In my long-term goal (in two decades) to achieve the 30 best photographs that evoke my viewers' emotions, I strive to take at least five of the best possible photographs each year.

2023 is the year I actively switched to Farmland Photography (Prairie), and here are a few pictures that stood out for me in 2023. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Fire and Ice

I photographed this on the 1st of January 2023 on a cold morning. I have written about it here. I love the contrast in the image - the cold foreground and the fiery skies depicting the weather and the beauty of the morning skies.

A rusty building in the morning

Driving early in the morning on the farmlands road, I spotted this unused farmland structure. Initially dismissing, I spot the brilliant sunrays behind the structure through the side mirror, and I know I have to photograph this one.

I stopped the car, got out, and spent 15 minutes photographing this structure from different angles and apertures.

Fence to nowhere

2023 is the year I discovered minimalist black-and-white photography. Driving around the Albertan farmlands in winter, I was constantly drawn to the fact that the show has made the landscape simple. I spotted this one and was immediately drawn to its minimalism. First, I decided to return to this port in the morning or evening to catch the golden light to go with it. Then, I realized that I was drawn to its simplicity, and the lights would take away the simplicity I love. So I decided to spend some time photographing aspects of it.

Clouds over the farm

Alberta has raged with wildfires in 2023 for a long time due to a lack of rain and the heat right after the winter. Usually, we get good snowfall followed by a generous rain in the spring to provide for the land and the vegetation. 2023 was not so. Amidst all this inaction from the weather, I saw a glimpse of rain clouds while driving to the church. I immediately grabbed my gears and went to a farmland nearby. Then, I noticed this massive chunk of clouds floating in the sky. I just knew a place they would fit - only if they lasted long. Thankfully, they did.

The post-processing took many days and iterations, but eventually, I settled with this one.

Protection

I photographed the above within an hour of the previous one. After seeing another chunk of clouds, I drove like a madman to find a lone shed that fits under it. Thankfully, the clouds stayed large enough when I found one. I immediately pulled my car over, got out with my gear, got low to the ground to ensure the clouds rested on the top of the shed, and photographed a few. Despite the focus staking, I liked this one - one single shot. Contemplating between the colors and B&W, I settled with the B&W since it's largely blue tint due to the daytime and gloomy weather.

Shades of Gray

It took a while to decide whether to retain the colors or convert to black and white for this photograph. Ultimately, I decided to make it black-and-white, allowing me to process the image to evoke a particular feeling. The overcast skies, rain downpours somewhere far behind the shed, and the shades of gray eventually won the conflict. It allowed me to enjoy the scene better than the color.

The Haunted House

I almost missed this photograph on that day. I was driving on Sunday early in the morning, enjoying the sunrise. Unfortunately, I did not see anything compelling to photograph. The lack of snow (mid-spring) meant that I couldn't get my usual simple compositions. However, I noticed this composition in a split second due to the building, the trees, and the general color.

Then I stopped the car and walked on the road, figuring out the best location until I spotted those lights piercing through the window. I knew I found my composition. I took a few shots in different directions and then spent more than a few days and iterations before I settled with this one.

I wanted to show enough details in the building (it was almost dark) without overexposing the rest or changing the colors of the sunrise. I got this after many selective masks and shadow removal/exposure adjustments.

Closing Thoughts

I learned a lot in 2023 - mainly about minimalist compositions, black-and-white, and using my 100-200mm lens for landscape photography. I also learned to apply masks and selectively work on the images. My hope for 2024 would be nighttime photography since I have many spots that can be an excellent foreground for star trails and other nighttime photography.

Also, I want lighting that makes this composition great. I have visited and photographed this place many times but am not satisfied yet. Could 2024 be an answer? Let's find out.

These are the gears I have used to photograph the above image:

Fujifilm GFX-100s — an excellent camera for this work, and I enjoy using it
Fujifilm GF 100-200mmF5.6 lens — my 'workhorse' lens at this stage along with the Fujifilm GF 45-100mmF4 Lens.
The rest are remote release (from Fujifilm), extra batteries, extra memory cards (I use Lexar these days), the Manfrotto 055 Tripod, and the L-Bracket.

2023 Top Images