooms

Vivid cactus blooms dot the desert throughout the spring.

#18 Spring Sunset

Capturing the sunset at Skyline Park in the White Tank Mountains

#17 Zippy Zebra

This flirty zebra-tailed lizard would run in between my feet while hiking at the Hassayampa River Preserve

#16 Tantalizing Toadstool

The morning dew of the sunrise in northern Arizona enhanced the top of this toadstool

#15 Curvy Crescent Beach

Hiking through the evergreen trees to reach this beach is one of Oregon Coast’s treasures

#14 Lazy Lake Days

Relaxing at Watson Lake in Prescott, Arizona

#13 Swirly Sycamore

Have you sat under a massive sycamore to admire its bark, branches, and leaves?

#12 Red Rock Rattler

Sometimes photos are reminders of what wasn’t captured! In this case, I accidentally almost stepped onto a black rattlesnake to capture this landscape, and when it rattled at me, I screamed so loudly that I scared the snake! It dove into a crack by some rocks like a cartoon… I know I was very very lucky that day.

#11 Mountainside Meadow

Resting alongside the trail on Mount Humphrey, enjoying the green meadow, trees, and floating clouds overhead.

#10 Frilly Ferns

Love the lines and depth of color on this hike in Washington.

#9 Captivating Cactus

Using the cactus to capture the morning sunlight on Vulture Peak in Wickenburg, Arizona

#8 Majestic Mountain

The setting sun was highlighting the western side of Picketpost Mountain while driving home from Superior, Arizona

#7 Radical Rocks

My favorite view from the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon

#6 Keen Kestrel

During an adventure in Harquahala, I found this kestrel alongside the road.

#5 Twiggy Tree

This lone tree stood out under the massive clouds that were furiously rolling through Wittman, Arizona

#4 Colorful Cave

The views of Sedona from the Birthing Cave

#3 Historical Highway

Hiking along the Million Dollar Highway, with the views of the Apache Cliffs nearby

#2 Moody Moulton

The reflection of the Moulton Falls bridge on the Lewis River… it’s always a little moody under the cloudy Washington sky

#1 Pumphouse Paradise

Pumphouse Wash is a wonderment of nature- a perfect blend of the red rocks of Sedona and the pine trees of Flagstaff, Arizona.