Picking five favourite books is like picking the five body parts you’d most like not to lose
Neil Gaiman
I could say the same about picking favourite photos, at least when it comes to my own. So much depends on my mood, on my associations with the photo (where I was, how I felt at the time); it’s hard to be objective.
Other people of course don’t have those associations, for the most part. Maybe it’s easier therefore to rely on their judgement?
The Lens Artists team have asked to see our favourite image shares from 2023. As I’ve already shared some of my favourite travel images from last year I wanted to do something a bit different this week. So instead of my favourites here are yours. Or to be more specific, here are the shots that many of you commented on or picked out from my Changing Seasons posts each month. Where there wasn’t a clear favourite or favourites I’ve adjudicated and picked my own out of those that garnered the most comments. I’ve also tried to go for some variety, balancing street photography, landscapes, florals etc.
As all of these have featured in my monthly slide shows for the Changing Seasons challenge you may well have seen them before, but that’s sort of the point of this challenge I guess! Besides, I know a few people have problems viewing those, so hopefully this post will give those people a glimpse into my past year. For the rest of you, apologies for the repetition but favourites are favourites for a reason!
JANUARY
At Druridge Bay, Northumberland 2023-01-01
FEBRUARY
Palenqueras, Cartagena 2023-02-14
MARCH
At Granary Square, Kings Cross, London 2023-03-16
APRIL
Lilac blossom, Ealing 2023-04-16
MAY
Auricula in our garden, Ealing 2023-05-21
JUNE
Grøtfjord, Kvaløya Island 2023-06-05
JULY
Pride celebrations at Kings Cross station, London 2023-07-01
Dominic Thiem, Court Two, Wimbledon 2023-07-05
[cheating with two images as they seemed to tie as favourites and, as portrait format shots, could be fitted in together]
AUGUST
Meadow pipit, Tynemouth 2023-08-16
SEPTEMBER
Marsh frog, British Wildlife Centre 2023-09-13
OCTOBER
Village children in Madagascar 2023-10-28
NOVEMBER
Sunrise from our cabin at Iharana Bush Camp, Madagascar 2023-11-02
DECEMBER
Pub Christmas tree, Brentford 2023-12-06
86 Comments
Sue
Cartagena and the Meadow Pippit for me
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you for having favourites – always interesting to hear 😀
Sue
Agreed
navasolanature
Hard choices here as I know you have such a great range of photos but these ones are excellent and very evocative of different moods, colours and places. Makes me a bit wistful on leaving London last year to be reminded of Brentford as am a West Londoner from birth and B and I, Kew, Chiswick and Barnes along the river were haunts over the years.
Sarah Wilkie
Brentford is just down the road from where we live in South Ealing. We don’t go often but back during the pandemic lockdowns it was a favourite walk 🙂
navasolanature
We used to cycle down the canal from Southall to Brentford some years ago now though! Passing Hanwell.
Sarah Wilkie
The area around the canal in Brentford has been really developed, with smart apartments and restaurants.
SoyBend
Yes, it’s very hard to choose a limited few. Great quote by Gaiman! I liked your picture of the women in colorful dresses, the pipit from behind, and the beautifully decorated tree.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Siobhan 🙂 Those women from Cartagena seem to be winning the popular vote here!
Anita
A clever way of choosing favorites from last year Sarah. You are good at photographing people so I like those pictures the most, although all are excellent, as always.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Anita 😊 As you know I think, I enjoy photographing people, so I’m glad you liked the results!
wetanddustyroads
So many stunning pictures Sarah! Hmm … and if I have to pick a favourite out of the twelve, it’s very difficult. Let me try … January, June and December! See, I can’t even pick the best one because they’re all equally beautiful!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much 😊 It’s always interesting to hear which images you especially like, and it doesn’t matter to me if you pick three rather than one – why would it, when to choose more is a compliment!!
Anonymous
I loved all these images, Sarah! They’re awesome. But my favorites are definitely your travel people shots, especially the colorful Columbian ladies and the Madagascar children. You do people so well, probably better than anyone else I’ve seen through the Lens-Artists Photography Challenges. Kudos!
Sarah Wilkie
Wow, thank you for that wonderful feedback, I really appreciate it (and am blushing right now 😊 )
Anuran & Sayoni
Awesome
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂
Anuran & Sayoni
Welcome Sarah
norasphotos4u
Beautiful photos. I love your candid portraits!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Nora 🙂 That’s a photographic style I really enjoy, although it can be challenging at times!
Wetravelhappy
For me it’s has to be the first, Jan 1, photo. I like that I could somewhat see beyond the rough scary waves. Okay so I like Dominic Thiem but that photo of him ummm ah, but I’m so sure that was a great day at The Championships. Oooh now I’m wishing I could go this year. 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, you’ve picked out a favourite of mine that hasn’t had so much attention this time around 😀 We often go to Druridge Bay on New Year’s Day, although this year we opted to stay in Newcastle for our walk. I’ve applied to the ballot for this year’s Championships but haven’t heard yet whether or not I’ve been successful …
Wetravelhappy
Oh I do hope you’ll get some tickets. Have you checked your junk folders?
Sarah Wilkie
No – it’s too early to hear yet (last year it was early May), and besides, I have their app which will also alert me if I have tickets 🙂
equinoxio21
All excellent, though Granary might be my favourite. Maybe because I’ve been there. Had a nice time.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊 I reckon that shot is running the Palenqueras a close second. I find it interesting as I nearly didn’t include that month as although I liked the composition the image quality was poor (it’s a crop from a phone shot) and I had to do a fair bit of editing to make it even acceptable!
equinoxio21
Palenqueras is very good too. (You might have posted it before.)
Phone shots can be useful. As you know I only do phone shots. With their limits. Less hassle taking the shot, more time on Photoshop.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you like the Plaenqueras too 🙂 Actually, all of these have been posted before – I made my choices for this post based on the ones people picked out as favourites most often on my monthly Changing Seasons posts 🙂
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
The colourful outfits of the Palenqueras for me. I still love the animal print leggings on show!
Sarah Wilkie
That’s the definite favourite overall, although you’re still the only person to pick up on those leggings!!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
And yet they are so striking!
Sarah Wilkie
I think the colours of the dresses are so bright no one is looking at their legs!
Anonymous
Well done finding a way to choose a few of your marvelous pictures, Sarah! They are all exquisite – so favourites? People. Cartagena and Madagascar. And the frog – what a beauty!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much, whoever you are! Those three do seem to be general favourites here 🙂
Pat
Wonderful selection, Sarah. A nice way to approach this challenge.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Pat 😀
grandmisadventures
With so many beautiful pictures how could you even begin to pick favorites! 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
With great difficulty 😆 That’s why I relied on the comments of other people to help me narrow it down!
Tanja
Great photos
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Tanja 🙂
I. J. Khanewala
It’s fun seeing what you chose. I specially liked a couple of photos I think I missed before: the girl alone on the steps, and the frog
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you found a few that were new to you 😀
Sofia Alves
Great way to sum up the year and I always love your people shots, you really are a travel photographer, Sarah. Favourite of the favourites is the Palanqueras 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sofia 😊 The Palanqueras are most people’s favourite it seems!
bushboy
Sorting followers favourites was fun for me and I hope for you as well. These are so good and some I remember and others I probably should but 🙄
A great wrap and thanks for the Changing Seasons shout 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian – I always enjoy the Changing Seasons challenge and it was fun to review a year’s worth of images and comments to pull this together 😀
the eternal traveller
These are all wonderful. If I had to pick just one it would be June. I love that tiny human figure in the midst of such amazing landscape.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊 That tiny figure is my friend Martin – I was glad he’d taken the trouble to negotiate the muddy path to the water’s edge as it was great to have him add some scale to the view!
Monkey's Tale
Another great collection and a lever way for you to choose among your children. Of these it may be a tie between the Palenqueras and the kids in Madagascar.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie, so glad you liked these 😀 I think the Palenqueras are emerging as the clear ‘favourite of the favourites’!
Egídio
Sarah, whether photographing people or nature, you excel with these images.
Sarah Wilkie
Aw, thanks so much, I really appreciate that feedback 😊
Anonymous
You must take thousands upon thousands of photos each year. How is it possible to narrow to a few favorites? I agree that what makes a photo special to the photographer can be very different to what makes it special to a casual observer. For me, it’s the emotion I feel when the shutter clicks. You convey time, place and emotion beautifully.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – I do find it very tough to narrow them down, but doing it incrementally, discarding a few each time I review, usually helps. Thanks so much for the lovely feedback 😊 I hate how WP is anonymising so many comments these days, so I have no idea who you are!
sustainabilitea
Sarah, you always take us all over the globe and from far away to close up in beautiful style. This gallery is no exception. It was a joy to see.
janet
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Janet 😊 I enjoyed putting it together, it was a fun challenge to look back over those monthly posts!
Marie
A great way to shortlist your favourites – some months must have been so hard to pick! Biggest shocker – the fab photo from Cartagena – FEBRUARY!!! Where did that year go to!! I see there are favourites emerging among the favourites – apart from Cartagena I think Sept and Oct…
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Marie 😊 I agree, the year has flown by! It seems no time sine we were in Colombia and now we’re looking forward to this February’s trip! I think that shot of the Palenqueras is emerging as the overall favourite among favourites, judging by the comments so far.
thehungrytravellers.blog
Well sorting out your favourite photos must be a serious challenge for you, Sarah. Too many brilliant ones!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Phil 🙂 It helped that I only had to consider one year, and focusing on other people’s favourites made it easier too. Now if I could just get you all to agree … 😆
notesoflifeuk
A truly wonderful set of photos to review the year with! I hope you have a great 2024!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, and I wish you the same!
Wind Kisses
What a fantastic way to organize your photos for this week. I was wondering how you might do it, as I saw your New Years post. Well done! I do remember a few of these, and love the February from Cartagena. The brilliant colors and the ladies so engrossed in their phones was fantastic. And sho cannot love the pride shot. The expression and the colors, so nice.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Donna 😊 Yes, I was stumped at first as I felt I’d done something too similar for the Sunday Stills challenge, but when I focused on your key point about these being favourites I started to think, ‘whose favourites?’, and that got me started!
Wind Kisses
Awesome. Have a good week Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
You too Donna!
Amy
I have enjoyed all of your travel photos and stories in 2023, Sarah! It must be difficult to choose for you. These are excellent selections!
Sarah Wilkie
Almost impossible to choose, that’s why I let myself be guided by the comments of others 😀
Tina Schell
Beautiful choices for the challenge Sarah, I like the way you chose by month – an extra challenge! Of these I was especially drawn to February, March and December but all are wonderful. Always enjoy your approaches to our challenges, thanks so much for joining us.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Tina 😊 Actually choosing by month helped me narrow it down a bit!
Anne Sandler
You’ve brought back wonderful memories of your travels with this post Sarah. As I was remembering the images, it felt like I had been there before. Once again, thanks for taking me around the world.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne, it’s always a pleasure to take you with me 🙂
Wandering Dawgs
Fantastic images for the challenge! I love the two women in Cartanega in their colorful dresses looking at their cell phones. I also really like the Marsh Frog.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, you’ve picked out two of my own favourites there 😀
margaret21
I remember every one of these. And while I might have picked alternatives in any given month, I’m very happy with your gallery!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Margaret 🙂 I think some of these might have been ones you picked out but of course many were not. Often it was a narrow choice between several favourites and not everyone agreed! And that’s how it should be, imho – if everyone liked the same shot in my galleries I would start to doubt whether the others were worthy of inclusion 😆
margaret21
Never that, Sarah!
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
These are wonderful Palenqueras, Cartagena 2023-02-14 was a lovely, but so where your other people shots, you captured the mood and the warmth of your approach to them is lovely. Also the nature shots are bang on. NO wonder these are so well liked
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Ritva – it’s great to have your feedback and I’m looking forward to seeing what challenges you set us 🙂
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
Thanks You Sarah!
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
Thank you Sarah, I appreciate that
Teresa
It’s easy to see why they’re your favourites. And yea, I have seen them before but good to view them again.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Teresa, glad you didn’t mind the repetition 😀
satyam rastogi
Great post ✍️
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks!
satyam rastogi
Welcome 🙏Sarah