A Year In Photos with Colby Brown – 2015

Well…it is that time of year once again. 2015 has come and gone in what often feels like the blink of an eye. After all, weren’t we all just talking about New Years Resolutions, the locations we want to add to our growing bucket list and our plans to eat healthier and be nicer to one another?

Photographing Icebergs in Iceland. Photo Credit - Peyton Hale — Photographing Icebergs in Iceland. Photo Credit – Peyton Hale

Regardless of how fast 2015 seemed to blow by, it was a great year for me photographically. While I didn’t end up making it to all the locations I had planned on, I was able to knock off a few bucket list items (Japan and Norway) and of course return to a few favorites such as Iceland, Chile and Fiji. Between my photography workshops and the marketing campaigns I helped create around the globe, I ended up traveling to: Iceland (3x), Norway (2x), Fiji, Chile, Japan, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, and Washington.

Visiting Norway in the Summer. Photo Credit: Peyton Hale

Those that know me know that I am pretty far behind when it comes to editing images. For example, while I have been to Iceland 15 times over the last 4 years…I am still editing images from my first trip there. Needless to say, I haven’t had time to go through all of my images taken this year, but from the images I was able to process, I have selected 15 of my favorites (to coincide with the year 2015). These images do not necessarily represent my best or even my most popular images as most haven’t ever been shared publically. But regardless I feel they best capture what I love and cherish most about the places I was fortunate enough to visit this year. Over the course of next two weeks I will share each of these images individually along with some backstory, technical information and photography tips. I hope you enjoy!

Favorite Images of 2015

Exploring Ice Caves in Iceland. Taken with Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4

Wild Animal Sanctuary just outside Denver, CO. Taken with the Sony a7R II w/ Sony 70-400 f/4 - 5.6 + LA-EA3 adapter — Wild Animal Sanctuary just outside Denver, CO. Taken with the Sony a7R II w/ Sony 70-400 f/4 – 5.6 + LA-EA3 adapter

Sunrise over the Church in Vik, Iceland. Taken with Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4

Northern Lights over the Lofoten Islands of Norway. Sony a7S + Sony 24-70 f/4

Icebergs Being Pushed Out To Sea in Southern Iceland. Taken with Sony a7R II + Sony 16-35 f/4

Skogar, Iceland — Behind an Icelandic Waterfall in the dead of Winter. Taken with Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4

Unstad Beach - Lofoten Islands, Norway. Taken with Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4 — Unstad Beach – Lofoten Islands, Norway. Taken with Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4

The Inside of an Ice Cave. South Iceland. Taken with a Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4

Snow Monkey in Nagano, Japan. Taken with Sony a6000 + Sony 70-200 f/4

Kayaking Around Puerto Varras, Chile. Taken with Sony a7R II + Sony 70-200 f/4 — Kayaking Around Puerto Varas, Chile. Taken with Sony a7R II + Sony 70-200 f/4

Sunset over Skogafoss Waterfall in Iceland. Taken with a Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4

Hidden Waterfall in Iceland. Taken with Sony a7R II + Sony 16-35 f/4. — Hidden Waterfall in Iceland. Taken with Sony a7R II + Sony 16-35 f/4

Sunset over Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in West Iceland. Sony a7R II with Sony 16-35 f/4 FE

Sunrise Seascape in Senja, Norway. Taken with a Sony a7R + Sony 16-35 f/4

Northern Lights over the Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall, Northern Iceland. Taken with a Sony a7R II + Sony 16-35 f/4

and while all of those images from around the globe were exciting to capture, one of my favorite images of the year is this one… 😉

_DSC0083 — My 4yr old son Jack being lit up by our Christmas Tree. Sony a7S II with Zeiss Batis 85 f/1.8

I hope you have enjoyed taking a look at some of my favorite images from 2015. If you have selected your own favorite images from this year, feel free to upload one into the comments section below and let everyone know why you choose that particular image. I would love to see what you captured this year as well!

About the Author

Colby Brown

Colby Brown is a photographer, photo educator and author that specializes in landscape, travel and wildlife photography. His photographic portfolio spans the four corners of the globe and all 7 continents. He has worked as a photo instructor for National Geographic and founded The Giving Lens, an organization that blends photo education with support for various non-governmental organizations (NGO) and causes around the world, such as child education, clean drinking water projects, and women’s rights.

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Come join us on an adventure of a lifetime to the amazing Italian Dolomites. We will photograph and explore incredible mountain peaks, beautiful reflected lakes and gorgeous fall colors as we move throughout one of the most impressive mountain ranges in the world.

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July 31st – Aug. 7th, 2025

The Pantanal region of Brazil is known as the land of the Jaguar. Nowhere else on Earth is there a higher concentration of these elusive big cats than this remote region of Southern Brazil, close to the Southern Amazon Basin. In addition to Jaguars, you will see Caimen, Capybara and a wide assortment of birds.

Leknes Northern Lights Lofoten Islands Norway Photo Workshop

Norway Photo Workshop – Lofoten Islands

February 22nd – March 1st, 2025

Join us this February as we explore this impressive series of Islands located above the Arctic Circle. While we will work hard to get you in the right spot for both sunrise and sunset, with over half the day steeped in darkness, we will make sure to chase any and all Aurora activity that presents itself throughout our time in the Lofoten Islands.

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Patagonia Photo Workshop – Argentina Edition

April 14th – 23rd, 2024

Patagonia is one of the most wild, beautiful & dramatic mountain ranges on the planet. We split our time between the incredible Torres del Paine National Park in Southern Chile and Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina, home to both Cerro Torre and Mt. Fitz Roy.