2023 Year in Review: Josh Friedman's Photographs

"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make." Paul McCartney and John Lennon

2023 has been an exciting year for my photography. It continues to provide me with moments of peace and creativity in our world's difficult and frightening times.  In addition to numerous photo excursions throughout Bucks County, Pennsylvania, this year I photographed waterfalls in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains; The magnificent Eiffel Tower in Paris, France; historic, honey-colored cottages in England's Cotswolds region; the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C.; the "Marginal Way" trail in Ogunquit, Maine; the Philadelphia skyline; the sun setting over the ocean in the Bahamas, an historic bridge in York County, Pennsylvania; and a breathtaking sunrise in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As much as I love the history and natural beauty that surrounds me in Bucks County, my travels have provided new and gratifying opportunities for creativity.

Additionally, 2023 has been exciting in terms of a several photography-related projects.  I gave a presentation on HDR (high dynamic range) photography for Allen's Camera. Actor and former theater professor Gary Sloan and I collaborated on two video projects. First, we completed our tribute to Washington's historic crossing of the Delaware River, using his poem, narration and bagpipe with my photographs of Washington Crossing Historic Park and the Delaware River. We also collaborated on a video for the St. Andrew's Church, in Yardley.  I was honored to have one of my photographs of Lake Afton and the Old Library featured as a wall-size mural at the ShopRite store in Yardley. Finally, I continue to sell prints of my photographs through my online ETSY shop. I have now shipped prints to about 45 states in the U.S., as well as multiple other countries. 

What follows are 40-ish of my favorite images from 2023. I had asked a few friends and family for feedback in narrowing down my collection (from my initial list of about 65 images). Whenever I do this, I end up being struck by the subjectivity of art. One person's absolute favorite is completely ignored by someone else.  While one person is moved by a dramatic black and white image, another person is drawn to the emotion of rich color.

In addition to my gratitude to family and friends, and am tremendously thankful to folks who follow my photography. I genuinely appreciate your support and positive feedback, and I hope your 2024 is filled with peace, contentment, good health, laughter and creativity. As always, I am eager to hear which are some of your favorite photographs from my 2023 collection. 

Lower Slaughter, Early Morning Reflections, The Cotswolds, England. September.

New Hope (Bucks County, PA) and the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, Reflected in the Delaware River, Lambertville,
New Jersey. June.

West Trenton Railroad Bridge, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. April.

Bushkill Falls, Boardwalk and Cascade,
The Poconos, Pennsylvania. April.

Fonthill Castle with Fall Foliage, Doylestown,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. November.

Lincoln Memorial in Early Morning,
Washington, D.C. December.

Delaware Canal and Thompson Neely Bridge Sunrise,
New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. November.

Apache Pier Sunrise, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. March.

Delaware Canal and Towpath in Morning Fog,
Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. July.

"Marginal Way", Tree at Sunrise, Ogunquit, Maine. July.

Delaware River and West Trenton Railroad Bridge Before Sunrise, Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. April.

Eiffel Tower and Seine River Before Sunrise,
Paris, France. September.

Cabin Run Covered Bridge with Fall Foliage,
Pipersville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. October.

Core Creek Park, Langhorne, Bucks County,
Pennsylvania. March.

Philadelphia Skyline Reflected in the
Schuylkill River (from the South Street Bridge),
Philadelphia Pennsylvania. April. 

Bucks County Playhouse Sunrise, New Hope,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. November.

Shohola Falls, The Poconos, Pennsylvania. April.

Veteran's Memorial Bridge (officially the Columbia–Wrightsville Bridge), Wrightsville, York County, Pennsylvania. July.

New Hope and the Delaware River with Fall Foliage,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania (seen from Lambertville,
New Jersey). November.

Continental Tavern at Night with Light Trails, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. December.

Sudeley Castle Stairs and Flowers, Winchcombe,
The Cotswolds, England. September.

Cuttalossa Road with Fall Foliage, New Hope,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. October.

Shady Brook Farm Fireworks, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. September.

Spring Sunrise on the Delaware Canal and Towpath, Solebury, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. May.

West Trenton Railroad Bridge Reflected in the Delaware River at Sunrise, Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. October.

"Big Ben," the Palace of Westminster, the Westminster
Bridge and the River Thames, Seen Through a 
Pedestrian Tunnel, London, England. September. 

Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge with a Foggy Sunrise, Lumberville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. August.

Washington Crossing Historic Park with Durham Boats on the Delaware River, Before Sunrise, Washington Crossing, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. December.

Thompson Neely Farm and Bowman's Hill Tower,
New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. October.

New Hope Railroad, New Hope, Bucks County,
Pennsylvania. December.

Eiffel Tower Before Sunrise, from Place du
Trocadéro, Paris, France, September.

Bahamas Sunset Over the Atlantic Ocean,
New Providence, The Bahamas. December. 

Delaware and Raritan Canal, Lambertville,
New Jersey. August.

Fonthill Castle Before Sunrise, Doylestown,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. November.

Snowshill Cottages, The Cotswolds, England. September.

St. Andrew's Church at Sunrise, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. October.

Patterson Farm Before Sunrise, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. October.

New Hope Lambertville Bridge in Morning Fog,
New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. November.

Princeton University Sunrise (seen through Holder Hall), Princeton, New Jersey, September.

Calhoun Street Bridge Before Sunrise, seen from
Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. August.

Cuttalossa Farm, New Hope, Bucks County,
Pennsylvania. October.

2021 Year in Review: Josh Friedman's Photographs

"When one side of a story is heard and often repeated, the human mind becomes impressed with it insensibly." - George Washington

This "Year in Review" post is long overdue, but President's Day seems strangely appropriate, as this year's collection includes sites made famous by Washington and Lincoln. It was an exciting year in terms of my photography. While I primarily focused on the beauty and history and surrounds us in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, I was fortunate to photograph such places as California's "Bay Area," New York City, Gettysburg National Military Park, The Bahamas, and Valley Forge Historic Park.  

This past spring, I was honored to be included in the 2021 Bucks Fever Artists Studio Tour. Also, I enjoyed leading a workshop at the beautiful Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, focusing on photographic composition. In the winter, several of my Bucks County covered bridge photographs were featured in an article in Princeton Magazine. Also, many of my Bucks County landscape photographs were featured (along with other local photographers) in the fundraising notecards published for Yardley's Veteran's Square Monument.

For me, photography offers a chance to be creative and fully "present," in a variety of locations, seasons and weather conditions. It offers moments to pause, and to put the rest of the world on hold, and appreciate the peace, beauty and history of a particular place at that particular moment. What follows are some of my favorite photographs that I took during 2021, presented in chronological order.  About two-thirds of the images are of Bucks County, and the rest are from assorted travels.

New Hope-Lambertville Bridge crossing the partially 
frozen Delaware River, at sunrise, with the setting moon, seen
from Lambertville, New Jersey. (1/30/21)

Lake Afton, Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (1/31/21)

The Van Sandt Covered Bridge in falling snow, 
New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/2/21)

Delaware Canal, towpath, and the Thompson-Neely Camelback bridge, 
in falling snow, in the northern section of Washington Crossing Historic Park, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/2/21)

Thompson-Neely Mill, in front of the Bowman's Hill Tower, in 
falling snow, in New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/2/21)

Pennsylvania Route 32, facing south, in falling snow, near the historic Thompson-Neely House, and the northern section of Washington Crossing Historic Park, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2//2/21)

Partially frozen Lake Afton, in falling snow, 
Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/7/21)

Creamery Road in falling snow, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/7/21)

 Sunset behind the statue of George Washington crossing the
Delaware River, Washington Crossing Inn, 
Washington Crossing, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/8/21) 

  Historic Taylorsville Store, reflected in a puddle at the side of General Washington Memorial Boulevard (route 532), Washington Crossing, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/16/21)

  Core Creek Park in falling snow, Langhorne, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (2/19/21)

Sunset at Patterson Farm, Yardley, Bucks County,
Pennsylvania. (3/1/21)

Princeton University Sunrise, at Holder Hall,
Princeton, New Jersey (March 14, 2021).

Van Sandt Covered Bridge, New Hope,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (4/6/21)

Lake Afton and the Old Library with Morning Light,
Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (4/6/21)

Mahlon Taylor House with the Rising Sun,
Washington Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (4/21/21)

Sunrise at the West Trenton Railroad Bridge, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (4/24/21)

Stone Bridge at Bowman's HIll Wildflower Preserve, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.(4/24/21)

Stone springhouse at Bowman's HIll Wildflower Preserve, with flowering Redbuds in the background, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (4/24/21)

New Hope-Lambertville Bridge and Delaware River at Sunrise, seen from Lambertville, New Jersey. (4/27/21)

Sunrise at the Manhattan Bridge (New York City), seen from the "DUMBO" section of Brooklyn. (5/10/21)

Manhattan Bridge, seen from Washington Street, in the "DUMBO"
section of Brooklyn, New York City. (5/10/21)

Evening sky over Patterson Farm, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (5/13/21)

Sunset at Patterson Farm, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (5/13/21)

Lower Manhattan and Freedom Tower from
Jersey City, New Jersey. (5/16/21)

Tombs of Unknown Revolutionary War Soldiers, Northern
Section of Washington Crossing Historic Park,
New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (6/5/21)

Delaware Canal and Towpath with Rising Sun, Solebury Township,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (6/15/21)

Golden Gate Bridge in Morning Fog, seen from Baker Beach,
San Francisco, California. (7/2/21)

Cathedral Grove, Muir Woods National Monument,
Marin County, California. (7/3/21)

Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, 
San Francisco, California. (7/4/21)

Stanford Memorial Church, on the Main Quad of the
Stanford University campus, Stanford, California. (7/5/21)

Purisma Creek Redwoods Preserve,
Santa Cruz Mountains, California. (7/5/21)

Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey. (7/11/21)

Continental Tavern and Reflection, Yardley, 
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (7/18/21)

Old Library and Echinacea, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (7/18/21) 

Pine Hall and Rising Sun, Princeton University,
Princeton, New Jersey. (7/20/21)

Lower Manhattan and Freedom Tower after Sunset,
seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (7/25/21)

Chrysler Building and Reflection, Manhattan,
New York City. (7/29/21)

Sunrise over the Delaware River, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (8/1/21)

Delaware Canal, Towpath, and Thompson Neely Camelback Bridge in the Northern Section of Washington Crossing Historic Park, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (8/1/21)

"Artillery Park", Valley Forge National Historical Park, 
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. (8/31/21)

Sunrise at the Garden of Reflection, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (9/6/21)

Foggy Sunrise over the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge and the
Delaware River, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (9/7/21)

Centre Bridge-Stockton Bridge in morning fog,
Centre Bridge, Solebury Twp., Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (9/7/21)
 

Centre Bridge-Stockton Bridge in morning fog, 
Centre Bridge, Solebury Twp., Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (9/7/21)

Monument to Major General Oliver O. Howard, Gettysburg National
Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. (9/11/21)

Cannon at Sunset, "The Angle," Gettysburg
National Military Park. (9/11/21)

Washington Crossing Bridge before Sunrise, seen from
Washington Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (9/21/21)

Lake Afton and the Old Library Before Sunrise, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (9/24/21)

Sunrise over the Delaware Canal, Towpath, and Thompson Neely Camelback Bridge in the Northern Section of Washington Crossing Historic Park, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (10/16/21)

Rising Sun over the Frankenfield Covered Bridge and Tinicum Creek, Tinicum Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (10/19/21)

Cuttalossa Creek in autumn, Solebury, Bucks County,
Pennsylvania. (10/30/21)

Delaware Canal and Towpath in Autumn, Northern Section of
Washington Crossing Historic Park, New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (10/30/21)

Delaware and Raritan Canal in Autumn, Lambertville,
New Jersey. (10/31/21)

New Hope, Pennsylvania, over the Delaware River, as seen from Lambertville, New Jersey. (10/31/21)

The Pond, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City. (11/7/21)

Lake Afton and the Old Library, Yardley,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (11/9/21)

Rising Sun Over the Delaware Canal and Towpath, Delaware Canal
State Park, Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (11/13/21)

Patterson Farm, Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (11/14/21)

Fonthill Castle, Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (11/20/21)

Empire State Building in Thanksgiving Colors,
Manhattan, New York City. (11/25/21)

One World Trade Center ("The Freedom Tower"), Financial District,
Manhattan, New York City. (11/26/21)

The Hamptons After Sunset, with Fence and Sand Dunes,
Long Island, New York. (12/4/21)

The Hamptons After Sunset, Long Island, New York. (12/5/21)

Durham Boats in Morning Fog, Delaware River, Washington
Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (12/11/21)

Durham Boats in Morning Fog, Delaware River, Washington 
Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (12/11/21)

Sunrise in the Bahamas, Over the Atlantic Ocean,
New Providence, The Bahamas. (12/21/21)

Palm Trees and the Atlantic Ocean in Early Morning Light, 
New Providence, The Bahamas. (12/21/21)

New Hope and Ivyland Railroad Steaming Up, New Hope,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (12/24/21)

Delaware River and the West Trenton Railroad Bridge Before Sunrise, Yardley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (12/27/21)