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Top 10 Photos of 2015

On the photography front of 2015, I made great strides taking more photos that the prior 2 years combined! In total, I took more than 16,600 photos, more than 2013 and 2014 combined! Last year I posted my top 10 photos of 2014 and I’m doing it again. It was extremely difficult to narrow the choices down and I ended up revising it a couple of times because I just could not decide which pictures I liked the best. They are detailed below in no particular order.

Cerro Castellan at Big Bend National Park. View from Tuff Canyon. Taken April 20, 2015. Big Bend National Park is a gorgeous and very scenic national park. Secluded from nearby towns, it's worth the drive from Texas's major cities. Having visited dozens of other National Parks, it's quite like any other. The terrain, geography, and different ecosystems are very unique making it a must see. From end to end, you can traverse mountains, forests, deserts, canyons, plains, and rivers.
Cerro Castellan at Big Bend National Park. View from Tuff Canyon. Taken April 20, 2015.

Big Bend National Park is a gorgeous and very scenic national park. Secluded from nearby towns, it’s worth the drive from Texas’s major cities. Having visited dozens of other National Parks, it’s quite like any other. The terrain, geography, and different ecosystems are very unique making it a must see. From end to end, you can traverse mountains, forests, deserts, canyons, plains, and rivers.

Tsim Sha Tsui , Hong Kong on Chinese New Year. Taken February 20, 2015.
Tsim Sha Tsui , Hong Kong on Chinese New Year. Taken February 20, 2015.

Hong Kong is crowded, and it’s only been getting busier in the last 5 years in part due to China allowing more tourists and Asia’s overgrowing economy. I think this photo really exemplifies just how many people are in Hong Kong. This was taken after the Chinese New Year fireworks as we were leaving. It was just a sea of people. Visiting Hong Kong over New Year’s was a real treat. It’s the biggest holiday of the year and it’s celebrated for as much as 3 weeks!

Park Avenue - Arches National Park. Taken May 27, 2015.
Park Avenue – Arches National Park. Taken May 27, 2015.

This panoramic photo does not do these structures justice. Some of these monoliths are over 600 feet tall. The scale is just staggering and most humbling. I wish we had more time in Moab to hike more of Arches and Canyonlands, but we were able to hit the high points. It was also a very hot summer day. Believe it or not, later this day, it thundered and poured. Weather in these parks is not to be taken lightly as flash floods can come out of nowhere and you don’t want to be stranded.

Cimu Bridge, Taroko National Park, Taiwan.
Cimu Bridge, Taroko National Park, Taiwan.

The Cimu Bridge (also known as the Motherly Devotion Bridge) is a famous landmark over the twisty Laoxi River that carves the marble below. The pavilion atop the frog-shaped cliff was built by a late Taiwanese president in honor of his mother during the construction of the road through Taroko. I really love how this photo came together with the lighting on the bright red bridge on the green and rocky backdrop.

Gates Bay, Bermuda. Taken April 30, 2015
Gates Bay, Bermuda. Taken April 30, 2015

The color in the water is really what Bermuda looks like. The small island is surrounded by a treacherous and shallow inner and outer reef which give it the distinct colors as you look out to the Atlantic. Cruise ships have to be specially piloted in and out of the ports as to not end up running aground (hence the tales of the Bermuda Triangle). The entire island is filled with secluded and unreal beaches. If you think white sandy beaches are unique, Bermuda is known for its pink coral sand which give them an even more spectacular look.

View from Top of the Rock, New York, NY. Taken May 4, 2015.
View from Top of the Rock, New York, NY. Taken May 4, 2015.

This panorama consists of 7 photos taken by hand and stitched. It’s probably my number one favorite of the year. Ever since I put it together, it’s been my wallpaper on my desktop. At about 40 megapixels, I can’t wait to get it printed and framed. If you’re visiting New York City, you must visit the top of the rock. There’s a long line to get to the top and it’s quite pricey, but well worth it at sunset. It’s very busy and they don’t allow tripods and the glass makes it difficult to work around, but the view is breathtaking. This was shot at ISO 4000, 1/25 of a second, light was fading quickly.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Taken May 28, 2015.
View from Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Taken May 28, 2015.

The scale of Utah’s National Parks is incredible. During our three week road trip, we followed the path of the Colorado river as it carved its way through the west. Even just standing atop these ledges can you not even quite comprehend just how far the land stretches in front and below. It’s not something I want to find out, but wow is it breathtaking and makes the hike worthwhile.

Grand Teton National Park, Jackson, Wyoming. Taken May 22, 2015.
Grand Teton National Park, Jackson, Wyoming. Taken May 22, 2015.

This was my second time to visit Grand Teton National Park, but this was a new view that I hadn’t seen before and I was able to stitch together a large landscape to encompass a majority of the mountain range. On the left is Teton in the Cathedral Group, the largest mountain and Mount Moran in the middle, and Bivouac Peak and Eagles Rest Peak to the right. In the foreground is Jackson Lake.

Caye Caulker, Belize. Taken January 6, 2015.
Caye Caulker, Belize. Taken January 6, 2015.

Taken about 1 year ago, this is still a place I want to go back. Belize in general and Caye Caulker even more so is a laid back place. Time moves slower and people enjoy life – each other and the beauty of nature. Caye Caulker has many reefs around the island to snorkel and dive. We were surprised to find so many tourists from Europe and Australia on holiday staying at the many hostels and enjoying the Belizian way of life.

Wenlin Rd, Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan. Taken February 9, 2015.
Wenlin Rd, Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan. Taken February 9, 2015.

Unlike the signs in Hong Kong, Taiwan conforms more to those of Japan and Korea with vertical signage that is organized and colorful. Hong Kong’s famous signs that stretch across the street are as loud and obnoxious as the streets themselves. I really liked the color and order to the bustling city in this photo.

Taipei and Taiwan

IMG_5108Part 1: Taipei, Taiwan

IMG_5339Part 2: Taipei at Night

IMG_6071Part 3: Temples and Markets of Taipei

Some food carts put an emphasis on the aesthetic quality in addition to taste.Part 4: Taiwan Food

IMG_5824-2Part 5: Yangmingshan National Park

IMG_5659Part 6: Taroko National Park and Hualien, Taiwan



Back in February, I had the opportunity to stop and visit Taipei, Taiwan for four short days on our way to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year. Similar to Hong Kong, it’s a very busy and populated city. Taiwan is very modern and rapidly growing country. While Taipei not as developed and westernized as Hong Kong, it offers distinct charm and Chinese hospitality. Walking the streets, the rich culture, heritage, and tradition was evident. It’s a very vibrant and colorful city.As a plus, the cost of living is lower and the people are more laid back!

Here are some sights of the city.

Taiwan National Palace Museum
Taiwan National Palace Museum
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You could easily spend an entire day at the National Palace Museum browsing all of the exhibits and special collections.
Many of the streets are busy, yet very orderly as people get from place to place
Many of the streets are busy, yet very orderly as people get from place to place
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An intersection at the busy Shilin district.
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IMG_5098 The vertical street signs remind me of Seoul.

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Scooters and mopeds have their own lanes and some unique turning laws.
Scooters and mopeds have their own lanes and some unique turning laws.
It's not uncommon to see several kids riding with their parents. Sometimes, they get sleepy.
It’s not uncommon to see several kids riding with their parents. Sometimes, they get sleepy.
Scooters run rampant throughout the city as one of the main forms of transportation.
Scooters run rampant throughout the city as one of the main forms of transportation.
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Even parking can be a challenge for the scooters.
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The memorial gardens are very peaceful and have lots of trees and flowers.

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Chiang Kai‑shek Memorial Hall
Chiang Kai‑shek Memorial Hall
The hall was undergoing renovations, so we could not go inside.
The hall was undergoing renovations, so we could not go inside.

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National Concert Hall
National Concert Hall

What happens in Vegas, ends up here.

After all my USMLE and COMLEX Step 1/Level 1 exams, I had a few days off to chill before training for third year began, so we decided to take a quick trip to Las Vegas for 3 nights to relax! We planned a mix of everything from sight seeing during the day and night, going up the Stratosphere tower, hitting a few casinos, touring the Hoover Dam, seeing the city (downtown and the world-famous strip), and visiting Red Rock Canyon, a National Conservation area, just to the west of the city.

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