2015 was an eventful year for me! I’ve explored more of the PNW and traveled to new destinations in the U.S. and abroad. I reconnected with old friends and made many new friends. I’ve worked with some amazing, adventurous people, shooting weddings and portraits in some gorgeous locations around the world. I’ve even been named as one of the top 25 best Seattle wedding photographers of 2015 by Expertise! How cool is that?!
Needless to say, it has been a memorable year! I’ve gone through and collected my photo highlights from the past year to share with you. This very random assortment includes weddings, portraits, and a big chunk of travel photography. Some of these have never even been shared before!
These are by no means my very best photos of the year. Some are meaningful to me personally, some stand out to me visually, and some are stolen moments from memories I’d like to share. It was very challenging to narrow them down to just this many, but it had to be done… otherwise this post would take ages to load. I definitely have some favorites as you will see, but I think a few extras from the same shoot tells a more complete story. 😉
Without further ado, please enjoy my photo highlights of 2015 in no particular order.
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pinimageA visit to Washington’s coast with a photographer friend made for a fun evening on the beach.
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pinimageSometimes a photo outing with spontaneous friends results in pretty sunsets in unfamiliar places.
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pinimageAfter many visits to Kerry Park, I think this was the best sky I saw there all year.
pinimageOne of my favorite images of the year from my shoot at the Arboretum in spring.
pinimageThis styled destination elopement was one of my favorite photo shoots of the year.
pinimageI set up this shot, but my dad took the photo of me hiking. Apparently there was a bear a few hundred meters ahead but I never saw it.
pinimageOne of many hikes this year, but one of the few with clear skies and mountain top views.
pinimageThe view from my room at Sofitel So Bangkok over Lumpini Park and the city of Bangkok.
pinimageA lovely Bangkok wedding styled shoot with my fellow travel blogging friends, Natalie and Rob of www.loveandroad.com .
pinimageDragonflies buzzed around us during this shoot in Bangkok’s Lumpini Park.
pinimageThis view of Mount Bromo and surrounding volcanoes was one I had been dreaming of for a long time.
pinimageOne of the most surreal experiences of my life was when ash was falling on me like snow from the crater of Mount Bromo
pinimageA quiet moment next to an erupting volcano in Indonesia.
pinimageA lovely bride with lovely light.
pinimageI loved the light and the setting of this Lincoln Park wedding styled shoot.
pinimageSomehow the gorgeous Cameron Valley Tea plantation is not one of the places normally included in tours. I think this view could rival some others that I saw in Cameron Highlands.
pinimageI fell in love with these expressive monkeys who came down close for a visit. This one always makes me giggle.
pinimageA boatman pulls into the shore at Ubein Bridge, Myanmar.
pinimageMyanmar’s famous Ubein Bridge offered up many photo ops, including this bike silhouette.
pinimageThis lovely lady got all gussied up for my annual (sometimes) Valentine’s boudoir shoot.
pinimageMy silliest couple this year, doing what they do best during their Gasworks Park engagement shoot.
pinimageMichael was not going to let these aggressive geese ruin his engagement shoot.
pinimageWho says jumping photos are overdone? Not me! I’m glad they asked for one.
pinimageOne of Inle Lake’s famed fishermen doing his work.
pinimageA long passageway filled with countless vendors at this market next to Inle Lake.
pinimageA shy little Burmese girl pokes her head out the window on Yangon’s Circle Train.
pinimageSeattle’s sky will occasionally give a good show. I was fortunate to be down on the waterfront with this couple during one such occasion.
pinimageNow also a wedding venue, Emerald City Trapeze got all spruced up to host this wedding last year.
pinimageI loved the unusual set up of this non-traditional elopement ceremony.
pinimageI finally got to mark Bagan off of my bucket list. What a magical place it was!
pinimageI loved these moments on tiny paths in Bagan amongst the temples and the fields of crops.
pinimageMy last Bagan sunset. Such a beautiful place.
pinimageMy most adventurous couple of the year asked me to climb down to the falls for these elopement photos. I needed no convincing!
pinimageCountless steep and precarious steps wore me and my friends out during this hike in Borneo’s Bako National Park.
pinimageA semi-wild Orangatan swings down from the jungle to claim his afternoon snack.
pinimageThis sunset is probably one of the five most spectacular sunsets I have ever witnessed in my life. One of my good travel mates provided an interesting foreground for me.
pinimageAlone in a jungle in Malaysian Borneo I had a quiet moment with these Probiscus Monkeys.
pinimageLove these guys! They had something like 5 ceremonies between Nepal and Seattle, and I was there to capture a few during the Fremont Solstice parade.
pinimageTwo of my dear friends got married this year and honored me by asking me to shoot their wedding.
pinimageI was happy that the Creole Queen was parked in such a way that I could capture some of the old world charm present in New Orleans.
pinimageThe impressive alley of oaks at Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana.
pinimageOreo, everyone’s favorite Louisiana wild boar. Isn’t he adorable?
pinimageMy dear ol’ dad also enjoys photography. He joined me for some location scouting and after much begging, allowed me to take this shot. He never stops inspiring me: www.philiphoweillustration.com
pinimageA wild 1st birthday shoot started off with the serene moment.
pinimageA hilarious, yet very real moment captured during a family shoot.
pinimageTaken in Krabi with a crappy underwater camera, this one of Dave kayaking turned out cooler than I expected.
pinimageA little exploring around Langkawi revealed some beautiful tropical beaches that we discovered on our own.
pinimageA bird’s eye view of a boat loaded with some of Thailand’s glorious fruit.
pinimageI loved this bridge at Echo Falls Golf Club as a setting for this couple shoot.
pinimageA Chinese-American wedding photoshoot in the woods.
pinimageTwo young female monks humored me with a quick photo. I love their reactions to the request.
pinimageGreat timing for this pretty summer engagement shoot with good friends in the rose garden at Woodland Park.
pinimageHoly Spring Temple in Bali was one of the most fascinating places I visited near Ubud.
pinimageOne of my favorite discoveries in Indonesia was this rocky cliffside viewpoint in Nusa Lembongan.
pinimageI caught this moment while stuck in a cave during a downpour.
If you happen to love any of the travel photos, many of them are also available as prints. Just shoot me a message or visit my new Etsy shop (where I’m still adding photos) if you would like to order one.
If you’re curious about any of these photos, most can be searched by subject here on this site, over at http://tracietravels.com , or can be found on my Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/tracietravels . (I had some alignment issues when I tried adding links to each photo, so I think this is the best I can do.) Let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks for looking! Happy 2016!
pinimagePin me because I’m so pinnable!
Valerie D. Perry - Fantastic work! I love the photos of the couple at the bottom of the waterfall. What a memorable shoot!
I too visited Washington’s coast and Mt Rainier last year. Gorgeous!
traciehowe - Thank you so much! How great that you visited both the coast and Mt. Rainier! I always try to get people to go to those places when they visit!
Sreeram - Amazing fotos, following your Instagram gallery right-away .
traciehowe - Haha! Thank you Sreeram! 🙂
Marta Cunha Grilo - You’re pictures are stunning! My favorite one is the last of the list, the one you took in Kuala Lumpur. Happy new year, Tracie!
traciehowe - Thanks, Marta! You know that photo is definitely one of my favorites too. Happy new year to you too!
Elizabeth @ Compass & Fork - I think the Myanmar shots are my favorite. Very mystical and exotic. You hae some lovely photos.
traciehowe - Thanks, Elizabeth! I think I probably took the most photos in Myanmar of all the places I visited this year. I totally agree with the mystical and exotic sentiment!
Jessica - Such talented eyes you have, Tracie. Thank you for showing us so many wonderful spots on earth. Hehe. That Spring near in Ubud is really fascintaing when I saw it last June. After passing by that, there was a snake in the street. Haha. Though I rented a bicycle when I was there, I love walking along the narrow streets in Ubud because of its mini forest trying to wildly climb over the wall. Waiting for your best 2016 photos. I know you will give us amazing collection again. Happy clicking!
traciehowe - Thank you, Jessica! Yes, I was happy to see that Holy Spring Temple. It was pretty interesting. I agree that Ubud had a lot to offer down it’s smaller streets! 🙂
Jennifer McMillen - Wow! Absolutely beautiful photos! Amazing work Tracie!
traciehowe - Thank you Jennifer!
evan kristine - You had such an eventful year! Thank you for sharing some of your best photos, they are wonderful!
traciehowe - Thank you Evan!
Gemma - What a year documented by your lens. Lots of hikes, happy couples, and skylines! I do love the pink of the Seattle skyline, we’ll need to get back there sometime soon.
traciehowe - Thanks, Gemma! It was such a fun year! I hope the next time you’re here that the sky puts on such a show.
Himanshu - This is the first time i am visiting your blog and feeling sad for not knowing you earlier.
You are an amazing photographer and all your pics are superlative.
My fav is of Mount Bromo. Kudos for those awesome captures.
traciehowe - Thank you for your kind words, Himanshu! I hope you will come back or visit my travel blog for more travel pics: http://tracietravels.com .