Reflections on 2016 – Best Images | Dustin Wong Photography

Artistic Inspirations

2016 is now in the books and as I reflect on my best images, I remember many great experiences being out in nature, often by myself, but never alone. The moments that get me excited, and drive me to continue my photography, are where I have been able to visit a special place, take in its visual splendor, and connect energetically. Taking time to wander, slow down, and be patient (sometimes revisiting a location during different conditions) allows me to gain a sense of intimacy with nature. For me, the following photographs represent more than just a visual interpretation of a scene. Also accompanying my experiences were the sounds of silence, leaves falling, and waves crashing; the cold, cool and warm air; and the indescribable vibrations that resonates with the heart.

In once instance, I took my shoes off in order to not trample the sensitive vegetation around an old sacred tree. Feeling the ground with my feet was just another opportunity to experience the world through my senses. In another, I stood ankle deep in the Pacific Ocean as waves tickled my feet and a warm breeze filled the air. The erie and peaceful quiet of a forest where I could hear individual leaves break off their branches and flutter to the ground. The photograph is a visual art form, but the journey of photography is a full body, sensory experience that brings me in tune with Mother Earth.

Technical Advances

From a technical perspective, I switched from my Canon 5D mkIII to a Sony A7RII (I managed to keep all my Canon lenses by using the Metabones Adapter IV, which works great). This meant that the digital photo files I was able to capture this year were richer in data, allowing more flexibility in post processing. I also experimented with new techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop and refined old ones. Utilizing the increase in megapixels and dynamic range I was able to put together some of my favorite images this year.