The rumor has it that 2009 is almost over.
Photography-vise I feel that this was a ... slow year.
I took only few hundred photos, most of them are not so good. I try not to feel disappointed though, because there is something to learn from every failed attempt.
The muse seems to take few days off and my creativity feels like that poor fella in the photo above. Caged.
The web/Twitter is full of 'Top [insert number] [insert topic] list!' summarizing this year. I can't make a list of 'Best Photos of 2009' (but I sure feel that I can make a 'Worst Photos of 2009' list *bad humor*) - so I'll ask you, dear readers - Please, share your best photo of the year in the comment box below - Whether it's yours or a photo you saw on another photoblog.
P.S
An interesting post I've read this week by the multi-talented @gallarotti - 'The Future of Photobooks' - Makes you think, doesn't it?
There has been 30 Responses to 'Caged' so far
Joanna says:
Well, I didn't take that many photos this year as well, but my creative juices start flowing again. My best... I guess this one: http://photo.pozaschematy.pl/?p=317
don't worry Ilan, next year will be better :)
Bim says:
What? 2009 over so soon. It has flown by.. sort of. For some reason, if I'd seen a photo of israel, I thought I'd be seeing just desert. How wrong am I and how stupid do I feel now? I felt I had to share that anyway however silly it made me look.
Now I know you must think this isn't a particularly exciting photo... it isn't too much but I like the lines in the 2 buildings. They all line up. I like the repeating patterns of the windows. Every year is different - you probably need to get out of your comfort zone and try to take photos of something different. I think I have progressed a bit this year. Certainly learnt quite a bit. I've bought a new camera this year, which I'm particularly pleased about.
I know, I'm sad, I'm posting my own photo up - I'm particularly pleased with this photo because I just love the high contrast classical look of it. Rise Above
Francesco says:
Ok, let's try again... first time didn't go through...
I was saying that I'll go with two images. http://www.gallarotti.net/photoblog/index.php?showimage=147 The first one is mine and was taken in the Death Valley, in California, during our cross country trip. So far this is my best edited picture from that trip. I really like how I was able to use the available light and post processing to create a scene that is almost surreal.
The second image is not mine. It's an image that I have recently published on the http://greenteagallery.net by Matt Stuart. i am referring to the image at the top of http://greenteagallery.net/magazine/2009/11/28/matt-stuart this page, the one with the pigeon walking in front of the camera. To me it's one of the most beautiful examples of street photography: the one in which the photographer finds a "scene" and settles there waiting for the magic moment to come. I truly believe that Matt Stuart is one of the contemporary masters of street photography.
Happy New Year, Ilan. I hope 2010 will bring you much happiness and that maybe we will finally be able to work on some project together.
Shalom,
Francesco
a.h.lex says:
The year 2009 - when it terminates not only a year has passed, a whole decade has reached its temporal end. But it promptly starts a new one.
2010 is the beginning of a new decade with new and time-tested ideas. Ilan also for you!
Well here we should link their own best shots from 2009. Then I will do it and show my best portrait 2009: ahlex.glokalphoto.org/image139.
That's it - I wish everyone a wonderful incipient new decade, and a great year 2010!
Glenn says:
Hi Ilan,
Just looking at this photo gives me the feeling of being boxed in. For me this works. Another good photo on your part.
As for a photo that drew the most responses combined is the one called "Under The Bridge" and you can see it here:
http://gcriff.blogspot.com/2009/07/under-bridge.html
However, the one I like the most and received almost as many total responses is this one called "Cumberland Station":
http://gcriff.blogspot.com/2009/11/weekly-black-white-square-photo_30.html
agtallgirl1999 says:
I have worked in buildings like this- does leave you feel caged. Great shot witth great perspective.
Steven says:
so I'll go and ad my favorite shot from this year as well:
Wasserspiel
its been my first year in photography and I'm looking forward to many cool photos in 2010. Your pics are always a source of inspiration, thanks for that!
Ken says:
One of my favorites, but one of the least viewed...go figure.
Ice Bridge
The Factory says:
Hello Ilan, great work as usual... Caged is the word here, lost, maybe too, I mean the guy ;)
beanow says:
YES! Great work!
mononeil says:
Caged is right. We are lucky in that our planning laws don't allow high rise building. However they do make for interesting subject.
bluechameleon says:
I know this feeling all too well. Being trapped in ones own environment and not being able to really see what is around you because it's all so familiar. This photo depicts this feel very well Ilan! I think that maybe being able to take a trip somewhere completely different helps to open ones eyes and mind, but for me that did not happen this year.
2009 was a strange and uninspiring year for me as well, but I am happy to have gotten to know you and your talent! Let's hope that 2010 brings us much inspiration and photo opportunities!
I am pleased with this shot: wild is (the wind)
Anna says:
Ilan my year was slow too. This is nice structure photo.
BTW I dropped to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Lots, lots of happiness. Also I wanted to send warm thanks for another good blogging year. Anna :)
Pere Chuliá says:
This post has been removed by the author.Pere Chuliá says:
I come here often for inspiration because my muses have also taken a break. And here we often find more easily than elsewhere. Congratulations for your work during 2009.
Greetings and Happy Holidays. (This is an automatic translation, sorry for the misspelling.)
I'm not very happy with my work this year but if I had to choose one of my photos would take this:
http://www.aprendiendoaver.com/index.php?showimage=477
Anonymous
very nice city patterns
I wish to you and your family Merry Christmas and a happy, creative and peaceful new year!
http://krikis.aminus3.com
Framed and Shot says:
You are right, 2009 has flown by. We did not get to do as much photography as we would want, but we set our sights for 2010.
Best of luck for the new year.
rian says:
it did indeed fly by just like that.. same thing here, i wasn't able to shoot as much as i liked so i spent most of the year processing backlogs.. :D well, here's to next year.. ;D
SOUL AFLAME says:
I love the depressing vastness of the concrete jungle in the photograph, every city has it's own one. Sometimes we can be so hard on ourselves when looking back over the year with the benefit of hindsight.
I try to view every year as a starting point, a foundation block in building something better for the coming one. If it was a bad one personally, I try to learn from it and move on. Out of difficult times, rough patches, creative lows, I often find that inspiration comes and a stgronger will to push myself and succeed.
I hope 2010 is an exceptionally good year for you.
John Maslowski says:
Love architectural shots like this one. Fascinating patterns and geometric shapes. Excellent framing and angle. Hope you have a Happy Year in 2010.
Fritsch says:
"Seems like I'm caught up in your trap again / Seems like I'll be wearing the same old chains" (Jimmy Cliff)
A great shot, Ilan! I know this feeling of not having the time & inspiration. So I was caged this year as well. Thanks for reminding me with that beauty, it's time to break free, get rid of some of the old stuff in order to find something new & inspiring.
All the best & safe travels, Fritsch.
CraigM says:
Well Ilan, you always provoke some thinking with your posts, whether that be from the image itself or the questions you ask.
First the image; the idea of this lost man constrained inbetween concrete bars is a great one. The only thing that bothers me is the lower edge crop because it feels like there was something in the foreground bothering you? Please don't get me wrong here I still like the image, it's just a niggle and I like to be honest just as you have always been with my images.
As for the year it does feel like a slow one for me also. In reality I've posted around the same number of shots but the pressures of work have made the posts in the latter half of 2009 very sparse indeed. I'm bored by my surroundings too as far as photography goes, there's nothing like a change of scene to refresh the creative juices!
As for favourite shots well this http://cragspics.blogspot.com/2009/09/sea-breeze.html was probably the most popular with the public and coming top for Photo Friday "In the details" but my favourite shot was possibly this one http://cragspics.blogspot.com/2009/07/one-ship-still-missing.html from my Flying Legends series.
Finally a shot from someone else and one of my favs from this year http://www.id7.co.uk/portfolio/archives/0903011900_clean.php
Wishing you all the best for 2010, I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Anne says:
Don't feel dissapointed. I think it's a good thing wanting to shoot more and better. Bring on 2010.
smiles.
lasiate says:
on est dans la dernière ligne pour 2010
aleksarus says:
The hardest thing to appreciate their own photos, too many of them emotional, subjective connotations. The task of the photographer to try to get rid of the power of the subtext.
Happy new year!
Terry H. says:
I got married this year so 2009 was pretty good. Hope to make better shots in 2010 as well. My favorite: http://www.themaggot.net/index.php?showimage=1098
andy says:
I agree with CraigM, thought provoking on both photo and ask - at first glance I didn't even see the guy in the photo, I like all the angles in the shot, unique.
I have to say that this year has been slow for taking shots, but a good year for digging through most of my older shots that I hadn't been through before and found a lot of "diamonds in the rough" - one of my favorites I found was of an abandoned house in Washington State USA. Very scary place and I think I captured it well here: http://tillo13.com/usa/abandoned-house-near-goldendale/
Thanks for stopping by the site!
Ståle says:
I can't say I agree with you, Ilan. Even though you've only taken a few hundred pictures this year, the ones you've shown us here on your blog are very good. Like this one. A shot where you've cought a fascinating moment. Creative use of colour and of the grey concrete feeling of a city.
All the best for the new year to you!
This is probably one of the shots I'm most pleased with in 2009. A farewell shot from the part of Norway I've been living in for almost 10 years.
Nicki says:
Also a good switch to 2010 my friend. This picture is full of emotions, I relly love it: http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/archives/0909011610.php
jpla says:
Bonne journée.
JP
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