The votes are all in and counted, and here are my top photographs of 2020!
We had a great response this year: 597 people looked through my initial selection of 45 images and voted for their favorites. That’s the second-highest turnout we’ve ever had. A big thank you to everyone who took the time to look through these photographs and voice your opinions! I also really appreciate the kind words so many people posted in the comments or sent by email. I wish I could respond to everyone, but please know that I’ve read them all and am very grateful for all your support.
To express our gratitude we’re giving away a print to one of the voters. We assigned a number to each person who voted, and used a random number generator to pick the recipient. And the winner is… Melania Mahoney! Melania will receive a signed and numbered 16×20 print of her choice from among the 45 original selections. Congratulations Melania!
Here’s the list of the ten images that received the most picks, and the number of votes they each received:
1. Image # 22, Comet NEOWISE over moonlit sand dunes, Death Valley NP, California, 326 votes
2. Image # 36, Crashing wave, Oregon Coast, 300 votes
3. Image # 18, Sunset, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP, California, 279 votes
4. Image # 20, The Big Dipper and Comet NEOWISE over an alpine lake, Yosemite NP, California, 268 votes
5. Image # 8, Stream rivulet in salt flats, Death Valley NP, California, 267 votes
6. Image # 2, Ice and reflections, Yosemite NP, California, 248 votes
7. Image # 40, El Capitan and the Merced River at sunset, Yosemite NP, California, 244 votes
8. Image # 3, Moon rising next to Half Dome, Yosemite NP, California, 199 votes
9. Image # 15, Late-afternoon light in the Sierra Nevada foothills, California, 186 votes
10. Image # 23, Lightning at sunset, Mono Lake, California, 177 votes
Filling out the top 15 were numbers 13, 26, 9, 41, and 12.
Last year’s top vote-getter surprised me. This year’s top two didn’t; if you would have forced me to guess beforehand which images would get the most votes, I probably would have picked those two. And I’m glad they did get so many votes, because they’re both photographs that matched, or maybe even exceeded, my vision for those scenes – which is a rare thing.
In fact I would say that there weren’t any big surprises to me in the voting this year; only minor ones. And most of my personal favorites made the top 15. Overall I think it’s a great collection. Good work everyone! 🙂
Again, thank you so much for your participation. This has been really fun for me, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it also. Here are the top ten images:
22. Comet NEOWISE over moonlit sand dunes, Death Valley NP, California
36. Crashing wave, Oregon Coast
18. Sunset, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP, California
20. The Big Dipper and Comet NEOWISE over an alpine lake, Yosemite NP, California
8. Stream rivulet in salt flats, Death Valley NP, California
2. Ice and reflections, Yosemite NP, California
40. El Capitan and the Merced River at sunset, Yosemite NP, California
3. Moon rising next to Half Dome, Yosemite NP, California
15. Late-afternoon light in the Sierra Nevada foothills, California
23. Lightning at sunset, Mono Lake, California
Related Posts: My Best Images of 2020: the Nominees; My Top Photographs of 2019; My Top Photographs of 2018; My Top Photographs of 2017
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
A group of remarkable images, Michael, congratulations. Your work is awe-inspiring. Many thanks.
Thanks so much Bob!
I’m not very good at picking the top photos according to the total voting. My #1 was the #1 pick in the totals. However, the only others I picked for the top 15 were #2 and #41. I tend not to pick photos of often photographed subjects so I tend not to pick Half Dome, El Capitan, Death Valley photos. I enjoyed viewing all of them. Thanks!
Thanks for voting Allen. It’s always interesting to hear everyone’s different perspectives about the photographs. It’s all subjective, and they’re all valid.
Great photos Michael.
Thanks Dave!
Well done as always, Michael!
Thank you Bill!
Michael, Once again, your growing portfolio continues to be a visual feast for all of us.
The number one winner is very good and very timely.
The “Crashing Wave” scene is perfectly timed (and I wonder how that would look in B & W…) and…
your Half Dome image is inspiring. Congratulations on your continued fine work.
JN
Thanks so much John!
Inspired! Your photos are a gift….especially during these challenging times.
Drs. Len and Barb Vosen
Thank you Len and Barb!