2017 – A Year of Travel In 100 Color Photographs

Lake Natron by Alex Berger

Every year I post 65 (expanded this year to 100) of my favorite photos from the year’s travels.  Ordinarily, this post comes around the New Year. This year, it and its black and white sibling will land in the middle of April.  The reason for this? Fantastic travels and an expanded focus on travel photography. At the close of 2016 I spent 9 incredible days exploring Tanzania and Zanzibar. Those photos are included in this year’s 100 shots and part of the reason that I just couldn’t quite cut things at 65.

This year’s post includes photos from the United States, Mexico, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Iceland, Denmark, China, Romania, Slovenia, and Italy.  It was a spectacular year of travel and one which was complemented by a significant upgrade to my equipment in May when I gave up on Canon, sold my Canon 6D and pivoted to the Sony A7RII. On top of changing camera styles, I also significantly upgraded from one tier of camera to another. I’ve spent the last year learning the new camera and focusing heavily on how to enhance my photography.  The photos in this post are taken on a combination of the two cameras.  The Sony also brings with it added video capabilities which have led to added exploration with creating video content which you can explore here.

This post is part of an annual tradition.  For previous years, check out 2012, 20132014 and 2015 and 2016.  Stay tuned for my 100 favorite black and white shots from 2017 which will be linked (HERE).

Questions about how I composed or took a specific photo? Feel free to ask in a comment. You’re also encouraged to check out my complete flickr albums here which include the many other shots from 2017 (and previous years) which didn’t make it in this post.

Leopards of the Serengeti

The Serengeti, Tanzania

The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States

Kamniška Bistrica

Kamniska Bistrica, Slovenia

Sunrise Before Ol Doinyo Lengai

Lake Natron, Tanzania

The Terracotta Army - Xi'an

The Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an, China

Martial Eagle - Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Afternoon Rays - The Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States

The Serengeti's Tree Climbing Lions

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Kamnik Bistrica River

Kamnik Bistrica River, Slovenia

Mother and Child - Serengeti Cheetah

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Canyon X - Antelope Canyon - Arizona

Antelope Canyon, Arizona, United States

Seljalandsfoss at Sunset

Seljalandsfoss, Iceland

The Mules of Ol Doinyo Lengai

Lake Natron, Tanzania

The Golden Bush - Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, United States

The Great Wall in a Snow Storm

The Great Wall, China

Canyon X - Antelope Canyon - Arizona

Antelope Canyon, Arizona, United States

Below Savica Falls

Savica Falls, Slovenia

Hvolsvöllur - Iceland

Hvolsvöllur, Iceland

A Leopar'ds Perch

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Kamniška Bistrica

Kamniska Bistrica, Slovenia

Storks at Sunrise over Lake Natron

Lake Natron, Tanzania

Lost in Time

Canyon-X, Arizona, United States

The Falls of Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss, Iceland

African Flamingos - Serengeti

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Lago di Fusine - Italy

Lago di Fusine, Italy

The Lion's Tears

The Serengeti, Tanzania

A Snow Kissed Great Wall

The Great Wall, China

Sandstone Skies

Canyon-X, Arizona, United States

Nauthusagill Waterfalls

Nauthusagill Waterfalls, Iceland

Storks at Sunrise over Lake Natron

Lake Natron, Tanzania

Lake Bled in the Mists

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Lost in the Sand Sea

Canyon-X, Arizona, United States

A Baby Elephant

The Serengeti, Tanzania

The Romanian Countryside

The Countryside, Romania

The King - Lion - Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Flowing Water - Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss, Iceland

Ol Doinyo Lengai - Tanzania

Lake Natron, Tanzania

Lost in the Sand Sea

Canyon-X, Arizona, United States

Predjama Castle - Slovenia

Predjama Castle, Slovenia

The Streets of Stone Town

Stone Town, Zanzibar

The Man and his Horse

Rupea, Romania

The Serengeti's Tree Climbing Lions

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Ngorongoro Crater - Tanzania

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Lost in the Sand Sea

Canyon-X, Arizona, United States

Jökulsárlón Glacier Bay

Jökulsárlón Glacier Bay, Iceland

The Watchers - The Great Migration

The Serengeti, Tanzania

The Black Church - Brasov

Brasov, Romania

The Elephants of Tarangire

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Crashing Waves - Reynisfjara

Reynisfjara, Iceland

The Leopard - Serengeti

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Slap Kozjak Waterfall

Slap Kozjak Waterfall, Slovenia

Ice Cracks

The Harbor, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Light Within

Canyon-X, Arizona, United States

Gazing Outward - Lion Rock

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Reynisdrangar - Long Exposure

Reynisdrangar, Iceland

Horseshoe Bend - Arizona

The Horseshoe Bend, Arizona, United States

Stone Town Harbor

Stone Town, Zanzibar

Frozen Nyhavn

Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Lover's Roar

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Kamniška Bistrica

Kamniska Bistrica, Slovenia

Seaside Sunset - Puerto Penasco

Puerto Penasco, Mexico

Lions Beneath a Rainbow at Sunset

Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Reynisdrangar - Long Exposure

Reynisdrangar, Iceland

Sucevita Monastery and Fortification

Sucevita Monastery, Romania

Lake Bohinj - Slovenia

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

The Worst Lion

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Romania in Bloom

Near Brasov, Romania

The Maasai People - Tanzania

Rift Valley, Tanzania

Reynisdrangar - Long Exposure

Reynisdrangar, Iceland

Gullfoss - Iceland

Gullfoss, Iceland

Seaside Sunset - Puerto Penasco

Puerto Penasco, Mexico

The Maasai People - Tanzania

Lake Natron, Tanzania

Steamy Shanghai Streets

Shanghai, China

Zebras of Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Jægersborg Dyrehave in Snow

Jægersborg Dyrehave, Copenhagen, Denmark

Zebra in a Line

Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Rupea Castle - Romania

Rupea Castle, Romania

The Cheetah

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Frozen February - Copenhagen

The Lakes, Copenhagen, Denmark

Lion Lovers - The Serengeti

The Serengeti, Tanzania

The Harbor Divers of Stone Town

Stone Town, Zanzibar

The Forbidden City - Beijing

The Forbidden City, Beijing, China

The Streets of Copenhagen

Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Circle of Life

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Commerce by Land and Sea

Shanghai, China

Leopards of the Serengeti

Serengeti, Tanzania

The Purple Flower - Gullfoss

Gullfoss, Iceland

The Maasai People - Tanzania

Rift Valley, Tanzania

Walking Ljubljana

Lake Ljubljana, Slovenia

Zebras of Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Shanghai Hotpots

Shanghai, China

A Tanzanian Giraffe

Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Öxarárfoss Waterfall

Öxarárfoss Waterfall, Iceland

The Lions of Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Børsen and Christiansborg

Copenhagen, Denmark

Sunrise Before Ol Doinyo Lengai

Lake Natron, Tanzania

The Cheetah of the Serengeti Plains

The Serengeti, Tanzania

Stone Town Harbor

Stone Town, Zanzibar

Sailboats - Lake Bohinj - Slovenia

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

The Serengeti

The Serengeti, Tanzania

 

For those curious and/or who want to support me, the following camera and lens links are affiliate links. The majority of Safari photos were taken on a Canon 6D, a few random shots from trips up to Slovenia on a Canon M3, and the majority of all other photos on a Sony A7RII.  All using either a Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 40mm f/2.8, Canon 17-40mm f/4, Sigma 70-300mm lens with the 6D or a Sony 70-300mm, Sony 24-70mm f/4, or Sony 50mm f/1.8. I do light editing in Adobe Lightroom. You can see the specific settings each image was taken at via the EXIF data on flickr. I’m also always happy to answer questions.

Thanks for a wonderful year!  I cannot wait to see what adventures and explorations 2018 brings and don’t forget to jump over to 2017’s 100 best black and white shots (coming soon)!

I am a travel blogger and photographer. I also am involved in academic research into the study abroad and backpacker communities.

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