Hello Ladies and Gentlemen! Today I am going over some more favorites from 2023! (You can find another list of favorites – My Favorite Books of 2023 – by clicking the button below)
Every year when the new year comes around I like to look back over the prior year and choose my favorites from that year: favorite books, movies, recipes, songs, etc. This year, since I have a blog, I have decided to share some of these favs with you all. Today I am going to be sharing my favorite photos that I took in 2023. So let’s get into it!
(Note: this post is best read on a computer. When read on a phone the order to text and photos can be mixed up at times, making the post more confusing. That being said, I tried my best to clarify what picture and text go together, but it’s still isn’t perfect. 😊)
The above photo I took while on a walk with a friend. We had stopped to take pictures of some foliage when I turned and saw this bird about 5 feet away from us. He didn’t seem afraid of us and let us get some good photos of him before flying away. What a God moment!
(The picture was taken with a Nikon DSLR)
– For the bird lovers, I looked him up and discovered that he is a Ring Necked Pheasant. 🙂
The above photo is of a synagogue in Capernaum, Israel. It was raining that day, so when I went to take the picture, the camera was foggy. I think the fogged lens only added to the mood and made for a really cool picture. Sometimes the accidents make the photo all the better!
(This picture was taken with an iPhone)
The above photo was taken on a nature walk with my siblings. I stumbled across this leaf and thought it would make some interesting photos. Sure enough, it did. I honestly love this photo even though it creeps me out a bit. 😂 It’s just so unique. (Also, shout out to my brother for being my model!)
(The photo was taken with an iPhone)
The photo to the right (or pictured below on a phone screen) was taken while on a hike with my family. At the end of the hike was a waterfall. My brother and I decided to sneak up to the top of the waterfall and there I took this picture. I really love the framing and the colors! (Taken with an iPhone)
The photo of the barn I took on a walk with my dog. I had been trying to go out for an early morning walk with him so I could catch the fog. The problem is, I hate getting out of bed early. I still managed to do so though and this photo was a result of that. The sacrifice paid off! 
(Taken with a iPhone)
The photo of the leaf I took while on a walk through my neighborhood. I stumbled across this leaf and thought it would make some fantastic photos. It’s slightly transparent, (which is very unique and added to its beauty) and the colors are gorgeous! I am really happy with the result.
(Taken with an iPhone)
The photo of the mushroom was taken in my yard. My favorite thing about this photo is the coloring. The green-blue of the background is just so pretty! (This photo has actually become my wallpaper on my phone 
)
(Taken with an iPhone)
The photo of the tan brick buildings (pictured below the photo of the ducking on a phone screen and to the right on a computer) was taken in Old-Jerusalem Israel. There are so many things I love about the photo: the small red vehicle in the far right corner, the coloring of the brick, the little pops of green foliage, and the cute little street lamp. Sometimes I can hardly believe I was actually there and took the photo! I thank God for the opportunity!
(Taken with an iPhone)
The above picture is a sweet duckling named Olivia Lucy (Olive for short). She is a wild Mallard who lost her mother due to an accident. My mom and I were able to rescue her and our family took care of her for a week before giving her to a friend. I snapped this photo of her while she was swimming in a baking dish.
(Taken with an iPhone)
The above picture is one of my lego builds (titled The Secret Life of Skylar Davidson). The build sits on a shelf in my room. One day I happened to glance over at this build and saw it glowing in the morning light. I was able to snap a few pictures before the sun moved on. After a little editing in Adobe Lightroom, this is the final result. I’m really happy with how it turned out! At first glance it doesn’t even look like a lego build.
(Taken with an iPhone)
The photos below are of cherry blossoms (from a tree in my yard). Over this past year, I have been trying to walk a lot more and on one of my evening walks I saw these blossoms. The light was hitting them just right and I couldn’t resist taking some photos of them. I absolutely love these photos. The coloring and light is perfect! (Taken with an iPhone)
The above photo was taken on a walk with a friend (the same one where I saw the Pheasant pictured above and below). I love the framing of this photo: how the reeds add depth, but the ducks are in focus. Taking pictures of flying birds is really, really hard, so I’m honestly surprised that the photo turned out this good.
(Taken with a Nikon DSLR)
Above is another photo of the bird I saw on a walk with my friend. (Taken with a Nikon DSLR)
The photo on the right (or below on a phone screen) was taken at Orcas Island. My family goes there every year as a way to kickoff our summer. We have been going there for five years now and the beautiful island has become a family tradition. I love taking pictures there. (the picture at the beginning of the blog post – the one of the kayak at sunset– was also taken there) To get this picture, I flipped my phone upside down (so that the camera was closer to the rocks/beach) and put it near the waves. As a wave came in, I would take bursts until the wave rolled back. I then had to go through the bursts and pull out my favorite photos. This is one of them.
In this particular shot, the waves actually splashed my phone. Thankfully my phone was fine and only a tad wet. I’m super happy with how this photo turned out. (Taken with an iPhone)
The picture at the top of the post (of the kayak at sunset) was taken on our last night of this trip. My dad, two of my five siblings and I decided to go kayaking at sunset. I took my phone with me (even though it’s a bit of a risk) and was able to get a beautiful photo of my brother and sister kayaking. One thing that I think is hilarious about the photo (and that most probably don’t notice) is that my brother is looking at a chip which he is about to eat. 🤣
(Taken with an iPhone)
The photo on the left (or above on a phone screen) was taken on a trail I walk often (the same one I was walking when I took the picture of the barn). One day while I was walking, I noticed a sizable puddle in front of an interesting looking house. I could see the house reflected in the puddle and really wanted to take a photo of it. Sadly, at that moment someone came out of the house, so I walked on.
A while later, I stumbled upon the house again (and a newly formed puddle). Since no one was about, I snapped this photo. I am so happy with the result!
(Taken with an iPhone)
The above photo was taken on a walk through my neighborhood. While I was walking, I stumbled across a piece of ice and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take some unique photos. One of the photos I took was this one. It reminds me of a watercolor painting. (Taken with an iPhone)
The photo below was taken right before my family and I left for our annual trip to Orcas Island. I had seen Tiger Swallowtail butterflies flying around the rhododendrons in our yard and had wanted to try to snap some photos of them. This proved harder than I thought because these butterflies are incredibly fast. In the end, I resorted to slowly approaching the creatures while taking bursts of them (with the camera zoomed in to 2x). For this particular photo, the butterfly let me get quite close to it before flying off.
(Taken with an iPhone)
The above photo was taken while I was on a walk with my family. It was autumn. Colorful leaves littered the ground making the walk all the more beautiful. I have been trying to be more creative with my photography and like to keep an eye out for unique/abstract things that take my photography to the next level. On that day, I decided to use a curled leaf. I had my brother pose for me and was able to get this photo. I am so happy with the result! (Taken with an iPhone)
The photo on the right (or below on a phone screen) was taken while on a walk through my neighborhood. It was a foggy morning, so the sun was shining through the trees in beautiful rays of light. It was so gorgeous that I couldn’t help but stop and take some photos.
I love how the warm sun shines in God rays, silhouetting the trees and turning them black. Beautiful!
God’s creation will never fail to amaze me!
(Taken with an iPhone)
And there you have it! My favorite photos of 2023! I hope you enjoyed this post (I know I enjoyed creating it 
). I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Do you have a favorite of my favorites? 🤣
Hope you all have a wonderful day!
These are incredible – and there are a bunch that I have actually never seen before.
I love how it lets me see the world a bit more through your eyes.
Can’t pick a favorite – but I have different ones I love for different reasons.
(Can’t believe we went to Israel. If it weren’t for the pictures – I’d wonder if we really did.)
What a gift it is to be able to capture moments of beauty, wonder, and simplicity in our days. Also thankful for you & your intentionality in growing your skills and challenging yourself – but most of all, that you take the time to walk in wonder, with eyes open, capturing the moments in the first place!
Absolutely stunning! Each photo is a moment that is unforgettable, amazing job! thanks for letting me be a part of this! (yes i’m her brother who models 😁)
These pictures are absurdly good, my favorite would probably be the barn one, with the blanket of mist. I also love the puddle one. The old Jerusalem picture ( the one with he buildings on either side) is also very well done.
Looking forwards to the next picture post. (I need one of these for 2024)