This week, Tina hosts the challenge she calls “Personal Favorites.” She writes, “Last month I set out to choose a small number of favorites to use as my new computer’s screensavers. I found it both interesting and challenging and thought perhaps you would too! So this week your challenge is to choose no more than 5 images as your all-time personal favorites.” You can read her entire challenge post here.
Her challenge sent me down a rabbit hole as I struggled through my catalog, looking for favorites to share and tag as my screensaver images. I didn’t get past photos taken in 2020 and had too many favorites, so I had to stop looking. My opening photo was captured in San Antonio on a River Walk canal cruise. Nearing dusk, just after 8 PM, the lights on and underneath the bridge were already lit. I used processing to enhance the lateness of the day in the photo.
In Glacier National Park, many photos were marred by wildfire smoke in Western Canada. This view of the lake is near a pull-off on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. At first, when I loaded the photo into Adobe Lightroom Classic, I thought it was a wasted shot. Then, I started to play with the gray and smoky mountains in the background. I hit upon a tweak that created a color shift in the background. The truth is, I don’t remember what tool I used to affect the mystical appearance of the background, so this favorite is the result of a lucky accident.
I captured many images from several events at a Senior Pro Rodeo in Buckeye, Arizona. There was plenty of action, and in the bull riding event, I captured this image of a rider being thrown from his bull.
I like to go to botanical gardens, and I captured this scene of the Linnean House during a stop at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in Saint Louis. Constructed in 1882, it is the oldest continuously operated public greenhouse west of the Mississippi River. Something about the beautiful entrance facade and the nearby plantings caused me to take the photo. In processing, I noticed the beautiful sky with the windblown clouds.
As I crossed the tracks near a siding in Fargo, I noticed a long line of new tank rail cars parked on a siding. Unlike the hundreds of black tank cars I’ve seen over the years, these cars were white with a gray stripe near the car’s access ladders. I was struck by the leading lines presented for me to capture and the receding repetition of the composition.
That’s my five all-time favorites (or at least favorites before 2021, anyway). Last week, Ritva hosted the Portraiture Challenge, and I enjoyed looking at everyone’s portraits in the responses. On Saturday, Egidio will host the challenge, which will be shared at noon Eastern Time. Follow his blog here so you don’t miss his post. If you’d like to join in the challenge responses but aren’t sure how to get started, here is a guide.
John Steiner
Journeys with Johnbo 
You have so many fabulous photos, John, as this post demonstrates xx
Thanks, Jo!
It is such a hard thing to do and you’ve done amazingly, John. I remember the bridge photo, wonderfully captured. The lake is probably my favourite with the last one a close second, monochrome being perfect for those lines.
Thanks, Sofia! Now, I need to tag some of the photos from the last five years. 🙂
Love these, especially the bull rider. 😊
Thanks, Pepper!
I can see why these are favourites John.
the bull rider is a beauty. Did you know the current world champion, Brady Fielder is Australian and is leading the points so far. I’ve been watching the bull riding from the US on the weekends
Sadly, in our rental apartment this winter, we didn’t have much for TV service and no desire to subscribe to streaming. Our TV watching went way down.
I do like to watch the rodeo circuit at home in Fargo. The rodeo shot was taken at one of the only two times I attended a Senior Pro Rodeo.
These are all so amazing. No wonder you had a difficult time choosing. It was also smart to stick with one year. The bull rider and train are my favorites.
Thanks, Anne. I probably wasn’t clear, those photos were from 2020 or before. Now I need to tag some of my favorites from 2021 on. 🙂
Got it! 😎
I think we all went down a similar rabbit hole with this challenge! You have such variety in your choices 🙂 My favourites from your favourites are the rodeo shot and the tank cars.
Thanks, Sarah! It was fun reviewing all the images, just hard to pick favorites. 🙂
Your favorites are all wonderful. I think the rodeo image is my favorite.
Thanks, Beth!
The tank cars is my favorite here
Like many photos of mine, a chance discovery. 🙂 Thanks.
if you have do many favourites then it just means you have great photos and a headful of great memories
That’s a great observation, I.J. !
These are great images John. I especially like the flow of the train cars, and the feeling of the San Antonio riverway. The bull rider one is fun too and St. Mary’s lake was one of my favorite places and National Parks.
Thanks! They all hold great memories for me!
Either very clever or a fortunate accident John, good on you for limiting the number of images you looked through! Hopefully you had some fond memories as you saw these. They’re all wonderful but I especially loved your happy accident which lent a mystical air to the St Mary’s image, and your capture of the rodeo rider (aptly captioned) as he went down. And of course I’m glad you found a train favorite – it’s only appropriate!!
Thanks, Tina! Great challenge topic!
John, these are beautiful photos. I am in awe at the Glacier capture. That is priceless!
Thanks, Egidio!
Amazing – I particularly like the St Mary’s lake image
Thanks!
A wonderful selection John and I especially love the way you captured St Mary’s Lake 😊
Thanks, Xenia!
Fabulous favorites, John! Love the bull rider, er a bull faller… but the St Mary’s Lake is stunning and ethereal-looking. They are all beautifully captured!
Thanks, Terri!
Love St Mary’s and the rodeo shot is a great action capture
Thanks, Nora!
Brilliant shots John, you have captured some great shots. I like the smoke in the first one, that is the reality of places like that, they often catch fire. I do that train shot of the cars is really really amazing, bloody beautiful John.
Thank you, Leanne!
Love the action shot at the rodeo – captures the emotion of the rider AND the bull!
Thanks!
Great shots, John and such a variety. Love the ethereal Glacier National Park photo. I’ve always wondered how people capture that mystical look. And the train shot—stunning! There’s just something so captivating about railroad tracks and trains!
Thanks! That train shot was such a unique find!
These all are spectacular and each so different from the others. I have visited the Missouri Botanical Gardens with my sisters the past two years. I remember seeing the Linnean House when we were there for the Chihuly exhibit at the Gardens. This year, I’ll make a point of visiting it!
The Linnean House is a great stop. Thanks, Lindy!
They are all favourites with me, John! The Glacier National Park is absolutely wonderful and the train is a great shot. The rodeo rider – what a spectacular shot!
Thanks, Ann-Christine!
I’m glad I’m not alone in going down the rabbit hole. Great photos John! The GNP one looks like a watercolor…so soft and serene. Then the one with the bull! Complete opposite! lol! Great shot!
Thanks!
Some excellent pictures, John. The colors in the first one are stunning. I love the rail cars – great composition. The smoke in the Glacier shot creates a cool effect – you captured it well.
Thanks, Joanne. It was fun going through the gallery.
Great photos John. Well taken, well selected.
Thanks, John!
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What is the life expectancy of cowboys riding bulls? If the fall doesn’t kill you the bull stomping on you could? What a shot that it, John!
Rodeo is one of the most dangerous in professional sports.