Picture #01: (Above) Bird on rock and crashing waves at sunset on Bandon Beach, Bandon, Oregon – (Click here to Purchase Prints or License Usage.)
Please enjoy this year-end collection of my favorite thirteen images made throughout 2018. (#13 is a lucky number in our family.) I’d love to know which one(s) you like if you’d care to leave a comment in the comment section below.
If you enjoy my work, I’d deeply honored if you’d consider sharing this with your friends and family using those fun little Social Media share buttons located at the top or bottom of this post. Thank you all so much for looking, as it means the world to me knowing that there are people out there who appreciate my work.
I also want to wish everyone a fantastic, happy, and safe 2019!
Picture #02: Sun setting through fog over oak tree and green hills in Briones Regional Park, Contra Costa County, California
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Picture #03: Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse sets next to windmill while coming out of totality in a rare 150-year convergence, Contra Costa County, California
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Picture #04: Pair of male Northern Pacific (Western) rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) wrestling in a mating combat dance in Briones Regional Park, Contra Costa County, California
*** Read more about this image and see a video of rattlesnake mating combat on my blog.
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Picture #05: Crepuscular rays (Sunbeams) at sunset over rolling green hills in spring at Henry Coe State Park, Santa Clara County, California
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Picture #06: Trees in early spring along the Merced River, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California
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Picture #07: Full moon rising over the shoulder of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley,Yosemite National Park, California
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Picture #08: Milky Way over seastacks on Bandon Beach, Bandon, Oregon
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Picture #09: Silver Flow – Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California
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Picture #10: Morning mist in the Alhambra Valley, Contra Costa County, California
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Picture #11: Light from the Heceta Head Lighthouse on a dark and stormy night, Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint, Oregon
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Picture #12: Mist and spray shooting out of the Spouting Horn at sunset, Cooks Chasm, Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon Coast, Oregon
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Picture #13: Photographer shooting spray from breaking waves at Thor’s Well at sunset, Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon Coast, Oregon
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If you made it this far, Wow – Thank you so much for looking at all of these images. Again, if you’d care to leave a comment below, I’d love to know which one(s) caught your eye or you enjoyed the most.
And stay tuned as I’ll have another Best Of post coming within the next week or two. (You can get a free email update notification when you subscribe to the blog.)
Cheers and best wishes,
– Gary.
PS: Want to see more? Check out this Gallery of Favorites from the last few years.
PPS: As usual, I’m delighted to post this collection as part of the great Annual Best Photos Blog Project put on by my friend and fellow photographer Jim Goldstein
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Gary Crabbe is an award-winning commercial and editorial outdoor travel photographer and author based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, California. He has seven published books on California to his credit, including “Photographing California; v1-North”, which won the prestigious 2013 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Medal award as Best Regional title. His client and publication credits include the National Geographic Society, the New York Times, Forbes Magazine, TIME, The North Face, Subaru, L.L. Bean, Victoria’s Secret, Sunset Magazine, The Nature Conservancy, and many more. Gary is also a photography instructor and consultant, offering both public and private photo workshops. He also works occasionally a professional freelance Photo Editor.
Very hard to pick just one, Gary (so I won’t). I especially liked the composition and timing in #13. I also like the shots with the moon, fairly large, as you have structured those (#’s 3 & 7). Also, that amazing abstract (#9). Really, I liked them all (well, maybe not so much the rattlesnake dance but that’s more a content comment, not the fact that you got such an incredible shot). [And I know you actually have a pet snake – to each their own.]
Also, FYI, 13 is also a lucky number for us. Celebrated our 35th anniversary early this month with the woman I married after first meeting on a Friday the 13th, decades ago. We often celebrate any of those that come around each year whenever they happen.
Beautiful selection Gary – but that photo of the two rattlesnakes really made my jaw drop. What a great moment!
Really awesome work Gary. Looks like you had a great year of photography! Wishing a happy holidays to you and the family.
Wow! Nice set Gary!
Lovely photos Gary! I love #3 Super Blue Blood Moon and #8 Milky Way is amazing, but my favorite it #11, “Heceta Head Light House.” Thanks for sharing theses beautiful photos! Wishing much joy and many blessings for you and your family over the holidays!
I always enjoy the images you present and feel the same about this collection. I find #2 especially pleasing. Those lovely quiet scenes somehow make me breath easier, like comfort food. I feel as if I can walk right into that image. The composition of #3 is lovely as well and I’m wondering how much planning when into that one. All the circles were so cooperative! The rattlesnake dance, #4, is magical. Right place, right time, good eye, and snakes so much in love they either didn’t notice you or didn’t care. Thanks for sharing Gary. Happy New Year!
#2,3,5,10,11 are my favorites, however #5 is EPIC!
Great set of images Gary! The rattlesnake one… I presume the focal length was reasonably long?
Gorgeous! It makes me wish I knew where to go in the East Bay- time for more adventuring! I love the fog images the best, so atmospheric. Great job this year, obviously! Congrats. 🙂
Great selection again Gary! I love #1, although they are are wonderful. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Absolutely beautiful year end set Gary. I have always enjoyed the luminous qualities of your work. Wow on the rattlesnake moment, perhaps no surprise they put on a show for a true snake charmer.
Wishing you all the best and more great moments in 2019.
Amazing collection Gary ! Each of them is exceptional. If I had to pick one, it would be Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse next to windmill . Congratulations once again for the honor of having your photographs featured on USPS postal stamps. 7 of them ! 2018 must be special.
Always enjoy your work, Gary and this year’s crop is exceptional. Alhambra Valley Mist is one of my favorites but any single image could top my list. Here’s wishing you another productive year!
Gary, I’m such a fan of all your work it’s hard to pick just one or two – however, I’ll try. As a native and lifelong Californian, your Henry Coe and Briones images hit me right in the heart (and eye!). Fabulous stuff here. Have a great 2019 and keep on keeping on!
Great set of images Gary – I love the last shot of the photographer shooting the sea spray! The photo of the rattlers really stands out too – it’s honestly pretty tough to get a visually appealing shot of snakes since you really need to get down on their level to have good background separation. You did a great job with this shot — really fascinating moment most of us won’t ever see in person!
What a nice selection, Gary! My favorites include 3, 6, 9, 10, and 11. I love all the magical light you photographed this year. I usually don’t like backlighting for my own work but this selection of photos makes me think I need to try it more often. Happy New Year!
Wonderful work this year Gary! Congratulations on all your successes as well. I wish you and your family the best in the new year!!
Gary, As always, these are always awesome. The rattlesnake combat image was so cool. 2, 9, and 11, were also personal favorites from a great list. Happy 2019 and let’s make some great images this year! – TM
Those are great Gary! Really like the first and last one!
Hey Gary,
Looks like Oregon was a successful trip for you! The light from the Heceta Head Lighthouse is particularly powerful. I am trying to figure out if the lighthouse lit the lower trees also or if there was something else lighting up the trees in the lower right. The composition on the Blue Moon shot is perfect! The fog sitting in the trees enhances the shot. Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year!
This is a really nice collection, Gary! I always love the moods you capture in the Bay Area foothills, but the Oregon coast images are favorites as well. I hope your new year is off to a great start, and that the months ahead are filled with good health and much visual opportunity!
Cheers, Russ
Spectacular! I have several favorites but the composition on No. 3 is right on!
Jim
Fantastic collection, Gary. I love #10, that morning mist just really appeals to me. And I agree with Alex, those 2 rattlesnakes were something else! Thanks for sharing these, and have a great 2019.
Your visions of mist, spray and how you capture mood and light seem to just get better and more individual every year. My favorites here are #2 – quintessential Northern California; #3 – Love the three orbs and the country/ranch feel; #11 – dramatic and different. May your roll continue on in 2019… 🙂
Always a pleasure to see your pictures Gary. Some I already knew from FB, but this blog post also told me to check your page more frequently and not only rely on what FB thinks i should see.
A fantastic group of photographs!!! I loved them all, exceptional!!! The rattlesnakes made my mouth drop open! What a catch!!
Amazing, splendid pictures Gary Crabbe. I especially liked the ones on the Oregon coast. I was at Cooks Chasm just after Christmas with my daughter & her family that live in Eugene, Or. Thanks for sharing you work.
Donna McClure