I had many opportunities last year to visit many places, near and far.  Looking back at the collection from last year allows me to reflect on the places I visited, images I took and photographic technique I developed over the year; to see what happened, what worked and what did not; and most important to develop my goals and list of things to focus on for 2012.

Here are my top ten most favorite images from 2011 in no particular order.

Image #1: February winter storm dumped more than a feet of snow overnight and made Yosemite Valley a Winter Wonderland.

Cook's Meadow after Morning Snow Storm - Yosemite National Park

Image #2: This shot was taken on the first day Tioga Pass opened for the season and in that evening I was greeted by this breathtaking alpenglow.

Alpenglow over Tenaya Lake - Yosemite National Park

Image #3: The scene was so tranquil and the water was so calm that it perfectly reflected every details of the mountain and glacier.

Victoria Glacier Reflection in Emerald Blue Water of Lake Louise - Banff National Park, Canada

Image #4: Sunrise over volcanic landscape in East Java, Indonesia.  The cumulonimbus clouds caught the first rays and turned pink framing Mount Semeru in the background.

Bromo Sunrise - Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, Indonesia

Image #5: The blue fire of Kawah Ijen.  Burning liquid sulfur produced the blue fire which could be seen at night and in early morning.

Sulfur Mining and Blue Fires from Burning Liquid Sulfur - Kawah Ijen, East Java, Indonesia

Image #6:  Low cloud formed in the Bromo Savannah vallry. The jeep kicking up dust on dirt road gave this place a sense of scale and how low the cloud was.

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Low Cloud over Bromo Savannah - Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, Indonesia

Image 7: One of the only few panorama images I took this year. The miner was carrying about 80 kilograms of solid sulfur on his shoulder from the mine at the bottom of the crater near the lake, up the steep slope to the rim, and he still had another 3 kilometers down the mountain to the drop-off area.

Ijen Crater, Sulfur Mine and Acid Lake Panorama - Kawah Ijen, East Java, Indonesia

Image 8: Last total lunar eclipse of 2o11 and the next one will not be until 2014.  The copper-red moon was at totality just before dawn break.

Total Lunar Eclipse over the City of San Jose - California

Image 9: The tufas stood out against dark-color water of Mono Lake at sunrise.

Early Morning at South Tufa - Mono Lake, California

Image 10: The famous sailing stone at the Racetrack playa in Death Valley National Park at sunrise.  The colorful cloud pattern help enhance and complement the stone track.

Racetrack Playa's Sailing Stone at Dawn - Death Valley National Park, California