2014 proved to be a challenging year for my photo blog. Due to circumstances, I was not able to get out and shoot as much as I have in the past. I still managed to capture some good images and today I want to share with you my ten best. As in the past, they are in chronological order. I leave it up to you to select your favorites from the list. Click the links to visit the original blog post for each photograph.
View Infinitum’s Ten Best Photographs for 2014
Professional sports are ever changing. For instance, soon after I photographed this photo of Syracuse Crunch Dana Tyrell scoring a goal, he was traded. The team he scored on, the Adirondack Phantoms, moved to Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania at the end of the season. The goalie, Yann Danis, was playing for the Norfolk Admirals this season. I say ‘was’ because he is not on their active roster as of today.
Syracuse Crunch Dana Tyrell (42) puts the puck past Adirondack Phantoms goalie Yann Danis (34) at the War Memorial Arena on Saturday, March 1, 2014. Syracuse won in overtime, 5-4.
Nikon D7100/70-200VR, 1/800s, f/3.5, ISO 2000, EV +1.3, 70mm (105mm DX) focal length, cropped.
I did enjoy a Spring walk in Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York. The air was crisp and fresh that day. The smell of pine trees was in the air. The sound of the waterfall constant and steady being feed by the winter snow melt. That day and this photograph is my definition of communing with nature.
Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York taken on March 23, 2014.
Nikon D700/24-120VR, f/16, ISO 200, EV 0, 32mm focal length, HDR image.
Spring sports in Central New York often get off to a rough start weather-wise. The snow squall which popped in on a high school lacrosse match between the Baldwinsville Bess and Cazenovia Lakers gave me some very unique sport photographs.
Baldwinsville Bees Eric Candee (10) looking to make a pass against the Cazenovia Lakers in a Spring snow shower on Saturday, April 5, 2015 at Cazenovia, New York.
Nikon D700/80-400VR, 1/2000s, f/5.3, ISO 1400, EV +0.7, 260mm focal length, cropped.
After a chilly Spring, it was time to head South to my favorite vacation location: Walt Disney World. The Magic Kingdom debuted a new parade called Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade in 2014. Photographing from the Main Street USA Train Station platform, I was able to get within ten feet of the parade’s star, a 53 foot tall Steampunk Dragon.
Steampunk Fire-Breathing Dragon in the Festival of Fantasy Parade on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom.
Nikon D700/24-120VR, 1/500s, f/8, ISO 200, EV +0.3, 82mm focal length.
Upon returning from vacation, I traveled to the first (and sadly, probably last) Oswego Balloonfest held at the Oswego County Fairgrounds in Sandy Creek, New York. While I got lots of photos of the hot air balloons in the air, I liked this one the best. Being able to walk inside a hot air balloon was a fun experience. Even for a teenage girl with a cell phone.
A young woman inside a rainbow colored hot air balloon at the Oswego Balloonfest at the Oswego Country Fairgrounds in Sandy Creek, New York. on Saturday, June 7, 2014.
Nikon D700/24-120VR, 1/160s, f/5.6, ISO 200, EV 0, 24mm focal length.
I have enjoyed a successful working relationship with photographer Phil Spitze who runs the Camera-Ed.com Meetup Group. I teach a popular Sports Photography course for Phil and he lets me help him with some of his Teaching Tours. Not only do I enjoy the experience of teaching photography to the students, it gets me out to photograph at times and places I would not normally feel comfortable doing alone. Such was the case for Phil’s Syracuse Night Photography Tour. Being in a group is safer and much more fun. Finding a group of young woman keeping still for a long exposure of the Clinton Square water fountains was a bonus.
Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Clinton Square taken during the Syracuse Area Photography Classes Teaching Tour: Syracuse at Night on Saturday, July 12, 2014.
Nikon D700/24-120VR, 6s, f/16, ISO 200, EV 0, 24mm focal length, tripod.
In mid-August, a photographer friend, notified me the Air Force Thunderbirds air demonstration team would be performing at the Kwik Fill Rochester International Airshow. He knew the perfect place to photograph the show. In researching photos online, I knew there would be a photo of two jets flying with one inverted over the other. Using a fast shutter speed and listening to the pilots on my friend’s radio, I was able to capture the formation.
Two solo USAF Thunderbird pilots perform a flying maneuver during the Kwik Fill Rochester International Airshow in Rochester, New York on Sunday, August 17, 2014.
Nikon D700/80-400VR, 1/1000s, f/7.1, ISO 200, EV 0, 300mm focal length.
What can I say? I love going to and photographing at the New York State Fair every year. One never knows what you will find or the kind of people you will meet. In 2014, a mechanical bull was set up outside the Cattle Building. I photographed many people who tried but no one every rode the mechanical bovine long enough to collect the winnings.
A man about to be dumped off of Wild Willy, a mechanical bull, at The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, August 23, 2014.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/320s, f/10, ISO 200, EV 0, 28mm focal length.
In September, I bought a couple of Pocket Wizards and went to the ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip in Cicero, New York to try them out. The track officials allowed me to set up a remote camera at the base of the Christmas Tree starting lights.
Ford vs. Chevy racing at the ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip on Sunday, September 14, 2014.
Nikon D7100/tokina 11-16mm, 1/1000s, f/3.5, ISO 100, EV 0, 11mm focal length, tripod, Pocket Wizard.
Syracuse Crunch owner, Howard Dolgon, is known for his big promotions for his American Hockey League team. There was none bigger than the Frozen Dome Classic held inside the famous Syracuse University Carrier Dome. The event covered five hockey games over a two day period and I was there for all of it. For the Main Event, the Crunch playing Thruway rival Utica Comets, the attendance of 30,715 broke the United States Indoor record for a professional hockey game.
A record crowd of 30,715 were on hand at the Frozen Dome Classic in the Carrier Dome on the Syracuse University campus in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, November 22, 2014.
Nikon D7100/Tokina 11-16mm, 1/320s, f/3.5, ISO 900, EV +0.3, 13mm focal length, Intensify Pro.
