Favourite Five for 2025

It’s time once again to compile my nearly random selection of favourite images from the past year. See my picks in any way align with yours.

As always, click on the images to view the full-sized versions (and click on the enlarged image again to return to the main article). Enjoy!

I like this first shot because it serves as a useful reminder that an overly familiar location can still yield a pleasing image if the weather and lighting cooperate. This scene is completely unremarkable under normal conditions.

I gave pinhole photography a try for the first time this year and got a few photos I really like, such as the one above. Pinhole presents a completely different way of seeing the world thanks to the camera’s near-infinite depth of field, wide-angle, and fuzzy rendering. It opens up some interesting possibilities.

One of the challenges arising from shooting in a location that’s been photographed to death is finding a new way to frame the scene. The other challenge is that such locations are usually crawling with tourists and other photographers — it’s nearly impossible to get a shot that doesn’t include people. But sometimes you luck out and find a vantage point that solves both problems at the same time.

Like pinhole photography, the Holga’s many quirks, flaws, and limitations encourage a different way of seeing. That’s one thing. But I also liked how lightweight and effortless the plastic Holga is too. It’s a fine travel companion and a “Why not?” answer to the question of whether or not a medium format camera should come along for the journey.

Sometimes an image is all about tone and texture, which is the photographic space that black-and-white occupies most effectively. But often a composition’s appeal is elusive — I don’t know why I like this photo, but I do.