favourite images of 2013

I take a lot of photos throughout the year, using both my mobile phone and compact camera. So, instead of writing a blog post about what I’ve done or achieved during 2013 (most of which has been reported here already), I thought I’d highlight some of my favourite photographs from 2013. It also inspired me go through my collections and upload ones that had been languishing on my hard drive.

Perhaps my favourite image of the year is this one from my trip to the Louvre in Paris this autumn.

It’s in the gallery of Greek/Roman statues, which contains outstanding examples of sculpture. Here, I love the light, the statue itself, and the drapery. For me, there is something deeply evocative in this image.

The museum is magnificent, and it’s impossible to see all the collections. I’ve a selection of photos from my trip to Paris on this Flickr set.

I should also showcase this dramatic statue of the Geek heroine Psyche – she is often depicted with butterfly wings in ancient artwork.

I wrote the ‘Eros and Psyche’ story for Twisted Myths, so I was delighted to get a shot of her.

And one last statue photo from the Louvre, because I adore this naughty one of the Graces:

I didn’t capture many good mushroom images in 2013, much to my disappointment. One of the things I love about the advent of autumn is being able to photograph fungi. We had a long warm summer this year, which might have hindered their growth, and I was quite busy during that time of the year. But, here’s a good shot.

Yet, because of that satisfying summer weather I was able to take this image at Enniscrone beach:

If I’m lucky I get to capture photos of creatures, great and small, and this is a particularly cool caterpillar that my husband spotted in our garden. It looks like it would be at home in some exotic location, not in Co. Galway:

Plus, I love this photo of a Damselfly I nabbed earlier in the year:

It’s pretty hard to narrow down my favourite photo of a flower, as I take a lot of them: both wild and cultivated. This one from the summer is nicely dramatic I think:

I also enjoy chancing upon quirky items that are amusing or interesting. Sometimes I can’t get a good shot, but I managed this image of Cookie Monster imprisoned in a jar in a café. Poor guy, he can see all the tasty treats nearby, but can’t get to them. What torture!

This is a gorgeous light display in the Soho Hotel in London. I nipped into the room and snapped it as soon as I spotted the beautiful colours, light and shadows; take the image when you see it, because you usually won’t get the chance again (a handy maxim for life).

I’m careful taking photos of strangers, but I really like this one of a woman reading the Saturday papers in Ard Bia cafe in Galway – there is a lovely composition of elements and plenty of interest in the shot. I would like to take more photos like this.

This is a lovely photo – taken by my friend James Bacon with my camera – after the awards ceremony at World Fantasy convention, and features me with three fantastic women: Anne Billson, C.E. Murphy, and Lynda Rucker.

Finally, even though I’m in the woods, among the trees, almost every day walking the dog, taking a photo that captures the essence of how they make me feel is difficult. This one image from late Spring is a good approximation of the enchantment I experience in their presence:

There are plenty more on my Flickr stream, if you want to see them. Reviewing these images has inspired me to take more photos, and to try to get more of a variety of subjects, in 2014.

May you all have a fun and joyful New Year!