Wow.
2013 has been quite a year, filled with the biggest up's and down's to date.
To start- I suffered a major set back physically, separating my shoulder and undergoing surgery within the first two weeks of the year. This has been and will continue to be an ongoing obstacle to overcome for the next few years.
That being said, spending a few months laid up in bed gave me a new outlook on life. I know that sounds a little clich
é, but I had a lot of time to think. Realizing an ever growing love for both surfing and photography; I made it my goal to dedicate more time to both passions once I recovered.
As I became more mobile, I found myself hopping around on frozen rocks (in a sling) to create images that would do the beauty of the East Coast justice. A few of these images surprised me. There were personal celebrations and cheers when no one was around. There were also mornings where I ventured to the beach in the freezing cold, before sunrise- only to return empty handed. It was the thrill of possibly taking my next best image that made the adventures so exciting.
Without overdoing it, below are my 12 favourite images from 2013. Most of these come from my time spent wandering the coasts of Nova Scotia, but a few come from other travels and my most recent move to the United Arab Emirates. These images are in no particular order and will have a brief write-up to go along with it.
I hope you enjoy!
Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia - My first attempt at creating an HDR composite image. The texture in the tarp coving the car really brought this image together.
Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia - During a late summer night, I managed to catch a shooting star while photographing the Milky Way (another first for me).
Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia - My first Neutral Density Long Exposure, which prompted the spree of sunrise and sunset beach adventures. Still one of my favourite photographs to-date.
Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia - The first photo I've ever had professionally framed. Also one of my favourite 'digital art' pieces I've ever created.
Halifax, Nova Scotia - The grain elevators in Halifax have always seemed so picturesque to me. I finally captured them the way I envisioned. This is possibly my best 'black and white' photo to date.
Dubai Marina, UAE - A place I now call home (for the time being), this photo captures the everyday 'rat-race' that is Dubai.
Rishikesh, India - One of my favourite landscape photo's I've taken, Rishikesh was an incredible experience I won't forget. This photo captures the vibrant culture experience on this weekend adventure.
Halifax, Nova Scotia - I've tried many times to capture musicians in their element. This photo was the result of over 600 shots during his show at the Cunard Centre. Possibly my best Portrait to-date.
Martinique Beach, Nova Scotia - When I think of home I envision sunny summer days and warm sandy beaches. Although this isn't the case most of the time, this photo of Martinique Beach does those few special days justice.
Cow Bay, Nova Scotia - My favourite spot on the East Coast. I can vividly remember a few days at the surrounding surf spots where I've have the best waves of my life.
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - Before taking this photo, I envisioned almost this exact image while I stood on the shore line. Taking only one shot to nail a 6 minute exposure was a little bit of luck and a lot of practice.
Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia - This year marked the first time I successfully produced a Star Trail. After a few trial shots and quite a bit of research, I came up with this. It was so satisfying to stack the images together and see the image come together.
