I had some wonderful photo opportunities during 2024, with major trips to Lisbon, Portugal and Costa Rica, various excursions in this country, and the usual exploration of local neighborhoods.

This post is a small sample of my favorite shots from the year just past, and you can find a slightly larger selection in this gallery.

It’s certainly not a “best of” collection since I’m a pretty bad judge of what’s actually good in my work. These are simply images from the past twelve months that make me smile and that I think others might enjoy as well.

At the top is a street scene in Lisbon that offers some idea of the chaos in that city, centered on their iconic street cars. It’s always a lot of fun watching life unfold in unfamiliar places. This shot is part of a full gallery from the week we spent in that area.

Next, a mild June morning in lower Manhattan, which I guess seemed like a good time to take calls in the park. Although this man did not seem happy. Many more images from this visit to New York City are in galleries one and two.

I am not a wildlife photographer. But some good guidance and great opportunities during ten days in Costa Rica resulted in some wonderful shots of animals and birds (lots of birds!). Like this one of a scarlet macaw in flight.

The Saturday morning market in Old Town Alexandra usually attracts one or two street musicians along with the usual produce and other vendors. However, you don’t often see someone playing the steel drums. Remember, always tip your street musicians.

Finally, here’s a good example of why you always need to pay attention and keep a camera handy. I ran across this scene while wandering the streets of Lisbon and, with my “real” camera in the bag, captured this on my iPhone. I just love the woman’s expression.