I have no particular favourite photos of 2020. They are all my favourites. Each month I choose a selection of photos that represent the main themes of my month and, as is often the case, many favourite-ish photos don’t make the cut. For the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Favorite Images of 2020, I’ve chosen a couple of those that didn’t fit my monthly narrative and two I published earlier this year. I wouldn’t exactly call them favourites but for personal reasons, they are ones I really like.

First, here are the previously unpublished photos.

Eastern Rosella*

Australian Magpie

Last spring, I finally found where the RAW format option was hidden on my camera and I began experimenting. I enjoyed this experiment as it was a good distraction from the seemingly endless bad news. I’m not sure I will continue the experiment because my computer is too old to process the data-hungry RAW files, but it was fun and slightly addictive moving those little sliders in the trial software up and down.

In February at the start of the first Covid wave in Australia, I had eye surgery followed by an unpleasant, unknown virus. My recovery was long and exhausting. The exhaustion is ongoing, perhaps for other reasons. During April I managed to haul myself to the other side of my suburb and I took the following photo. To me it sort of symbolises an uphill battle but one with the possibility of future adventures. I’m still waiting for those adventures. I probably need to give myself another kick up the backside to get moving again. It is also a bit arty-farty so that is another reason I like this photo.

I’m currently on hols with my True Love. Once we get tired of sleeping and staring at the ceiling, we might go out galavanting on some mini adventures, taking photos and/or sitting and staring at the trees instead.

Take care, everyone.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

*Photo taken by my True Love

62 thoughts on “Personal Favourites?”

  5. Well Tracy, despite your illness and your malaise, you’ve found some lovely images to share with us this week. I’m so sorry to hear you’d been ill and hope your recovery is very soon and totally complete. I loved your rosella as we have nothing like that here, and your arty-farty landscape 😊. You’re so right about the data hungriness of the Raw images also. My camera (a Fuji mirrorless) can take a JPEG and a Raw file of an image at the same time (2 memory cards) so I use only jpegs unless the image needs serious work and is worth saving and then I go to the raw image. It’s a big data saver! Wishing you all the best including of course good health in the New Year.

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    1. Thank you, Tina, for your kind words and support.
      I have the same JPEG/Raw feature on my camera. A couple of times I have made the mistake of deleting Raw photos in camera that I actually wanted to keep, so I now load them all on my computer. Unfortunately, I don’t get around to cleaning them off my computer! I will get better at it I hope. 🙂
      Malaise is such a good word to describe what I’m feeling. I am sure there are many others feeling likewise. Not to worry, I’ll get over it, probably in much the same way as you did when you made the effort to become re-acquainted with your lovely island. Being outside makes a huge difference.

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  8. Here’s hoping that 2021 is healthier for you Tracy. But if you can turn out photos like this when you’re not on form, just think what you’ll be able to do when you are!

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  9. Happy hols, Tracy and TL. Hope it proves good for recharging the ‘batteries’. In the meantime I am astounded and entranced by the extraordinary beauty of the Eastern Rosella, and the way you caught the colours of the vegetation that echo the colours of the breast plumage. All the very best to you and yours and more power to whatever aids your full recovery.

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  11. You have the prettiest birds….. I didn’t realize you had surgery, Tracy. I hope all is well, and that the exhaustion goes away as the year goes on.

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    1. Thanks, Lois.
      I recall getting lots of sympathy from you when I wrote about my surgery last Feb. You must have forgotten and fair enough. 🙂 The fatigue is what it is. Maybe if I got fitter or stopped procrastinating it would improve.

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      1. Well, I’m glad I offered sympathy then. My memory….if it didn’t happen yesterday, I don’t remember. I think we all have fatigue of some sort, and given what is going on, it is to be expected.

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  14. Hi Tracy, So sorry to hear your surgery and illness. I love these photos, especially the first bird capture and the last landscape. Hope you are on the way to full recovery.
    All the best for 2021, Tracy!

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    1. Haven’t gone anywhere, Pauline. Too tired. My TL has rec leave and LSL until mid Feb. We hope to do some day trips. Maybe a week away in Feb to some isolated place. We’ll know better then what is happening in NSW. That must seem so funny to escape to somewhere where we are even more isolated. We would like to go to the Warrumbungles but that will have to wait until my TL can walk better.

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      1. Hope you soon start to feel better Tracy. This humid, hot weather doesn’t help either, I feel like a wet rag most of the time and retreat into my air conditioned art room… Even just going a short way feels like an adventure now.

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  16. Great photos Tracy! I tried RAW photos once. I could only open them in Lightroom. I decided it was too much work for my purpose. But those are supposed to be the best. I hope you do more exploring soon! 😊

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  20. Well, Tracy, they are all my favourites too. You are such a marvelous bird photographer – and, you have the most beautiful birds down there…and, a skilled True Love as well. Love the twinkling eye of that magpie. Wishing you a lovely holiday and a healthy one sooner than later!

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  23. Your selections are enchanting. Though I’m an artist, of limited talent, I’m no photographer. Too many mechanical fidgets for me to master. So I love your photos, elegant and moving images of your world. I hope your health continues to improve, Tracy, and that the New Year bodes a hopeful future for you and for all of us. We certainly need a shift upward.

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    1. Thank you, Sharon. We certainly do need better days. I am feeling a little better. I think because I decided I would do what I want this January and if that is nothing, then so be it. I can’t quite seem to let that strong work ethic go. Of course, now that I have given myself permission to do nothing, I’ve got a lot more energy. Funny that. Hope you are okay, Sharon and enduring this nightmare as best you can.

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      1. Much as I despise Trump and the other Repug (not a typo) political leaders who incited the riot on January 6, it’s his base that really terrifies me – millions and millions of racists who discount history, facts, science, and believe in conspiracy theories and that Jesus will save them – only them. And this element of self righteous thugs is prominent all over the world. This is what scares me.

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