Best 100 shots of 2016

https://goo.gl/photos/hLV3NXRbgqApH8fc6

Here are a few teasers, taken in my back yard while waiting for the google album to down load.

As it's the end of the year, I thought I'd go thru this year's stock and choose the best, or maybe more appropriately, my fav, 100 shots of 2016 with my Fuji gear. I used Picasa to put my photos into albums throughout the year, then went thru and culled them down into my favs. I wanted to see mainly 2 things- what lenses I used, and what kinds of photos were taken. I am not a pro, tho have sold photos on occasion, just a retired school teacher who has dabbled in photography for the last 40 years or so. These are shots taken on different occasions, such as trips, family gatherings, and mostly, personal outings for photo purposes. A difficult job, but always fun to do, and I could easily have chosen another 100 or two from the "zillion" or so photos taken.

I bought some new equipment during the year. Coming into the year I had the Fuji XA1 with 3 lenses- 50-230 zoom, 35/1.4, and 60mm. During the year I bought a X70, and later, in the fall, I bought a XT10 with the 16-50 lens.

These 100 shots are certainly not representative of the total amount of shots taken by each lens or camera. That would be too difficult for my old brain to calculate going thru all my photos. Just the breakdown of my personal favs, and they tend to be shots taken towards the end of the year, as the XT10 is such a great camera and gave my creative spirit a real boost. The breakdown of lens use was as follows:

portraits- 11

land/city scapes- 23

people/ animals- 40

things- i.e., everything else- 26

The type of lens use was as follows:

X70- 13

35- 16

60- 22

16-50- 22

50-230- 27

The portraits are not formal studio type shots, but just basically my fav people close up shots. Landscapes and cityscapes are mainly shots of the places I've been to this year, in Asia and Canada. I love people and animals so many of my favs are in this category. And everything else is just what turns my crank, testing my artistic and creative juices, tho many of these I had to leave out.

Some comments on the results. For everyday use I tended to use the X70 the most, as I carried it everywhere- even Starbucks and the local Mall. Not sure why not so many favs with this camera as I thoroughly enjoyed using it, but do hope Fuji comes out with an improved version, at an affordable price, similar to excellent lens of the X100 series but with the touch screen, which I have gotten used to and think is a very useful addition to any camera. Also, the 16-50 tended to be on my other camera, either the XA1 or XT10. However, often I would put either the 60 or the 35 on one of the cameras and take a whole days shoot with that particular lens. For many outings I put on the 50-230, particularly in parks, countryside or out hiking, which I do a lot of in both Thailand and Canada. Interesting to see that most of my fav photos came from the 50-230. I found it a joy to use- light and IQ amazing for a cheap plastic kit lens. At first the 35/1.4 was my fav, particularly at night. But the more and more I used the 60, I realized that it was also a great lens, not just for close ups of flowers and such, but for people shots and even general landscapes and cityscapes.

So all in all, an interesting year of shooting. Not sure exactly what I learned, but did realize that I've been very happy with my Fuji equipment. Sometimes I wish I could afford more lenses or the latest body, but just feel fortunate with what I have, and to be able to experience the joy of taking pictures with this marvellous Fuji gear.

Feel free to browse my Google Album, and any comments would be appreciated.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN4VfR67rxH0UFP5MlQ0kuvs9tjTIrSVb1KCK5mRDeqTOYm65G5GJ9iEy1DF2Td8g?key=R0E1OW5rYVVVSzFsVmwzMXpISXp2dUlKUDFpd3FR

Here is an edited album with updated link. Hope it works. Always seem to have problems with these google links!