We asked the local community to chose the favorite photos they’ve taken in 2024, and what an incredible variety of images they produced:
John Brighenti
IG: @john.brighenti
The light was just right in one of my favorite spots: Croydon Creek Nature Center, in Rockville. I was up to my waist in the water with only the sounds of nature and a waterfall to keep my company. A perfect moment in time, if you ask me.
Portrait of the mesmerizing Mira (instagram: @miramayalut) at Metrobar in DC during a portraitmeetDC event. It has became my favorite portrait I’ve shot, because Vermeer’s “Girl With the Pearl Earring” is one of my favorite paintings, and it was a happy accident that she posed in just the right way with a similar facial expression.
Tim Brown
My favorite subject this year are the neighborhood’s often under-looked neighbors, our trees. They are our guardians and bring shade and calm and fresh air every day.
Thomas Cluderay
IG: @tcluderay, tcluderayphoto.com
Night magic! October 2024’s northern lights viewed from Little Stony Man in Shenandoah National Park
Guayi Fernández
IG: @guayilandia
These two street photos are among my favorites because they each capture that perfect moment when movement tells an unfolding story. In one, a dancer performs amidst the bustle, surrounded by the chaos of the moment, while in the other, the deep, almost introspective space of Buenos Aires’ subway reveals seven different stories happening simultaneously. Though the photos are vastly different, they both speak to me in a similar way—stories unfolding around us while we all move through a single shared space.
Joe Flood
IG: @joeflood
Sunset at the White House
There’s something really special about off-season DC. Without tourists, it feels like you have the city to yourself. This winter sunset at the White House featured light so surreal that I had to stop and stick my iPhone through the fence to capture this photo.
Patricia Eguino Yells at Traitors
On January 6th, Patricia Eguino stood up for DC and made her voice heard, yelling at a rally of insurrectionist losers demanding the release of Capitol rioters. The day was miserable – cold and rainy – but I was glad that I was there for this moment.
Aurelia Glenn
IG: @glennaurelia
Glenstone, a museum/park combines art and nature in unusual ways, which culminates in this work from Jeff Koons, “Split-Rocker,” a highlight of this unique park.
Such a calming spot in a frenzied city. The Bishops Garden is one of my favorite places in Washington, and this is one reason.
Shannon Heaton
IG: @NekoSandpiper
Caving In
Experiments in light painting. Who knew there were cave systems to explore so close to DC
Lonely Wolf
2024 has been the year of collaborative portraits.
To set the scene… This was shot near closing time at the Billy Motel lounge during a snow storm, while “Gothmas” radio played.
Roland Johnson
IG: @millibenthic
In 2024 I finally grew some backbone, and started shooting film. I used a Nikon F5, Nikon AF Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8D, and Ilford HP5 Plus 400 film. I outsourced the processing. I’ve shot five rolls with varying results. These are two of my favorites aesthetically, but mostly because I exposed them well.
Gloria Jones
IG: @glo.is.me
This summer I went on a Mediterranean cruise from Lisbon to Rome and took far too many favorite photos of 2024, but here are two of my favorites.
Waking up in the port of Villefranche, France means waking up to a beautiful view. I snapped this favorite photo from the ship before heading to the tender boat.
As we sailed the from Florence/Pisa to Rome on the our last night of the cruise, I captured this favorite photo of the sun setting while the moon’s reflection was glistening on the Mediterranean Sea.
Miki Jourdan
IG: mikijourdan; Flickr
In September, I visited The Whitworth, an art gallery in Manchester, England, and happened upon a dance rehearsal in the hallway. I loved finding something so random and beautiful where I didn’t expect it.
At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial a vet found the name of a friend who did not make it home.
Kimberly Keller
Umbrella fiesta was taken at the DC Fiesta in September and DC Pride was taken here in June.
I like both photos for the same reason – I love to see people having fun together. In a world that is so often divided, it’s inspiring to see how joyful connecting with others can still be.
Rob Klug
IG: osoikame
These photos are my two favorites of 2024. On December 25, the day after President Biden made the eagle the official bird of the United States, I found this eagle sitting on a branch overlooking Rock Creek. The timing was amazing as it’s not a commonly seen bird along the creek. It sat all day long on that branch, watching the world go by. On my way home I heard the familiar call of the Kingfisher. Although I see that Kingfisher a few times a week it’s extremely difficult to photograph because it’s so terribly shy. Its call led me to this telephone cable where I found it resting and for the very first time ever, allowed me to come fairly close and calmly photograph it without having to rush. Those two birds made my Christmas perfect.
Marci Lindsay
In 2024, I just kept on making pictures of humans being extraordinarily human. I guess it’s one of my favorite things to do. Both were taken in New York (but yes, I do live in DC).
Angela N.
The Old Post Office Tower has some of the best views in DC, especially in the fall.
The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps is the U.S.’s oldest active infantry regiment. They can trace their lineage to George Washington’s original Continental Army. What a treat to see them with the Washington Monument as their backdrop!
Van Ngo
It’s always so hard to pick one singular or two favorite photos to sum up a year. But if the criteria was an odd, yet serendipitous moment, this shot would be it. On Veterans Day, a little bird fluttered its way into my bedroom and just hung out in various parts of the room, the hallway and in this frame, the door leading to the backyard. Eventually it found my abode too boring and flew away. For the most part I don’t get to photograph birds much, but do have a 70-300 that was used for this occasion and I sure am happy I caught it giving me the side eye.
Victoria Pickering
IG: @vpickering, Flickr
One of the things I value most about living in D.C. is how much you can see up close – whether it is performers or politicians (and sometimes there isn’t much of a difference).
Russ Rumelt
IG: @LLKoolWhip
Arpita Upadhyaya
While I traveled quite a bit in 2024, two of my favorite photos from last year are from close to home, in DC.
The awakening
The first one is from early 2024, right after a snow storm, with the monument and pedestrians reflected in a puddle from freshly melted snow. The texture of the street gives an impression of stars in the sky and the reflections of the people appear purposeful, as though they are marching towards an unknown goal.
Caught in the rush of time
The second one is from the DC metro during my commute. It’s a type of shot that I have taken often, with different perspectives, but I like how the streaks of light from the incoming train slice through the frame – redefining the image, and appearing to trap the unsuspecting commuter, lost in his device.
Jeff Vincent
Last July, I joined a few friends on a visit to a sunflower farm in Nokesville, VA. My favorite image from the visit was unplanned and entirely by chance. I was taking photos from a path that circled the field of flowers. Seemingly out of nowhere, a woman in a colorful dress and appropriately themed umbrella walked right into the field and stood for a moment among the flowers. She disappeared just as quickly. I was in the right place at the right time.
