The Year in Review: The Best of 2019

The Year in Review: The Best of 2019

It's that time of year again, the time to reflect back on this past year's most popular articles here at Earthbound Light as determined by my super-scientific tabulations together with a just a hint of fuzzy math and personal preference. Welcome to the best of 2019.

#10 - Tripod Tips
Even sporadic readers here no doubt know I'm a fan of tripod use and write about them often. This article discussing the practical side of tripod use from May isn't just an exhortation to use your tripod though. Well, perhaps it is, but with good reason. But enough readers seemed to have agreed that it ranked at number ten for the year. There's just no single tool out there to help get your best images than a sturdy tripod.

#9 - What Makes a Lens a Good Lens?
Published in October, this article on lenses came in at number nine for the year. Everybody wants the best lens they can, right? If only we could agree on just what that meant. Not everyone has the same needs or budget. And that's not even getting into such considerations as what they're shooting today. Thank goodness for interchangeable lens cameras. This article was unscientifically voted as the ninth most popular for 2019.

#8 - Lens Mount Adapters and Related Thingamajigs That Go Between Camera and Lens
The new Nikon Z mirrorless system of cameras brought with it the clever FTZ adapter that lets users mount their existing F-mount lenses on their new Z-mount bodies. Add that to the existing confusion over teleconverters and extension tubes and you've got a mess. There are all sorts of things you can put between your camera and lens, and they all do different things. Imagine that. This article from April tallied in at number eight in our current tally and helps clarify the pros and cons of each and how they differ.

#7 - Photographers Tend to Deal with Too Much Crop
I just love this title, and the article itself discusses an important topic that deserves some attention. As camera resolution has increased it becomes possible to consider the creative potential of cropping. In the end, I'd still consider it a tool of necessity rather than preference, but it can help in some circumstances. Just don't go overboard. Published in April, this article finished the year out at number seven in our top ten hit parade.

#6 - The Seven Deadly Sins
No question but that there are countless mistakes possible when trying to get good images, but I took the opportunity back in June to publish this article covering the seven deadly habits photographers can fall into without necessarily realizing it until later. Most everyone has committed at least a few of these, myself included. It seems that enough readers found something worth considering to vault this article into sixth place for the year.

#5 - All-in-One Super Zooms!
Even with an interchangeable lens camera, it can sure be convenient sometimes to look for a single lens that can do everything. Alas, even in this age of computer designed everything, there are still some tradeoffs necessary with this approach. But when shooting at the beach or in similar harsh environments, the downsides may be well worth it. This article from September discussing the subject came in at number five for the year.

#4 - It Depends on Whether You're Shooting Postage Stamps or Poisonous Snakes
Not all macro lenses are created equal, yet most tend to be on the expensive side. If you're looking for the best macro lens for your money, you might want to consider what you'll be shooting with it. As it says in the title, it depends on whether you'll be shooting postage stamps of poisonous snakes. You'll want to keep a safe distance from one of these, and it's not the stamps. Published in April, this article tallied up to be number four for 2019.

#3 - Painting with Sight
From just earlier this month, the number three article for the year gets to the heart of what it takes to produce good images. Although the word "photography" translates from the Greek as "painting with light," the difficulties of exposure are only one piece of the puzzle. The real challenge is in seeing the image in the first place and why I call photography "painting with sight." A camera helps to make the most of your vision, painting it one stroke at a time. It's a vision thing.

#2 - What Has Adobe Been Up to Lately?
For many years, Adobe was boringly predictable. We got a new version of Photoshop every now and then, and life was good. Then came Lightroom with it's improved focus on photography and workflow. But once we started on this whole "cloud" thing, nobody knows what to make of Adobe. Or at least so it seems if you go seeking rumors on the internet. Some of them are true, but not all. This article on the current state of affairs from May 2019 was ranked in second place for the year. Hint: Adobe isn't boring nor predictable anymore.

#1 - Ten Composition Mistakes to Watch Out For
It seems only fitting for first place in this current countdown to itself be a top ten list. From way back in January, this article details ten common mistakes that photographers when composing images. I've quite a few of these myself over the years and I'm betting that most of you have too. Call it a hunch.

Well, there you have it. Another year of Earthbound Light articles counted down for your education and amusement. Here's to another good year ahead in 2020.

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