Top 3 Photographs of 2024: Capturing Moments, Telling Stories, and Finding My Style
2024 has been a pivotal year for me in photography. It’s the year I’ve started to develop my unique style, the year I began writing about my work, and the year I’ve focused on refining my image composition. Most importantly, it’s the year I finally feel confident enough to call myself a photographer.
Let’s take a look at my 3 favourite photographs of 2024, each telling its own unique story—and before we dive into them, I’ll briefly share a few honourable mentions that made the shortlist. There were so many moments this year that I’m proud of, and a few almost made the cut. Below you’ll find a gallery showcasing some of the images that came really close to making my top 3.
Picking my top 3 wasn’t easy. I wanted to choose photos I’d proudly display on my own walls—images that felt both personal and timeless. After narrowing it down to 7, I carefully compared each shot and let my intuition guide me. The 3 that stood out most became my top picks, but before we dive into those, let’s take a moment to celebrate the runners-up.
Now that we've seen some of the images that almost made the cut, let’s dive into the top 3—starting with third place.
2024 Third Place - Cafe Scene - Amsterdam
Cafe Scene - Amsterdam - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ4, 1/640, ISO200
2024’s Third Place image is Cafe Scene, a shot of people enjoying a break in a bar while shopping at Albert Kupt Markt in Amsterdam. With this image, I wanted to capture the vibrant cafe scene in summertime Amsterdam, and the relaxed pace the locals took to activities.
This scene isn’t just a snapshot of Amsterdam—it’s an invitation to step into the moment. I hope when you look at it, you can almost feel the warmth of the sun and hear the hum of conversation in the café. The yellow umbrella, framing the shot, adds a touch of warmth to the cool, urban scene.
2024 Second Place - Cloud Inversion - Shropshire Hills
Cloud Inversion Shropshire Hills - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ4, 1/320, ISO200
2024’s Second Place image - Cloud Inversion - is a shot I have been trying to take ever since I first started photography back when I was a teenager. I think like most beginner photographers I started with landscapes, inspired by trips to the Lake District with my family, I wanted to capture the awe inspiring fells so that I could take them home to the flat lands of Peterborough. And like all wannabe Mountain Landscape photographers, cloud inversions are the wholly grail. Unfortunately I have never found my self in the right place at the right time until a trip to Shropshire this year.
I captured this shot on the final day of a two day trip to a Canopy and Stars cabin in November. This trip was not blessed by the weather. Heavy rain greeted us on our arrival, and stuck around almost all the way through our three day stay. The cabin was cozy, which made the rain feel less like a setback and more like an opportunity to relax. This was until the final morning.
Waking up with the sun peeking over the hills and in through the cabin window, I looked put and saw the valley below filled with cloud. Knowing this was my chance, I jumped out of bed, chucked on a Dry Robe, grabbed my camera and tripod. And headed outside to capture this maybe once in a lifetime moment.
And Finally…….. My 2024 Best Photo is……..
2024 Winning Photo - Pink Boat - Amsterdam
Pink Boat - Amsterdam - Olympus E-M10 Mark II, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH, ƒ5, 1/400, ISO200
I captured this image on our second day in Amsterdam on a stroll around De 9 Straatjes area. This little rowboat was tied up to the edge of one of the canals and seemed to be a little forgotten about. For some reason, this caught my eye and I snapped a quick shot of it, but wasn’t expecting much as it wasn’t the most exciting image of the day, but as I am learning through these monthly reviews, it is often the least expected photos that I like the most.
The reason I like this shot so much is its simplicity. I like the simple shape of the boat against the calmness of the canal water. I also love the colour palette. The light pink contrasts the greeny waters which are complimented by a similar green in the neatly tied rope at the bow of the boat. The faded blue paint on the bow of the boat adds another contrast to both the green and the pink.
One of the reasons this image resonates with me is how suprised I was when I opened it up in light room. I really was a shot I thought little of when I took it, it wasn’t a memorable moment, or a short I was desperate to see on a bigger screen. But when I opened the file, something just grabbed my attention. It’s an image I could look at for hours, and as my main criteria for selection was “would I hang this on any wall”, the little pink boat, with it’s pastel colours and calming feel is that photo for me.
Looking back on these photos, I’m reminded that photography isn’t just about the images we capture—it’s about the moments we live and the stories we tell. 2024 has been a year of growth, both as a photographer and as a storyteller. I can’t wait to see where 2025 takes me and what new stories I’ll capture along the way.