The "Best of Weekly Photo Tips" from 2012...

Today we are going to share with you the most popular posts and videos from 2012 as decided by you, our readers.

Starting with the blog, here are the top 5 posts:

1. Two Bazillion Free Fonts

2. Long Exposure Tutorial with Scott Kelby

3. How to Photograph Reflective Surfaces

4a. That Gritty Dave Hill Look

4b. Our Free "Dave Hill" Photoshop Action

5. When Photography Goes to The Dogs

Here are the top viewed viewed videos from our YouTube channel:

1. Long Exposure Tutorial with Scott Kelby

2. Weekly Photo Tips DSLR Matte Box Pro Review

3. Wedding photographer Michelle Turner reviews camera straps

4. DIY Paint Can Light Stand
 
5. Photographing shiny, reflective objects

Some interesting stats from the blog for 2012:

Visitors: 150,000

Page Views: 206,000

It blows me away that we attracted visitors from 180 different countries.

Top 5:

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. Canada
4. Australia
5. Spain

Bottom 5:

176. Malawi
177. Sierra Leone
178. Senegal
179. Turks and Caicos Islands
180. British Virgin Islands

Some more interesting stats from our YouTube channel for 2012:

Total views: 387,813

Total minutes watched: 334,079 (the equivalent of 231 days and 23 hours)

Top 5:

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. Canada
4. Australia
5. Germany

And though all these numbers and stats may be impressive (to some), they are not the most important or most impressive thing to me.

If I had to pick the two biggest accomplishments of Weekly Photo Tips for 2012 it would be these:

1. That so many of you took the time come here, that was HUGE to me. Time is the most precious commodity we have and the fact that you chose to spend some of yours here with me is truly humbling. For that I thank you, I hope you found your time here well spent.

2. Because that we have such a large audience it allowed us for the first time in 2012 to have sponsor, and that has allowed us to do some great work. We take 50% of every affiliate sale and use it support those most in need, we pick up a van load of bread (and sometimes hot dogs) every Sunday and then spend the first half of Monday delivering it to two food pantries and one soup kitchen. It is by far the most rewarding thing I do, and it's because you support this blog. And please, don't think it's only the people who purchase something, it happens because ALL of you take the time to come here.

And just in case you were wondering, if I had to pick my favorite post of the year it would be "Closing the Books on 2011".

Funny thing, that of all of my favorite blog posts from 2012, none had to do with photography, they had to do with my conversations with you, and sharing some of myself.

Of the thousands of images I shot my favorite picture(s) for 2012 were the ones I took of my Daughter for her senior portraits.

Thank you for another un-freaking-believable year, and please know that my life is enriched because of you.