Time to submit your Top 11 photos of 2011!! I can’t wait to see what you captured this year!!!
Here are my top 11 pictures of my kiddos. It was SO stinkin’ hard to narrow it down! Just for fun here’s a link to last year’s Top 10 of 2010. It’s so fun to look back and see how much they and my photography has grown!
1. This was a fun little spur of the moment photo session with the girls. I just love their interaction in this image. I love to sit back and watch them laugh and play. I just pray they are as close in 10 years as they are now.
2. She truly lights up our life with that smile.
3. I suckered asked everyone to go with me to take family Easter pictures. It was a headache to take our own family photos but I am so glad we did!!
4. I took this one and several others for my Shooting 301: Composition and Creativity workshop through Clickin’ Moms. This was before I got my new camera and I really want to try this shot again with my camera that can handle a higher ISO so it isn’t as soft and noisy. That being said, I love that Kate’s favorite thing to do it read!
5. The girls were “swimming” down the hall. Oh, the games they come up with!
6. I love this for so many reasons!
7. As you may know, we live in Japan and get to experience some really cool festivals. This one was taken during the 10,000 Eisa drummers parade. The kids loved it and when there were breaks between the groups the kiddos would run out in the street. This is SO Emma. Wanting to go have fun but double checking to make sure it’s okay.
8. Kate joined a baseball “team” this summer and Emma and I sat on the sidelines and watched her and Daddy play. Emma was such a trooper and can’t wait to play baseball herself.
9. Do I even have to say why I love this image? Besides the fact that it captures exactly who Kate is and all her joy, Tamron bought it from me for 2 trade shows and to use in 2 magazine ads this upcoming year. Definitely a favorite of mine :O)
10. I couldn’t post a favorite photos of my kids without including the newest one! We are so excited to meet this little angel!
11. I took this one on Christmas Eve to attempt to capture the magic that the kiddos feel about Christmas. I love the ages they are and all the amazement they find in the holiday season. When I went to get Kate on Christmas morning she said “Mama, today is Jesus’s birthday. I already sang him Happy Birthday.” :O)
Now it’s your turn!
Here’s how it works:
-Go through your images from the past year and pick your favorite 11 images of your kids or pets. I remember when my dogs were my kids :O)
-Post your top 11 pictures on your blog or Flickr account starting December 28th through January 4th.
-Link up at with the link here at Click it Up a Notch, Click.Pray.Love or Naptime Momtog.
-Put our button on your post. If the button is not there you will not be eligible to win
Speaking of winning…you know there are some prizes!! We have some great prizes in store for you!
1. Workshop Seat in Clickin’ Moms – Shooting 101: The Best Darn Beginner Class Ever = $300
Yes, you read that correctly! A seat in the BEST and ONLY beginner workshop I would recommend! I took this class about 2 years ago and WOW! I had been shooting on manual mode for 9 months at the time I took it and felt pretty comfortable but Lynne filled in so many holes for me. She is truly an amazing teacher who will go above and beyond to make sure you understand the material! I’m so excited for you guys! A workshop seat!! Whoo hoo!! If you aren’t familiar with Clickin’ Moms workshops you can read more about them in a post I wrote – Clickin’ Mom Workshops. Personally, I have taken 5 of their workshops – Shooting 101, Natural Light 101, Shooting 201, Processing 101: Lightroom Start to Finish, Shooting 301: Composition and Creativity, and just signed up for the Natural Light 201! Can you tell I think their workshops are the best and the only place I would spend my money!!! This 4 week workshop starts January 9th so you don’t have long to wait for it!
Learn to take pictures like this one by the instructor Lynne Rigby!
2. Tan or Red Leather Camera Necklace from Barberry and Lace = $23
Would you love to have this beautiful necklace added to your accessories! The winner will get to choose if they would like the tan or red leather camera necklace. Perfect Christmas gift!
3. $25 Gift Certificate to Better Life Bags
You must check out her store! She has a variety of homemade items with such wonderful and vibrant colors. You can’t go wrong ordering anything from her shop!
As always, please remember this is NOT A PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST! The winners will be chosen randomly. That means we could have up to 3 winners!! So what are you waiting for! Start searching through the past year of photos and select your Top 11!
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Really awesome photos. Love all the great angles. :)
Awesome photos! Your girls are just as cute as can be :)
Great choices! The swimming one is definitely my favourite, but I do love the baseball shot too :)
Love all your photos Courtney, you are so inspiring!!!
Love your choices of pictures.. and congrads on another girl!!
this looks fun, I hope to join in. I really love that last photo.
All gorgeous photos of your beautiful girls Courtney and congratulations on the soon to be new addition! Hope your family all had a wonderful Christmas. Love the family portraits you had done, so gorgeous!
So many sweet memories! Your girls are gorgeous like their momma and their smiles are contagious. I look forward to seeing many sweet newborn photos of baby girl #3.
I can def. see your photos growing and changing and taking on more of personal style. Lovely year!!!
First of all, thank you for hosting this. I always look forward to these photo round-ups and it’s such a feel-good thing to go through all these adorable pictures of the kiddies that everyone has posted up. :)
I had a smile on my face the whole time I was scrolling through your photos, but #s 6 and 9 really stood out for me. I think they’re absolute perfection –everything about those two pics.
Congrats on the soon-to-be new addition! :)
Beautiful photos of your children. I love your composition in each and every photo. Wonderful work!
These are so sweet – I especially love your black and whites.
So much fun! Truth be told I got weepy looking at our pictures its amazing to see & remember all we have done in the past year and to think of all the new & fun memories we are about to make well its just magic & awesome! Love your pictures I can feel all the fun & love in them!
Love all your photos, they are so inspiring…thanks for sharing all the great photography tips over the last year…I learned so much!! Happy 2012!!!!
Great shots, I love the one in her room reading and of course the carousel shot. That last one with the tree is so great!
your photos are wonderful! Happy end of 2011 ;)
I don’t have a blog, but it does say I can add photos to my Flickr account for the contest. I created a Flickr set of my Top 11 of 2011 but don’t know how to add your button. I seem to be able to add it as a comment to my set of photos. Does that count? Sorry, clueless and last person on earth without a blog :)
Yes, if you put the button in the comment section that counts :O)
Thanks!!
Thank you for asking that question, Icrigazio. I wanted to do the 11 photos for 2011, but didn’t think I could without a blog:)! Hope I can figure it out in time. Love seeing everyone’s photos!!!
I hope you can too!! Let me know if you have any questions!
I posted through flickr and hope it was done right. I put the button in the comment section too. In your opinion should I start a blog to watch my journey or watch my growth through flickr? I have just been taking pics and leaving them in my files. This is my first time showing them really even in flickr. I think a blog would be a little scary for me:)! Your site has helped me so much! Thank you!!
Your post looks great! You did it! Yay!! I look forward to looking through your images. Personally, I like a blog :O) But that is just me. Some people prefer a flickr account. I have both but find that I can really see my growth through my blog. Plus, my family LOVES the blog and find it easy to see pics of the girls and read their fun little stories. Blogs really aren’t that scary. If you decide to start one and get overwhelmed. Just email me. I can make you a quick video of how to navigate your blog. I have used blogger and wordpress and find wordpress to be SO much easier to understand and use. I’m actually going to being switching my family blog from blogger to wordpress (when I get my tail in gear :O) ha ha I’m so glad you are sharing your images! Photos are NOT meant to live on your computer alone. While you have these marked so and print them!!
Thanks for hosting! You made me realize that I made over 15,000 images this year, YIKES!
Holy cow!!! Make sure you back those babies up :O)
I didn’t know that Tamron bought that shot from you! Go Courtney! You rock :)
Aww, thanks!!!
Thank you for your nice comment, and the chance to win! I would be so excited for lessons. You’re photography is beautiful. I especially love the one of your children by the tree. They will cherish that forever!
I enter this contest feeling so unworthy. Sooooo many amazing pictures taken by everyone (or at least the few I’ve browsed so far)! Love your top 11. Thanks for hosting!
I love all of your gorgeous photos! Thank you for the inspiration. I love visiting your site and have learned a great deal here. Thank you!!!
And I wish you a year ahead filled with many blessings and great joy ;)
Hi Courtney,
it’s been a while since I’ve linked up with anything. I am just now returning from a long blog hiatus and am doing so with fervor. I loved catching up on all your photos, you have such a great eye for composition. Am I remembering right that you used to have a D90? How do you like using a d700?
PS. on my post I didn’t follow all the rules as some photos are of my younger sister and one of my dog. I sometimes don’t read all the way through instructions and only read top 11 of 2011 not of your kiddos part….;) how did I graduate college I wonder??? anyhow all the best to you in 2012 looking forward to seeing your workshops on here. I think you’d do great at them.
This is such a fabulous series of photographs. Everyday I wish I could turn back the clock to be able to capture my sons with the equipment and passion that I now have. I suppose I’ll just have to wait for grandchildren. Congratulations on the Tamron purchase.
Beautiful photos. I especially love the family photo.
These are ALL so great! The one of Kate on the carousel is incredible! Congratulations on having Tamron purchase it from you!
Loved your photos. They are such an inspiration going into the new year. I love your use of black and white which I tend to avoid. Thanks for sharing your sweet family and congratulations on your newest addition!
Oh my- they are all so fabulous- but I think 4, 10 & 11 are the ones that melt my heart.
You have been such a source of inspiration for me this year. Thank you for all your sweet comments, encouragement and for hosting this fabulous link-up…it’s been my favorite project all year and I look forward to it each quarter. I love looking back and seeing how we’ve all changed and grown over the year. Congratulations on your successes and upcoming angel; your life has truly been blessed and I’m happy I got to share part of your journey with you.
You are so sweet! I have LOVED viewing your images from the past year!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I have loved hosting it as well. I will be participating next year but not hosting because of all the upcoming events next year! I can’t wait to see more of your photos!! Thanks for your sweet words!!
Beautiful photos! And congratulations on your soon-to-be addition!
Courtney – these pics are all so very special, but my fav would definitely have to be the ‘Swimming up the Hallway’. Such a cute showcase of that sense of imagination only children can have.
I’m absolutely loving being a part of this inspiring project. Thank you thank you thank you xx
Thank you for hosting!! I’ve been following your blog for a bit via email, however I’ve never participated in anything until now. This was such an awesome opportunity to go back and review the past year!! I’ve only seriously been into photography for a year, so it was fun to go back and see my progress. Each and every one of your photos are beautiful! Such great memories!! Happy New Year!
Such a wonderful collection! I really love the swimming down the hall shot!! Happy New Year!
What a beautiful family! My favorites are definitely the b&w….not only the adorable subjects but also the processing…beautiful! I was able to get in on all of the linkups, but am so glad to have some across your blog early in this year. Your blog has been a wonderful inspiration and much help along the way!! Congrats too on your new little! Can’t wait for the newborn pics of him/her. :)
Whooo! I almost missed the deadline! What a fun link party! Thank you for motivating me to go through my photos. It was difficult to find only 11 out of the thousands. As always, your photos are amazing! You have a precious family. I have a High School friend who lives in Japan now. I so appreciate you and the other blogs hosting this clever & fun party. Have a wonderful Wednesday! :)
That was harder than I thought it would be! Thank you for getting me to do this!
Hmmm, I think this is how to link, I only have a couple as I have been a bit slack doing this :-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73359294@N04/6640467393/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73359294@N04/6634273361/