Over the past year I pretty much abandon blogging, and to a large extent photography. I still took pictures of the family and while on vacation, but I didn’t spend much time just taking pictures. I tried to get into the August 2010 Photo Challenge, but only managed 19 shots. 2010 was an off year all around for me. This year I’m trying to get back into shooting more photos for myself. I was hoping www.photochallenge.org would have some good themes to keep me motivated, but it looks like the site is on hiatus. (I sincerely hope new challenges come up soon.)

I decided I needed to come up with my on themes and Numbers is one I’ll be working on all year. Numbers are all around us and define much of our lives. We see them in everywhere we go and in almost everything we do. I’ve decided to try to take photos of as many numbers as possible this year, focusing on numbers below 1000.  I came up with a few guidelines for myself:

• No addresses unless it’s a really compelling shot. It’s just too easy to get numbers from homes or businesses, and I want this to be a little challenging.
• No repeating the same subject. I could take a lot of number shots of speed limit signs, but that will get boring fast. Part of the challenge is to find different subjects as well as numbers.
• Don’t use the same number twice. So far this hasn’t been a problem, but I did add two shots of the number 4 to the set. One was taken long before I started this project, but was the kind of shot I want to do.
• Try to get just a number by itself, without other words or other numbers. For example, a keyboard has numbers, but it’s hard to get each number by itself, although it could make an interesting macro. I’m not to let this limit my shots, but the point is to focus on numbers.

So far I’ve taken nine shots for this project this year and have started a set on Flickr. I’ll add to it as much as possible throughout the year.

I’ve also been very pleased with the quality of the shots I’ve been posting, and several have received a lot of faves and views. While I’d like to think I’m growing as a photographer, I’m certain the 2009 Challenge has helped me improve. In fact, a friend is buying prints of three shots taken specifically for the 2009 Challenge. That will be my first photography sale. I’m also contributing a photo to a fund raising auction for my kids’ school later this month.

One of the high points of January was my first photowalk with Jeremy Brooks and Andrew Lighten. I was on a jury in San Francisco and Jeremy and I decided to meet up one evening. It just happened that Andrew flew into SF that day. Hanging out even for a short time with other photographers is very rewarding. Thanks guys. I’m definitely going to make more of an effort to get to other Bay Area photowalks this year.  This is one of the shots I took on that walk:

January was a good start to the year for me. I know the economy sucks and California is heading into a severe drought, but I’m looking forward to this year. And looking back, this is my favorite shot of the month:

One final thing, I want to give a little promotion to the PhotoNetCast podcast. I’ve only recently started listening to this and have really enjoyed it. It’s entertaining and informative. I know everyone listens to TWIP, but you should also listen to PhotoNetCast. Really.

From Jim Goldstein
Once again 2008 proved to be an incredibly productive year for the many photographers who read the JMG-Galleries blog. The results of this “Best Photos From 2008″ blog project puts a twist to the normal “Best of Photo” list by aggregating links to the work of 93 photographers from around the globe who are passionate and dedicated to their craft.

The results from “Best Photos From 2007″ by JMG-Galleries Blog Reader’s were impressive, but this year not only did the number of participants exceed expectation the quality and vision of those who submitted were exceptional. This year participants ran the gamut of experience from enthusiasts to professionals.

Enjoy and good luck picking out your favorite from these great submissions

1. “My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2008” – Jim M. Goldstein
2. My Favorite Shots of the Year – View from the Little Red Tent by Edie Howe
3. 2008 Favorites – Photine by Laurie Ballesteros
4. My Nephew – Amit Goyal
   My nephew woke me up in the morning and was in a very chirpy mode when this was clicked
5. Another world (+Vorher/Nachher) – Visuelle Gedanken by Martin Wolf
   
6. Boy, Hanoi – The Sun Shines & The Igloo Melts by Jon Gresham
7. Best Photos from 2008 – Abraham Neben
8. Apocalyptic Capitalism – Sultana Sandwich by James Hill
9. Top 10 Photos of 2008, My first year in Wisconsin – Sierra Visions by Steven Bourelle
10. My Best Photos: 2008 – Shutter Photo by D Travis North
    This past year was a huge growth year for my digital photography skills which I feel is exhibited quite nicely in my photo favorites of 2008.
11. Best Photos From 2008 – G Dan Mitchell Photography
12. Protesting Prop 8 - Quan Photography by John Quan
13. Bir y?l böyle geçti… – Caglar.ca by Caglar Tukel
    Most of Photos taken during our traveling around Turkey and hiking around our hometown, Izmir.
14. My best shots of 2008 – Jonesblog by Bryan WIlliam Jones
15. Flamingo and Desert Landscape – pl?dys’s photoblog by Mike Reys
    Both pictures are from one of the most beautiful places on earth: Chile’s Atacama desert. The salt lakes there provide for some stunning colours and beautiful wildlife.
16. Suspended – Mark Groves Photography
17. My Favorite 10 Images from 2008 – IM Digital by Ivan Makarov
18. My Best Photo of 2008 – Matt Ward Photography
    This photo was taken in Oct at 7am after a cold night in Atlanta, GA.
19. Highlights of 2008 – Lori Jackson Photography
    In 2008, I picked up my camera again after a year long hiatus following pregnancy and my son’s birth.
20. Favorites from 2008 – Adventures Through The Lens by Rebecca Jackrel
21. Top Ten Photos of 2008 – Chris Moore Photography
22. My Photo Record – Kriz Cpec Photo Blog
23. Best of 2008 – Catavino by Ryan Opaz
24. Looking Forward and Back – Graf Nature Photography by Mark Graf
25. Lloyd’s Favorites of 2008 – L.D. Cross
26. My Favorite Photos from 2008 – Epic Edits by Brian Auer
    A selection of my favorite photos from 2008, broken down by each month and supplemented with a few thoughts.
27. Derryclare Lough – Focus Pocus by Albert MacSweeny
    My best photo of the year was when I was lucky enough to get a still lake in the usually
    turbulent west of Ireland
28. Best of 2008 – News and Views by Dave Wilson
29. Needle – Andel’s Photoblog by Andel Früh
    This photo has been shot with the kit lens (18-55mm f/3.5-5.6) in retro position (front lens to the camera)
30. Year in Pictures – Marcin Retecki
31. 2008 Top Ten – Lois Elling
32. My Best Photos of 2008 – Out of My Mind by Steven L. Mullen
    These are travel and nature shots taken in Michigan, China, and locally.
33. One from 2008 – Hockley Photography by Aaron Hockley
    It’s a photo taken at night, looking across a bridge towards another photographer also taking a picture of the same ferris wheel as I was.
34. 2008 in Pictures – Sawlani Photography by Hitesh Sawlani
35. My Top 10 Photos for 2008 – by Neil Creek Photography
36. Best of 2008 – The Quiet Picture by Minna Kinnunen
    My 10 favourites from 2008, everything from flower closeups to landscapes and starry nights!
37. Best of 2008 – by Stig Nygaard
    Just a quick little mixed selection of what I consider my best photos from 2008
38. My Top Ten Photos from 2008 – Korn on the Blog by Justin Korn
    Of the 1,800+ images I uploaded to Flickr this year, these are what I thought were my top 10.
39. Blog Project: “your Best Photos from 2008″ – Jim’s Photography by Jim Wheeler
40. My Best Photos from 2008 – TrevorCarpenter.com by Trevor Carpenter
41. Best Photos of 2008 – by Dave Reichert
42. 2008 Favorites – by Beth Madison
43. 01/01/2009 Best of 2008 – Brad Barton Photography
44. 2008: My Favorite Photos – My Digital Life by Jeremy Brooks
45. 2008: The year in photographs – Katie the Scrapbook Lady by Katie
46. Gotham. Or maybe London – SFT Photography by Steve Thomas
    I love the dark and moody feel, combined with the futuristic look of the building. I really enjoyed shooting it!
47. My Best Photos of 2008 – Malphoto.com by Andre Maltais
    I’m particularly proud of these submissions this year, as it seems I’ve made some great strides in my photography from the beginning of the year.
48. Best of 2008 Project – Photos From The Top Floor by Carsten Fischer
49. La Arcada seating on a rare rainy October morning – gZphotoGraph
50. Jaguar – by Jarrod Erbe Photography
    This jaguar image was taken at the Milwaukee County Zoo. The background was generated using a combination of Aperture, Photoshop Elements, and DFT Light.
51. Best of 2008? – Suzy Walker, Underwater Photoblog
    My top ten fav travel, underwater and macro photos taken in 2008
52. My best shots of 2008 – TemujinPhoto Blog by João Almeida
53. Best of 2008 – by Rick Goldwasser
54. My Top 10 Images of 2008 – The Jim Stamates Collection by Jim Stamates
55. #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 – Mannedspace: Photographs by MT Fanders
56. Best 10 of 2008 – by Duffy Knox
57. Future Christmas Card – by Massimo Belloni
58. 
    target=”_blank”>Best Photos of 2008 – MIZSPONTANEITY: A Girl With A Camera by Elaine
    I got a Nikon D40X for Christmas 2007, and although some of these photos were with my trusty Sony W70 point-and-shoot, these are my favorite 10 results of my first year with a digital SLR.
59. Best of 2008 – Changing Perspectives by Jenni Brehm
60. My Best of 2008 – by Eliya Selhub
    In 2008, I have found myself increasingly drawn to animals as subjects, and a slight cartoonish absurdity always appeals to me.
61. My Best Photos From 2008 – Lilahpops – Plunging into Photography by Anthea Brown
    Looking back over my photos for the past year shows my increasing interest in post-processing experimentation alongside my favourite macro format.
62. My top 10 favorite photos of 2008 – The Taeleman’s Blog by Kris Taeleman
63. My Favorite Photos of 2008 – Coulter Photos by Scott Coulter
64. Favorites of 2008 – XGray Vision by Stephen Gray
65. My Top 10 Favorite Images of 2008 – Cornforth Images by Jon Cornforth
    Spectacular nature and wildlife photography, photos, and pictures by award winning professional photographer Jon Cornforth.
66. Sitting Backwards on My Horse – latoga photography By Greg Lato
67. Top ten images of 2008 – Enlightened Images by Gary Crabbe
    These are some of the image I took in 2008, and which rose toward the top of the – I Like – pile.
68. Best 10 photos of 2008 – Have Camera Will Travel by Paul Dymond
    Images from professional Australian travel photographer Paul Dymond which ironically were all taken pretty close to home.
69. Best of 2008 – Heidi Donat
70. Best Photos of 2008 – by Luca Filigheddu Photography
71. Favourites of 2008 – by Chris Brown
72. Best of 2008 – by William Kahn
73. Pics of the pops 2008 – fotoVoyager by William Fawcett
74. My Top 10 Photos of 2008 – Always Breaking by Gary Hegenbart
75. Best of 2008 – by Trevin Chow
    This is a set of my best photos that I took during 2008 which is a combination of Flickr’s “interestingness” meter and my own selection.
76. Best of 2008 – Hotel Yankee Foxtrot by Alex McGeagh
    A collection of the better images captured in a progressive and productive year for me.
77. Top 10 Photos of 2008 – Digital Kloc Photography Blog by Brian Kloc
78. Burrard-Lucas Top Ten Photographs of 2008 – Burrard-Lucas Photography by William Burrard-Lucas
    We are brothers from the UK with a shared passion for wildlife photography – in 2008 we followed Meerkats in the Kalahari, stalked Jaguars in the wetlands of Brazil and waded through swamps at night to photograph Caimans…
79. My best 10+3 pictures of 2008 – All Day I Dream About Photography by Antoine Khater
80. Best of 2008 on Highway 89 – Ann Torrence Photography
    Transecting the west from Mexico to Canada on US89.
81. Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance – by Dave Fitch
    A railway bridge in Leith [Edinburgh] that was restored and then left to rot. It’s not perfectly symmetrical, but then neither is the bridge
82. My Top 10 Photographys of 2008 – Nuwomb Bits by Scott Webb
83. Best of 2008 – Matt Sallee Photography
84. My 10 best photos of 2008 – Stephen Trainor Photography
    Mostly landscapes, mostly of the Southwest, but with a hint of other anglophone countries.
85. 10 in 2008 – k|d loftis photography
    My favorite images from 2008 which include weddings, maternity and newborns, families and babies and a few personal images from the year.
86. 
    target=”_blank”>My 10 Favorite Images of 2008 – Della Huff Photography
    My ten favorites from 2008 include California landscapes and cityscapes, with a couple of extra goodies thrown in for fun!
87. Best Photos of 2008 – by Dave Schumaker
88. Best of 2008 – by Jay Goodrich Photography
89. My best photos from 2008 – All Narfed Up by Bryan Villarin
    Choosing my best photos from 2008 was really hard to narrow down, especially since it was my first year with a SLR camera.
90. Mein Flickr Photostream 2008 – Best of – by Stefan Neuweger
91. My Best Photos from 2008 – Why Yet Another Photo Place by Rafa
92. Best Photos from 2008 – by Daria Sukhanovska
    Only until i created this set of 13 photos, i realized how much progress i have done this year: I have traveled a lot, got one photo printed in the magazine and had my first own personal exhibition in the university library and simply had fun with my photos
93. My Best of 2008 – by Phil Price Photography

I know I won’t be able to take and post a photo everyday this year. With work, kids, vacation, etc it just isn’t possible. I’m hoping for 300 shots for the challenge. Even those 300 might not be daily, but if I know starting out that I can’t get one a day, I won’t be disappointed if I don’t make it. If I get 300, I’ll feel I accomplished my personal goal. And I think that is the point of the challenges – grow as a photographer and have fun.

After five days I’m keeping up. I’ve taken and posted a shot everyday. It’s not easy, and they aren’t are all shots I would normally post. Since the Photo Challenges use Flickr, I finally went ahead and upgraded to a Pro account. I still prefer Zooomr, but will be posting all my photos on both sites from now on.
Day 1 – Chair

Day 2 – Pen

Day 3 – Music

Day 4 – Book

Day 5 – Window