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Tuesday, 1 January 2008

Picture Of The Year 2007


The new year has finally arrived and so I'd like to wish all my visitors and fellow bloggers a happy and healthy 2008.

For my photo of the year, I like to show you this one again which appeared on Nov 27. I know I said that I don't like taking photos of people, but I was quite pleased how this one turned out and certainly works better in black & white. Ideally the background wouldn't be so cluttered. But all in all I'm happy with it and might try taking more pictures of people this year.

One of the problems photographers face in England these days is that they are viewed as either deviants or terrorists. Taking photos of children is more or less deemed illegal and in London especially, the Police often stop and question people that are taking pictures of famous buildings, just in case it's the next target for a bomb. Other countries are more relaxed, and we've seen some excellent photos last year from other DP sites that display humanity in all its forms. And long may it continue.

To see examples of their best work, please visit their sites through the links below:
Paris, France - London, England - Hyde, UK - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Grenoble, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Riga, Latvia - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Manila, Philippines - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Weston (FL), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - New Orleans (LA), USA - Wichita (KS), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - San Francisco (CA), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Greenville (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Mainz, Germany - Melbourne, Australia - Portland (OR), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Toulouse, France - Naples (FL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Brussels, Belgium - Stayton (OR), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Toruń, Poland - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Baziège, France - Nashville (TN), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Prescott (AZ), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Moscow, Russia - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Evry, France - Trujillo, Peru - Arlington (VA), USA - Denpasar, Indonesia - American Fork (UT), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Coral Gables (FL), USA - Montpellier, France - Joplin (MO), USA - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Boston (MA), USA - Torun, Poland - New York City (NY), USA - Dunedin (FL), USA - Quincy (MA), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Chateaubriant, France - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Jackson (MS), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Budapest, Hungary - Austin (TX), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Cypress (TX), USA - Bicheno, Australia - Wrocław, Poland - Brookville (OH), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Cheltenham, UK - Wellington, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - London, UK - Haninge, Sweden - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Arradon, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Mumbai, India - Terrell (TX), USA - Bogor, Indonesia - Delta (CO), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Saigon, Vietnam - San Diego (CA), USA - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Belgrade, Serbia - Auckland, New Zealand - Seguin (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA - Oslo, Norway - Singapore, Singapore - Las Vegas (NV), USA - New York City (NY), USA

35 comments:

  1. Happy New Year to you and Gail! I like this photo and the background adds to the overall feeling. Good choice!

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  2. A great picture. I sometimes get the same feeling when taking pictures of buildings or people. Have a great new year.

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  3. I missed this first time around so am really glad you've posted again. I love this photo. it's not invading the man's privacy as we don't see his face but it says so much about him. Really nice shot.

    I love this best and number 4 second best!

    Happy New Year - Gail's Man - and Gail too!

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  4. Yes, the picture is very nice!

    Have a wonderful New Year Gail!

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  5. Great photo, I like the blac and white. Happy New Year!

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  6. I think it's a fabulous photo, and the background didn't distract me at all. I was immediately drawn to the gentleman.

    Happy New Year!

    Andrea

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  7. I like the black and white for this one. Hope you have good luck taking photos in 2008.

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  8. Happy New Years to you and yours. I agree, the black and white looks great and it does have a mood about the gentleman.

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  9. I enjoyed reading your post, and viewing the elderly gentleman reading the paper. Happy New Year! I'm like you - I like to see photos of people, but I don't like to infringe on their privacy.

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  10. Gail's Man, you couldn't have explained the dilemma any better. Funny how we both chose our b&w people shots though.

    Bonne année de Paris et thank you for taking part in the City Daily Photo community. You are such a good and steady commentor...I wish I were as good.

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  11. I know the sentiments - I was stopped outside Asda last week and told firmly I shouldn't photograph their employees!

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  12. It is a very good picture indeed.
    Happy New Year!!

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  13. Anonymous7:32 pm

    Similar problems here in DC - everything is off limits if you are to believe all the security guards. Have a great New Year.

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  14. Nice BW photo.
    Happy New Year, all the best for 2008 !

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  15. It is indeed a very nice b/w, which I love to try here and there. Happy new year to you and your family! May 2008 bring you much laughter, love and happiness.

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  16. As a deviant terrorist I take exception to being lumped together with the lower-than-the-low photographers.

    Happy New Year

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  17. Amen to that, Gail's Man.
    Love the photo!

    Happy New Year to you...and Gail!

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  18. Very nice photo, I like these more candid shots of people. Especially when they are faceless. With his face out of view, this could be anybody, maybe my long lost uncle on vacation. I too never photograph children, my strict rule. You never know hwat people will think. Have a happy and safe new year!

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  19. Gail's Man, you seem to not realize that you've captured a celebrity in this shot. . .why, it looks like Van Morrison! ;^) All humor aside, this is a lovely, very human shot. Here in the states it is perfectly legal to shoot photos of anything and anybody if you are on public property, such as a sidewalk or street. Still, photographers here in Seattle get hassled by security folks who are nervous about terrorism. Recently a very your amature photographer was arrested for taking photos of police doing their job. He couldn't believe it was happening to him at the time. The police were judged in the wrong and fined $8000 USD for their mistake, and public awareness of the right to freely photograph in public places was affirmed. Since I work with children and family professionally, I do understand the concerns about photographing children, and it is rare that I will do so without asking a parent's permission first, unless the child is grouped with the parents and family in a shot taken in a public place. Keep shooting people and street shots, and here's to less reason to be cautious in 2008!
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  20. Great picture, yes, I agree, it is hard to take pictures of people without getting in trouble or at least feeling like you might be. I'm glad that I was able to take the one I have as my photo of the year because the girl's mom is a friend and was with me.

    Happy New Year from the frozen winter wonderland of Minneapolis!

    May 2008 bring you good health & happiness,
    - Mitch

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  21. It's a shame that it's so hard to take pictures nowadays (though I've always been shy about photographing people.) It is a nice photo, too!


    Happy New Year to you and yours and here's to a wonderful 2008 for the Daily City Photo Blog community.

    Jenny, Sharon (CT, USA) Daily Photo

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  22. Nicely done.

    I, too, have difficulty photographing people... I've been stopped and questioned just for photographing underpasses and electrical grids; I can only IMAGINE what people think when I aim a camera at THEM.

    So... kudos on producing such a nice shot, and here's looking forward to a new year equally full of great photos. :)

    Happy new year!

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  23. you have some very nice images!

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  24. This is indeed a wonderful shot. I look forward to more in 2008.

    Happy New Year!

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  25. I remember this very well because it is a memorable shot. I'm glad that you chose it for today! Happy New Year to you!!

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  26. beautiful shot.

    and you know, you can call me deviant but that's not going to stop me from enjoying the moments I capture with my trusted camera. anyway, if someone looks at me funny, I smile at them.

    have a great year ahead.

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  27. Fantastic monthly theme day photo. Interesting to read your thoughts on taking photos and the strings attached to what used to be such an innocent activity. By the way, I like the black and white because it helps control the background. Nice job.

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  28. great choice
    happy new year

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  29. Happy new year to you also.

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  30. Excellent photo!! I love the atmosphere

    Happy New Year from Tokyo

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  31. Very emotional photo. Good choice.
    Happy new year 2008 and long life to your blog !

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  32. Nice choice and your comments are spot on!

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  33. Definitely very arty. Good choice.

    I look forward to visiting your blog more often this 2008. And you're welcome to mine, too! For some reason, my link was not included in the participating blogs for the 1st of January 2008 theme day. Sorry I wasn't able to visit your blog sooner. I was in transit the whole of yesterday. I am now back in Norwich after the most fantabulous time at home in Manila.

    Happy New Year to you and everyone you hold dear!


    joy
    The Goddess In You
    Norwich Daily Photo
    Your Love Coach

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Best wishes from Gailsman and Nottingham Daily Photo.