2010 was probably the most challenging year of my life, with a number of personal and work events that pushed me to the brink a number of times. But, it was also the most productive year of my life in a number of areas, certainly with respect to photography. By the time the year was over I felt that I had reached a new level in my ability to capture the world around me. Additionally, I found a new calling in life on a political and social level, traveled and “adventured” like never before, and most importantly, spent an incredible amount of time with a diverse group of amazing people. To all of you, even those who aren’t represented here, thank you for letting me into your lives during the best (and worst) year of my existence.
Even though this is a pretty darn big post, the photos below are only a small selection of some of my favorites from the year. Click on a shot to go to the full post it was originally found in.
Ireland and Italy
I traveled to Europe with my sister and cousin, stopping first in Ireland to visit my brother before heading off to Italy.
Robin and Laurie
Two incredible women who are a true pleasure to be around.
Section 8 at the House of Blues
I got to shoot my cousin’s band from the stage at the House of Blues in Anaheim. That was definitely a cool experience.
Corona Del Mar
I’ve spent a lot of time doing photography along Corona Del Mar. This photo seems to be the one people like best.
Los Angeles Arboretum
I made a number of trips to the arboretum this year. I started the year barely knowing what an orchid was, but thanks to the arboretum and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, I’m pretty much an expert now. :)
These are from two different trips.
New York City
One of the most amazing places I’ve ever been to, and I barely scratched the surface.
Studio Chaos
2010 was the year that I finally got a handle on studio lighting. I’m certainly not an expert, but this once mysterious discipline has let me in on some of its secrets. The first two photos are from some of my first sessions at my new studio. The self-portrait of me isn’t published elsewhere on the site, but since it’s the most obnoxious photo I took all year, I figured I’d include it.
San Diego Ruins
I spent a long time scouring the desert near San Diego this year looking for ruins and pictographs. I didn’t find either; instead, I found this ghost train amid some adventures too crazy to share.
St. Louis
The weather in St. Louis was hot and miserable during my trip, but the stay was one of my best photo experiences to date.
Khmer New Year
Thanks to a connection through my friend Nita, a temple in Riverside asked me to capture their Khmer New Year celebrations.
Huntington Beach Pier
The third most viewed photo I took all year. Having grown up in HB and spent considerable time there, I actually find shooting the pier pretty boring. This one afternoon with my cousin and brother, however, made me feel like a first time visitor.
Scranton, PA
Pennsylvania is awesome. If it didn’t get to negative one million degrees in the winter, I might consider living there. Thanks to Aislinn and Bruce for joining me on some fairly crazy adventures.
Lake Shrine
An unusual retreat in the chaos of LA. Take a blanket and spend time reclining near Gandhi’s ashes.
Team Chaos: Action + Danger
I’ve been single forever, so taking photos of my own kids isn’t possible, given that I have none. Luckily, my good friends have two adorable children that I’ve been fortunate to photograph on a number of occasions. The first photo shows “Danger” Declan in James Bond mode, smooth talking the ladies already. The photo of “Action” Abby in her tiger costume is one of my top 5 favorites of the year.
Christmas with the Moores
In pursuit of a Christmas card, I spent a day with my cousin Dan and his lovely bride Kim, as well as their two very big dogs. After we were done for the day and driving home, we lucked into an amazing sunset and a great place to capture it.
Trenton, my favorite photo of the year
As part of a photojournalism project, parents Wendy and John let me into their family for a few weeks as I documented life with an autistic son. I haven’t published the full set yet, as I’m still working with some other families to get a larger body of work together. For various reasons, this photo of their son Trenton, a dynamic and incredible little guy, is my personal favorite of the year.
Aaaawwww Jake…your pictures are all beautiful! I love the one of Trenton too! Thanks to you we have a wall of family photos above our kitchen table now that brings warmth to our house! Trenton is growing so much every day….he is going to be playing on a baseball team soon…we are attempting a mainstream(regular youth baseball) team…a huge step for all of us. I’m sure it will bring both trials and joys! In the next couple months we also have to decide on kindergarten placement for him(what school he will go to, what type of class, what type of help). He’s growing up fast! Any time you’d like to photograph him again you are more than welcome!