Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Once again I’m inviting you, my faithful blog readers, to help me choose my best photographs from the past year. I’ve posted 52 of my favorite images from 2025 below, in chronological order. After you look through these, please use the form at the bottom of this post to list your ten favorites. The voting deadline is midnight Pacific Time, Monday, December 29th. Once the votes are in I’ll post the top ten or twelve on this blog.
(Voting has closed!)
As always, I reserve the right to override the votes if one of my favorites gets panned. But I’ve rarely had to exercise this power because my readers have excellent taste. 🙂
Thanks for your input — I appreciate your help!
I included more nominees than usual this year because it was so hard to pare it down! Claudia and I made overseas trips to Antarctica, Hokkaido (Japan), and Greenland, and also traveled domestically to Tennessee, North Carolina, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Oregon. So it was a busy year, and the style of photography required in Antarctica and Greenland required capturing many frames to get one good one. I made over 120,000 photographs this year! I’ve had a big backlog of images to go through and process, so many of the photographs here haven’t been posted before – especially ones from our road trip to Utah and Colorado in October. But it was all lots of fun, and generated many great memories!
I hope 2025 brought you great memories as well, and Claudia and I wish you lots of joy and happiness for the holidays and new year!
— Michael Frye
1. Chinstrap penguin calling, Antarctica
2. Clouds and mountains in an icy bay, Antarctica
3. Iceberg at sunset, Antarctica
4. Gentoo penguins and small icebergs, Antarctica
5. Ice mushroom, Antarctica
6. Fog, ice, and mountains, Antarctica
7. Mountains, glaciers, and chinstrap penguins, Antarctica
8. River and snow-covered trees, Hokkaido, Japan
9. Japanese rowan tree in a thermal area, Hokkaido, Japan
10. Snow, trees, and sunbeams, Hokkaido, Japan
11. Sun, tree, snow, and cloud iridescence, Hokkaido, Japan
12. Dancing red-crowned cranes, Hokkaido, Japan
13. Aquaduct selfie, Kyoto, Japan
14. Winter sunrise from Tunnel View, Yosemite NP, California
15. Spring tapestry, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
16. Dogwood in fog, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
17. Brown pelicans at sunset, Northern California coast
18. Sunlight, fog, and redwoods, Northern California
19. Star trails above a lodgepole pine, Yosemite NP, California
20. Cow parsnips and Sierra lilies, Yosemite NP, California
21. Lake, clouds, and granite domes at sunrise, Yosemite NP, California
22. Iceberg in fog, Scoresby Sund, Greenland
23. Ice arch and mountains, Scoresby Sund, Greenland
24. Pond, peaks, fiord, and glacier at sunrise, Scoresby Sund, Greenland
25. Aurora, Scoresby Sund, Greenland
26. Aspens and Maples, Wasatch Mountains, Utah
27. Backlit aspens, Utah
28. Aspens reflected in a marsh, Utah
29. Aspens reflected in a creek, Utah
30. Aspen hillside, Utah
31. Snow squall over mountains and aspen groves, Colorado
32. Leaves, ice, and reflections of aspen trunks, Colorado
33. Late-day light on an aspen grove, Colorado
34. Layered aspens, Colorado
35. Autumn reflections, Colorado
36. Aspens and spruces in fog, Colorado
37. Clouds, mist, and aspens, Colorado
38. Aspens and peaks and sunset, Colorado
39. Clouds, sunbeams, and aspens in autumn, Colorado
40. Boulder on a canyon wall, Utah
41. Mud patterns with reflected light, Utah
42. Cottonwood tree reflected in a creek, Utah
43. Ripples in a creek, Utah
44. Dappled light at a canyon overlook, Utah
45. Autumn color in a desert wash, Utah
46. Sea stacks in morning light, Oregon Coast, USA
47. Shaft of light through a natural bridge, Oregon Coast, USA
48. Waves, fog, and sunbeams along the Oregon Coast, USA
49. Landing gear down – tundra swans landing in fog, Sacramento Valley, California
50. Mist, sunbeams, and a fog layer, Sierra Nevada foothills, California
51. Willow leaves, Yosemite NP, California
52. Ice with bubbles and reflections, Yosemite NP, California
Please use the form below to cast your votes. Although I always appreciate getting emails and comments, your vote will only be counted if you use the form! You don’t have to list your ten favorites in any order; just pick up to ten images and submit your vote. (The number for each photo is in the caption underneath the photograph. Also, you can click on the images to see them larger.)
(Voting has closed.)
Related Posts: My Top Photographs of 2024; My Top Photographs of 2023; My Top Photographs of 2022; My Top Photographs of 2021
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He lives near Yosemite National Park in California, but travels extensively to photograph natural landscapes in the American West and throughout the world.
Michael uses light, weather, and design to make photographs that capture the mood of the landscape, and convey the beauty, power, and mystery of nature. His work has received numerous awards, including the North American Nature Photography Association’s 2023 award for Fine Art in Nature Photography. Michael’s photographs have appeared in publications around the world, and he’s the author and/or principal photographer of several books, including Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, and The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite.
Michael loves to share his knowledge of photography through articles, books, workshops, online courses, and his blog. He’s taught over 200 workshops focused on landscape photography, night photography, digital image processing, and printing.” alt=”1. Chinstrap penguin calling, Antarctica” width=”690″ height=”433″ class=”size-full wp-image-26650″ /> 1. Chinstrap penguin calling, Antarctica[/caption]
What a magnificent set of images. It is so hard to select the best 10. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Amazing as always!
I will say when a shot makes me stop to either think or cry it must be something special. One of these did this for me when I first saw it! It made me cry.
Another on second glance made ponder or think…
Thank you.
Spectacular is MUCH too mild to describe – All – not only those I chose.
Every single one of these images is beautiful! I tried to pick by what felt the most unique as an image i see out there and specifically of your images. I can see why you came up with so many. They are amazing. But as i went through picking my favorites, it was interesting my first list was exactly 10. So i went with that. It looks like you had a beautiful year!
All of these images are beautiful, so hard to pick 10… Congrats Michael on another fantastic year!
Beautiful as always. Please double check. I was not sure if my choices registered so filled this out a second time with very slightly different choices. So many adventures you had this year. I hope 2026 is just as beautiful and fruitful for you.
Thanks Dawn! Yes, your vote went through, and only once.
Thanks, Michael, for double checking. I look forward to this every year. PS: am I crazy or is the voting early this year. I have it in my mind that I’ve traditionally voted on New Year’s Eve. Looking forward to seeing what’s chosen for top 10. There are no wrong choices. Best to you and Claudia in 2026 and looking forward to seeing what beauty you capture then.
Fantastic beautiful images. Hard to pick just 10, but somehow I managed. I’d pick a lot more if allowed. Congrats on a great year.
Wow Michael, what a fabulous portfolio of images! I’m just in awe!
Difficult to pick 10. My favorite would be #49. Tundra Swans flying over white clouds. Oh, those aren’t clouds. Thanks for all your posts and photographs. Happy New Year!
Wow! What fantastic variety of subjects and styles this year!!
Fantastic work – and especially liked #52. Reminded me immediately of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Did anyone else see that?
Wow! Just Wow.
Michael, what incredible adventures you and Claudia had this year, and so beautifully captured! Thank you for sharing this beauty with us; it was hard to narrow down the choices. Happy Holidays to you and Claudia!
So much fun. I always look forward to your blog and especially at this time of the year. Hard to pick just 10 but it came down to the emotion evident in the shot.
Thanks
Micheal, when I see your shots it always makes me want to grab my equipment and go shoot. So many intriguing shots. The foggy ones always remind me of the Pacific Northwest where I grew up and started shooting years ago. Thanks for the memories.
Michael, Beautiful set of photos, as always! Alyn
Michael, Beautiful selection of photographs, as always! Alyn
Its never easy to whittle it down to just 10 – thanks for sharing all these beautiful shots!
As someone who has been rating your pictures for a few years, I’d say this is your best year yet. Nice job. That Antarctica joint looks cool, just a little on the expensive side.
What an excellent collection of pictures Michael!
No matter how many times I go through the list and resort my choices, there are always pictures left outside of the top ten that I want to be included in my top ten list!
I love all your images–for some reason this would NOT let me vote — #17 — is my first choice—otherwise I had # 46-##38-# 25-#23-#12-#8-# 4-#2 and # 1–I would love to take one of your class’s–however I know I would not be able to afford the cost. As I am on Social Security
Hi Sherry. Merry Christmas.
Wow!
This was wonderfully challenging!
I have written an additional 10.
Happiest of New Year wishes to you!
Great photos as always, very hard to narrow down to the top ten. And I can see the increased diversity from all your travels and the inclusion of wildlife – thanks for sharing these.
Happy holidays to you, Claudia and the rest of your family, Michael! As always, it was extremely difficult to narrow down to just 10. You definitely had some wonderful experiences this year! Thank you for sharing.
Another great year and set of photos. Your walls must be stuffed. Ha. Got my 10 after a few times through the list.
Thanks so much for all your comments everyone! Although I can’t respond to each one individually, I appreciate all the thoughts and kind words. Happy Holidays to you all!
Such beautiful photographs! Although there are only 10 listed here, I fell in love with about 20. Thank you so much for sharing, and wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, too.
Some beautiful images there. I was about half way through voting when I somehow got kicked off, but finding only 10 I would purchase was a challenge. As it is each year.
Just as mysteriously as a lost the voting page, it reappeared and I finished. Thanks for sharing.
It’s hard to believe your camera took you to that much travel in one year!
Stunning collection of images and so much fun seeing where you traveled in 2025. Happy Holidays to you and Claudia!
Wow, I don’t how I can choose. Every time through the list, I see another detail that makes me want to vote for another one….only 10, ack!
All so lovely, thank you. Hopefully my vote submitted.
Michael, thank you for sharing these awesome photos! I always look forward to participating in this event! I think you should have given us the ability to choose more than ten this year since you submitted more than the usual amount from which to select our favorites.
Wishing you and Claudia happy holidays and a new year full of blessings!
Michael I always look forward and stop everything when i see your posts of your photos. Love everything you shoot. Really enjoyed the penguins and ice bergs wow. and the aurora – you are so fortunate to be able to see these great visions and to capture them to share with us. Thank you for your continued work!!!
I always look forward to seeing your photographs. They are beautiful. Choosing 10 at years end is challenging. My absolute favorite this year is #10. I love the depth and the simplicity. It is elegant and stunning. Hopefully, I haven’t jinxed it as my picks are not often on the popular list.
Beautiful, evocative, and masterful work, Michael. Thank you for sharing…
As always, too many beautiful images to select from. Another great year for you and Cynthia.
You make this difficult each year, so many beautiful photos to try and select 10 from. I enjoy the post you send and enjoy both the photos and your adventures. Safe travels and keep sending the photos.
I chose photos that not only were well balanced and stunning but what I would like to have on the wall or dream. about going there. I live in Australia and have been to Hokkaido…which it so picturesque.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE pic #12 (dancing red-crowned cranes). I have a similar type of picture of cranes that I took here in MI a few years back, but not with the same stunning background that you have. You should enter this one in a contest!!!
Challenging as always to make a Final Cut of 10. There were several that took my breath away at first site, and then there are those that the more you look the more you discover, so difficult to eliminate any. A wonderful variety this year, may 2026 again take you to so many beautiful moments. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you both!
I could have easily picked 25 as “favorites”. Thanks for doing this each year as I love seeing an overview of your work from the past year, and then seeing how the vote turned out.
Happy New YEar!
Hi Michael, This difficult exercise is such a fun tradition! Thank you for sharing the beautiful images captured from around the world. Happy new year to you and Claudia!
I think my first comment may have gotten lost, so here I go again to say, Michael, this was unbearably hard! I wanted to pick at least 15, or more. I especially relate to the photos from Antarctica having been there three times myself. Happy trails to you and Claudia for a new year filled with more amazing adventures. Carol
Hi Michael, Each Year you inspire me with an amazing set of images all worthy of demanding that “second look”. Thank you for the inspiration and best wishes to you and your family for the coming year.
A near impossible task. Thoroughly inspiring. Thank you!
Best to you, Claudia and your family for a happy and healthy new year.
I believe they all are the best, but then I had to narrow it down to “10” which is very difficult to Judge! Thank you for allowing us to vote again this year.
Happy New Year!
36 27 10
Great images all, so Very hard to only pick 10!
All so beautifully majestic – was hard to choose.
These are all so beautiful. It was very difficult to choose only 10. Thank you for letting us vote. Happy New Year to you and your family!!
I struggle so acutely to select just 10. Each has its own unique signature of meaning. Sublime and stunning as ever
So 10 seems to be it. And the second place goes to the following…. 1,4,8,12,27,40,49
So enjoy and look forward to following your travels with all your fabulous images. It’s even more special to see the culmination at year-end. Your work is simply spectacular.
Absolutely exquisite photography, Michael, every one a gem! I love and am honored to be playing in this joyous challenge tradition of yours, and so happy you and Claudia were able to experience these very special adventures this year! Your sharing is powerful. Much love, peace and gratitude to you both.
Michael -One comment – on what criteria am I rating the photos? For me there are 2 possibilities – natural science – how does the photo capture the characteristics of natural geology, vegetation or wildlife ? Note that manipulating the photo electronically or stacking multiple photos wouldn’t be allowed. The other judging criteria would be artistic beauty. I’m sure this is the preferred method. But as a geologist/biologist with over 50 years experience in the field (the natural world) I see diversity in how photo contests could be judged. Jay Power
Jay, I think the criteria are completely up to you. I’m sure everyone who’s voted here has their own criteria.
Stunning images! I look forward to seeing your selections each year. It is very difficult to narrow the choices to ten when all the images are wonderfully beautiful!
Glad I was gifted the opportunity to be one of the first to see this amazing collection of images from around the world. Some iconic Michael Frye and some new looks! Glad I was able to get my selection submitted minutes before closing time! Happy New Year for new photos!