Morning colors at Nugget Pond, Denali National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson.

I'™m sure I should have scheduled this for my January article, except I wanted to use the Hawaiian phrase for 'œHappy New Year' and instead wrote about photography in Hawai'™i Volcanoes National Park.  Besides, it was still in keeping with my previous article about the hula dance demonstration in the park.

Around the end of December, I always notice photographers posting on their websites or blog sites or in other articles their 5-10-15-20 favorite images they took during that particular year.  Aside from the fact that it may be a reminder to others of just how wonderful a photographer they are, it'™s actually quite helpful for viewers to read (and see) what the photographer was thinking when he or she captured that image, what the photographer wanted compositionally from that shot and the steps/camera settings used to get the shot.  It also gives the viewer an idea of the kind of photos they might capture if they are ever in the same area as was the photographer.

Without further ado, I'™ve listed my five favorite national park photos for 2014, in no particular order, with the story behind the shot as well as the settings used.  To be honest, I have more than 5 favorites, but in the interest of article space, this is all I have room to list.

Not everybody who visits Denali National Park and Preserve gets a chance to see Denali (aka Mt. McKinley) in its full splendor.  I was extremely lucky during my stay in the park, at Camp Denali (future story, by the way), to witness a clear view of The Mountain every single day.  Nugget Pond sits directly in front of the camp'™s Potlatch building, with a narrow path leading down to the water'™s edge.  While not yet visible over the hill behind me, the sun lit up the clouds with shades of dark pink and purple and the moon was still above the horizon.  As I set up for this shot, I earnestly thanked my lucky stars for waking up early enough for the opportunity to view this gorgeous scene.  Settings:  Canon 5D Mk III, 24-70mm lens, ISO 500, shutter speed 1/8 second, aperture f9.

Strawberry pitaya cactus bloom, Big Bend National Park / Rebecca Latson.

I'™d visited Big Bend National Park in December and wanted to return in April, when the cactus would be in bloom.  It'™s amazing to me how something so prickly and potentially painful to the unwary/careless human can produce something so gentle as these gorgeous blossoms, brilliantly-saturated with color.  I was heading back to the car from an aborted hike along the Mule Ears Viewpoint trail (still pooped from my previous day'™s 7.6-mile steep hike) when I spotted a strawberry pitaya cactus in full bloom to the side of the trail.  Using my Canon 1DX with the close-up filter attached to my 40mm pancake lens, I bent awkwardly over the brush and bushes to capture this frame-filling view of the bright magenta blossom.  The resulting photo is sharp and clear deep within the bloom'™s center while a feathery glow edges the flower petals.  Settings:  ISO 160, shutter speed 1/320 sec, aperture f8. 

Kilauea's glow, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park / Rebecca Latson.

This is one of my favorites from my Hawai'™i trip and was a bucket list item I managed to cross off.  I woke up at 3:15AM and took myself, camera and tripod to my rental car and drove the 2 miles from the hotel to the Jagger Museum view area for the best (and closest) view of Kilauea crater. I was the only person there and it was one of the most awesome feelings:  just me, my camera, the stars overhead, the early-morning breeze and the crater'™s billowing steam glowing brilliant hues of orange and yellow.  I set the camera on the tripod and started experimenting with ISO'™s (from 800 to 3200) and shutter speeds (anywhere from 10 seconds to 30 seconds).  Settings:  Canon 1DX with the 40mm pancake lens, ISO 3200, shutter speed 4 seconds, aperture f4.5.

Watching me, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson.

This brown bear mother had settled herself comfortably into the pebbly sand at the top of a slough filled with salmon milling within the water in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.  She got all cozy then looked directly across toward me.  It was such a cool feeling to imagine she was looking only at me and nobody else and that I'™d captured that look.  She was heavily shaded so I set my Canon 1DX to an ISO of 3200 with a shutter speed of 1/320 second and an aperture of f16.  I had the camera attached to the 500mm prime lens.  I did have to lighten up her face a little more during the editing stage.

Yes, I'm sooo cute! Lake Clark National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson.

Shortly after the sow in the previous image had settled into the cool ground, her two spring cubs gamboled up the slope toward her.  The little 'œblondie' halted mid-slope and started having some fun inspecting its paws, rolling down the slope and entertaining the onlookers in the process.  Mom looked on indulgently.   This image is a great example of why we humans tend to anthropomorphize wildlife '“ especially the babies.  Settings:  Canon 1DX and 500mm prime lens, ISO 3200, shutter 1/320 second, aperture f16.

There you have it.  My five faves for 2014.  Have you chosen your favorite national park photos from the previous year?  It'™s a tough (but fun and educational) process which can trigger your photographic brain cells into really thinking about the reasons for your choices.