My Best Natural History Photographs of 2019
2019 offered opportunities to again dive the chilly waters of Browning Pass at the far northern end of Vancouver Island, photograph the Southern California spring wildflower bloom, travel to Rome, Paris, Iceland and London with my family, dive with whales and sea lions in the fall months, return to a few classic southwestern landscapes and enjoy the coastline of northern San Diego County. Not to mention that I was able to spend time with good friends while chasing images. My favorite photos of the past year are below, roughly in chronological order. This is the 13th year I have done an annual retrospective. My creative goal for any one year is, as it always has been, to shoot 3-4 world-class images and 10-15 portfolio-quality images. If you like these feel free to check out previous years’ favorites as well: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007. Also, be sure to check out Jim Goldstein’s blog, where he collects the “best of the year” collections of many talented photographers. Thanks Jim! Cheers and Thanks for looking!
Northern elephant seals, Piedras Blancas
Image ID: 35136
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California, USA
Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight for territory and harems of females. Bull elephant seals will haul out and fight from December through March, nearly fasting the entire time as they maintain their territory and harem. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California
Image ID: 35144
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California, USA
Sand verbena wildflowers on sand dunes, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Image ID: 35115
Species: Sand verbena, Abronia villosa
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, California, USA
Dune primrose (white) and sand verbena (purple) bloom in spring in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, mixing in a rich display of desert color
Image ID: 35198
Species: Sand verbena, Dune Evening Primrose, Abronia villosa, Oenothera deltoides
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, California, USA
Dune Evening Primrose bloom in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Image ID: 35207
Species: Dune Evening Primrose, Oenothera deltoides
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, California, USA
California Poppies, Rancho La Costa, Carlsbad
Image ID: 35208
Species: California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica
Location: Rancho La Costa, Carlsbad, California, USA
California Poppies in Bloom, Elsinore
Image ID: 35225
Species: California Poppy, Eschscholzia californica
Location: Elsinore, California, USA
Giant Plumose Anemones cover underwater reef, Browning Pass, northern Vancouver Island, Canada
Image ID: 35251
Species: Giant Plumose Anemone, Metridium farcimen
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Pink Soft Coral, Gersemia Rubiformis, Browning Pass, Vancouver Island
Image ID: 35254
Species: Pink Soft Coral, Gersemia rubiformis
Location: British Columbia, Canada
The Fish Eating Anemone Urticina piscivora, a large colorful anemone found on the rocky underwater reefs of Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Image ID: 35255
Species: Fish-eating Anemone, Urticina piscivora
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Dendronotus iris swimming nudibranch, Browning Pass, Vancouver Island
Image ID: 35275
Species: Dendronotus iris
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Anemones are found in abundance on a spectacular British Columbia underwater reef, rich with invertebrate life. Browning Pass, Vancouver Island.
Image ID: 35339
Location: British Columbia, Canada
The Fish Eating Anemone Urticina piscivora, a large colorful anemone found on the rocky underwater reefs of Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Image ID: 35460
Species: Fish-eating Anemone, Urticina piscivora
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Saint Peter's Basilica over the Tiber River, Vatican City
Image ID: 35547
Location: Vatican City, Rome, Italy
La Tour Eiffel. The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, who designed the tower in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair. The Eiffel tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world.
Image ID: 35601
Location: Tour Eiffel, Paris, France
La Sainte-Chapelle, The Holy Chapel, is one of the only surviving buildings of the Capetian royal palace on the Ile de la Cite in the heart of Paris, France. It was commissioned by King Louis IX of France to house his collection of Passion Relics, including the Crown of Thorns - one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom
Image ID: 35602
Location: La Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France
Glacial river, highlands of Southern Iceland
Image ID: 35720
Location: Iceland
Landmannalaugar highlands region of Iceland, aerial view.
Image ID: 35739
Location: Iceland
Glacial river, highlands of Southern Iceland
Image ID: 35744
Location: Iceland
Glacier, Skaftafell / Vatnajokull National Park, Southern Iceland
Image ID: 35752
Location: Iceland
Young California sea lions playing underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 35853
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Young California sea lions playing underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 35854
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Portrait of a young California sea lion underwater, Coronados Islands, Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 35875
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Del Mar Beach at Sunset, northern San Diego County
Image ID: 35098
Location: Del Mar, California, USA
Torrey Pines State Beach at Sunset, La Jolla, Mount Soledad and Blacks Beach in the distance
Image ID: 35848
Location: Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California, USA
Sunrise over Broken Hill, overlooking La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean, Torrey Pines State Reserve
Image ID: 35850
Location: Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California, USA
Terramar Sunset, viewed from North Ponto with Oceanside and Camp Pendleton in the distance
Image ID: 35903
Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Carlsbad Coast Highway Sunset, North Ponto to Oceanside with Camp Pendleton in the distance
Image ID: 35904
Location: Carlsbad, California, USA
Southern right whale underwater, Eubalaena australis, Argentina
Image ID: 35906
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis, Argentina
Image ID: 35908
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Courtship group of six Southern right whales, Eubalaena australis, Argentina
Image ID: 35915
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
South American sea lion underwater, Otaria flavescens, Patagonia, Argentina
Image ID: 35930
Species: South American Sea Lion, Otaria flavescens
Location: Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
Spectacular Horseshoe Bend sunrise. The Colorado River makes a 180-degree turn at Horseshoe Bend. Here the river has eroded the Navajo sandstone for eons, digging a canyon 1100-feet deep
Image ID: 35941
Location: Horseshoe Bend, Page, Arizona, USA
Upper Antelope Canyon, a deep, narrow and spectacular slot canyon lying on Navajo Tribal lands near Page, Arizona
Image ID: 35931
Location: Navajo Tribal Lands, Page, Arizona, USA
Upper Antelope Canyon, a deep, narrow and spectacular slot canyon lying on Navajo Tribal lands near Page, Arizona
Image ID: 35936
Location: Navajo Tribal Lands, Page, Arizona, USA
