Ryan J. Faer

Opening up 2024 with a brief look back at some of my favorite shots of the last year.

I chose 10 photos to share today – although not necessarily my top 10 (or in any particular order), I thought it would be fun to showcase just a handful of shots comparing both pre-processing (i.e. how it looked straight out of the camera with no editing), and post-processing (after using Light Room). Just use the slider in the middle of the photo to compare.

If there are any photos that you like in particular, leave a comment below. Enjoy!

A couple heading to brunch. It is simple; elegence meets attentiveness.

I just love this photo. There are so many layers to it.

We have the the horizontal stripes on the woman and the vertical stripes of the man; her hat with the black ribbon; presumably an older mother and daughter walking together in the foreground, their hands clasped right in the center of the photo, perfectly framing a postured fellow waiting in the mid-ground; he is not only spotlighted by the lighting itself, but also by the yellow pavement paint

Not to say this was accidental, but it was surely an afterthought. I was on a timed photo-walk and had nearly hit my limit, so I was walking back across town to my car when I caught a glimpse in my peripheral of this couple on the other side of street and took a quick shot from the hip.

I forgot about it until I reviewed the photos later. Her ensemble is striking. The photo didn’t need much post-processing mostly just cropping and a color profile change.

A gentleman enjoying a smoke on a bench as he tends to a scratch-off.

Capturing life as it for all kinds of folks, this is what I enjoy the most.

I likely have a couple hundred shots of my dog, of which there are surely more beautiful than this one. However, this shot is just fun for me… given her expression, the striped (now empty) puppucino’ cup that she flung into the air, and with the hand that held it illuminated nicely in the foreground.

This shot is not far removed from me purchasing my first camera. You can tell from both the original – for example, the terrible white balance – and the processed photo – e.g. bland colors, drab highlights, too much masking. However, it is about the moment for me: young love in the distance.

Very similar to the shot above, this one is an early shot for me. The pre-processed photo isn’t even level, and the final product is overly saturated and processed. However, again, it is about the moment for me: a young family taking in an Arizona sunset.

It isn’t sharp, nor is it perfect, but I am quite content with this one.

The stripes on the mailman’s socks, the rays of light you can actually see shining into the store, not to mention the ponderous expression as if there might be some very real consequences on the other side of that door. It’s such an overly-serious photo for the moment, that it is almost absurd – and I love it.

While the spotlights literally shine on our guitarist, he figuratively shines the spotlight on others.

I was asked to take photos for a friend of their band playing a gig. Since I had never been requested to take photos for anyone up until that point, I was super nervous and took 1000 shots in about an hour (no joke) – I wanted to make sure I got something usable. It was also my first time shooting in a dark setting, which is its own challenge to navigate for a newbie. So, silhouette shots like this were my friend that night.

I take a lot of photos while walking my dog. It isn’t ideal, but it allows some overlap between doing for her and doing for me. The shots are always rushed, with little time to scout for a good shot, let alone compose.

The Volusia County Courthouse, however, makes for an easy subject; it is hard to get a bad shot, especially with the wide angle lens and convenience of the Ricoh GR III.