2011
Welcome to our seventh annual digital Year in Pictures greeting card! Jeremy and I moved the card from a static web page to the more interactive blog format this year, so feel free to leave a comment at the bottom.
This year has been one of personal and professional growth, the setting and pushing of boundaries, collaborations with exceptional people, loss, reflection, simplification. We make the best of each day. Looking back, it has been a good and busy year. We’d like to share some of our favorite photos from 2011 with you.
pink sky sunrise over our local mountains at the start of the year (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado)
tossing boiling water into -25°F air off our deck (awesome science fun!)
February squall in Yosemite Valley (Yosemite National Park, California)
clearing storm (Yosemite National Park, California)
sandhill cranes at sunset in early March (Monte Vista, Colorado)
self-portrait meta moment: shooting myself shooting the sandhill cranes at dawn (Monte Vista, Colorado)
April lupine and California poppies on Figueroa Mountain (Los Padres National Forest, California)
en route to Big Sur, my shooting partner (Jason) and I saw these napping elephant seals (California Central Coast)
Jeremy and I hit the Big Island of Hawai’i in May (my write-up even got a nod from the New York Times): Halema’uma’u Crater glowing after dusk at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
a green sea turtle (honu) sleeping on the beach (Big Island of Hawai’i)
a late Colorado spring meant plenty of snow in the backcountry in June: the bike-ski (left), crampons on morning glaze (right)
backcountry skiing mashed potatoes: Jeremy gets his turns in on the first day of summer (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado)
summer finally arrived in July: the orange bubble (left), riding the mid-mountain trail (Park City, Utah)
an abundance of wildflowers (Crested Butte, Colorado)
enjoying some single-track in the aspen stands (Crested Butte, Colorado)
at the end of July, Jeremy hosted an astrophysics unconference in Boulder: two jam-packed days of science, wining and dining, and the great outdoors
a week later, I held the Food and Light food photography workshop with the best team on the planet: Todd, Diane, and Matt enjoying our instructors’ dinner at Frasca
I am not a concert photographer, but I did manage to score my first photo pass when Andrew Bird came to perform at Boulder’s Chautauqua Auditorium this past August!
the next morning, Jeremy and I hopped a flight to Seattle: backpacking across the Magical Mile (Olympic National Park, Washington)
for my 40th birthday in late September, Jeremy and I went on a recon trip through Crested Butte and Aspen to scope out the beginning of a spectacular fall foliage season
rainbow over aspens (Crested Butte, Colorado)
bugling elk in rut (Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado)
I spent a week in October photographing the best fall colors in Colorado I’ve witnessed in seven years: colorful aspens (Crested Butte, Colorado)
stands through stands (Crested Butte, Colorado)
stormy sunset over the Sneffels Range (Ridgway, Colorado)
lifting clouds and fresh snow on fall colors (Ridgway, Colorado)
Kaweah is now thirteen years old, but she still loves her romps in the snow (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado)
a November weekend in California’s wine country (Sonoma Valley)
we’ve got some sweet Colorado sunsets
Jeremy breaks trail in fresh early season snow (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado)
as much of the total lunar eclipse as I could capture before moonset in December
Happiest of new years to you! We hope it is one filled with beauty and wonderment.
with love,
Jen, Jeremy, and Kaweah
In loving memory of my maternal grandmother (Po Po) who passed away in May. Wise, kind, gentle, respected, and deeply loved.
What? You’re still here? If you haven’t had enough, you can see the photos that didn’t make it to the card. Check out The Cutting Room Floor.
December 18th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Lovely. And hi to both of you from TJ & me. If you come to Seattle again, let us know.
My fave was the one with the seals :)
December 18th, 2011 at 11:11 pm
What a wonderful reflection on an incredibly beautiful year. So thankful that I got to see this. Looking forward to seeing the images that 2012 has waiting for you.
December 18th, 2011 at 11:15 pm
Love the photos. Love you guys. Thanks for sharing and best wishes for a great 2012!
XO Anita, Mike, and Snickers
December 18th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
How absolutely lovely!!
I was smiling (and oohing and aahing) the entire read. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the picture of you three at the end.
So honored to have you guys in my life.
Wishing you a Healthy & Happy 2012
xoxo <3
Kath
December 19th, 2011 at 12:54 am
Thank you so much for sharing some of your favorite memories and some truly breathtaking images. Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2012!
Jen
December 19th, 2011 at 5:07 am
All I can say Jen is you out did yourself this year. Breathtaking. Oh and By-the-way “Happy Birthday Kaweah. Love to all, Barb
December 19th, 2011 at 5:32 am
always anxious to see your pics. wonderful WONDERFUL as usual! got better each year!
love your science experiment (2nd pics), never saw such a pic before. did the ice/water “cloud” move upward much, or that depends on the initial f? interesting!!
the last pic was great, wishing you all HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
December 19th, 2011 at 5:39 am
Sigh…what a beautiful year in photos. Thank you for sharing & Happy New Year!
December 19th, 2011 at 6:00 am
much much love your way – what a year indeed! beautiful stuff
December 19th, 2011 at 7:30 am
Thanks for your e-card, I look forward to it each year! I LOVE your photos, they are really amazing. They are beautiful and so appreciative (? not sure that’s the right word) of the world around you. Have a great Christmas and a Happy 2012!! Best to Jeremy and Kaweah! xoxo Maia
December 19th, 2011 at 8:04 am
Jen – what a wonderful tradition! I’m so glad to be included on your list. I loved every minute of reading this account and looking at the photos. I think the bugling elk is still my favorite. xo Ellen
December 19th, 2011 at 8:23 am
Hi Jen and Jeremy,
Your photos are just spectacular. I wish you guys all the best in 2012 and hope I get to see you again next year!
December 19th, 2011 at 8:32 am
Jen and Jeremy,
Apparently there is another Ellen who basically took the words out of my mouth. Every year we look forward to seeing these pics and secretly (or not so secretly) wishing we were as energetic and fit as you guys! Lily, Madeline and I wish you a happy 2012.
Your evil twin, Ellen
December 19th, 2011 at 8:44 am
Just breathtaking. Though we don’t know each other, your photos, food delights and thoughts on what is good in life contribute so much to mine. Thanks for being part of it.
December 19th, 2011 at 8:47 am
Absolutely beautiful! Your year-in-review is a highlight every year – love it.
December 19th, 2011 at 8:48 am
Happy New Year to you, Jeremy and Kaweah! I am so glad to have you guys in my life!
2011 was a spectacular and fruitful year for you and Jeremy. I wish an even more fulfilling 2012 for you and a healthy happy retired life for Kaweah.
Hugs!
December 19th, 2011 at 8:55 am
What a pleasure to see these photos. Best wishes for a healthy and spectacular new year ahead for you and Jeremy.
December 19th, 2011 at 8:56 am
You all are the best people on the planet and to be able to share a bit of your 2011 made our year too! From the looks of 2011, your 2012 is going to be even more amazing and filled with food, new friends and more skiing! The photographs are just spectacular!
thank you for your amazing friendship and thank you for all that you’ve done for us. Love you guys like crazy and look forward to seeing you again in 2012.
xoxoxo
diane, todd , sierra
December 19th, 2011 at 9:27 am
Jen – Happy Holidays to you, Jeremy and Kaweah! What a blessing to be able to see the beautiful moments that go unnoticed in life and document and share them with others. I loved checking out the cutting room floor, too! I found myself continuously saying, “Why didn’t that make it to the main page?!”
December 19th, 2011 at 10:09 am
Hi Jen!! I love this and I absolutely love the picture of the three of you at the end!! I wish you all the best and a happy new year!! Happy Holidays!
December 19th, 2011 at 10:32 am
I love every single one of your photos – wish I could line my office/home with them! But my fave is the last – you and Kaweah could be in competition for the blackest hair! Love it! And I didn’t know that your Grandma passed – that lady was absolutely loved and adored! :)
December 19th, 2011 at 10:37 am
I loved seeing 2011 through your eyes — fantastic!
December 19th, 2011 at 10:47 am
Gorgeous pictures Jen! Thanks for sharing and best wishes in 2012!
December 19th, 2011 at 11:37 am
I love them all, but especially the family photo at the end. All the best to you three in the coming year! xxoo
December 19th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Happy holidays to you three! I’m in awe of the photos – the beauty in each of them is just stunning. May your 2012 be filled with even more love and happiness, less sorrow, and many more beautiful photos.
December 19th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Thank you for sharing your talents with us! All of the photos are stunning. What a great year…and I am glad Utah made the cut:) Come back and visit us. Josh is ready to play and baby Caleb is ready for some hugs! Happy Holidays! xoxo
December 19th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
You live a beautiful life. And you’re lovely to share it with us.
December 19th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
I’ve been starring at these pictures for 30 minutes now, and I still have no words. However, the last is my fav:) Best in 2012!
December 20th, 2011 at 12:03 am
This year’s collection is simply fantastic! What a perfect way to sum up your year, thanks for sharing! That pink sunrise just made my day. And you know I loved that water vs. -25° shot. All my best to you, Jeremy, and Kaweah!
December 20th, 2011 at 4:30 am
Gorgeous photos! I always look forward to receiving your card every year. The Colorado photos brings back fond memories of the 3 weeks I spent private chefing this year near Meeker, CO. May the New Year bring you new adventures, much happiness, and stunning scenes to photograph!
December 20th, 2011 at 6:19 am
So beautiful! Thank you for sharing this year with us!
December 20th, 2011 at 7:43 am
Spectacular photos, Jen! I really enjoyed taking a tour though your year and appreciating your eye for nature. All the best to you and Jeremy in the upcoming year!
-Brian
December 20th, 2011 at 8:03 am
Happy holidays to all three of you xoxo
Sam
December 20th, 2011 at 8:10 am
Love your photo journey through the year, and also the cutting room floor. Best wishes to you for a healthy and happy new year. May you find more astrological events, an abundance of wildflowers, and seasonal changes to capture your lens. Best to the 3 of you……always, jill and tom
December 20th, 2011 at 10:47 am
So so beautiful, your photos always take my breath away. My favorites are the snowy squall and the photo of you three at the end. So glad to have met you and count you as a friend. Hugs to you.
December 20th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
Happy holidays and happy 2012 to the 3 of you! As always, beautiful, fantastic pics :)
December 21st, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Beautiful as always. Happy 2012 to one and all.
December 22nd, 2011 at 7:48 am
Looks like you had a pretty colorful and fun year :-) Glad to have been part of it ^_^
Wish you a starry 2012 guys (& pup) :D
December 22nd, 2011 at 5:12 pm
What a wonderful recap! Happy new year to you guys. As always, amazing photos. I love that you got Andrew Bird in action like that!
December 25th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Absolutely beautiful collection of photos! They’re all gorgeous, but the one at the end is cute. Are you instructing Kaweah to look at the camera? I wish you all the best for 2012 — health, happiness, and many more amazing moments like these.
December 28th, 2011 at 1:17 am
Thank you for sharing your amazing photos. They are AWESOME! Just the way you are! Happy 2012!
December 28th, 2011 at 10:35 am
These photos are absolutely breathtaking, but I must say that the one of Kaweah is the one that captures my heart! From one lab lover to another…..ours is chocolate and lives up to that crazy lab reputation. Thanks for sharing these photos!