2023: Top Photo Essays of the Year

Suffice it to say, my feed was pretty documentary heavy in 2023, but I still found time to release some major travel shoots throughout the year. It's once again quite a mixed bag of locations, which is a nice reminder of just how much this aspect of my career has grown over the decade.

The 10 images shown here represent complete photo essays that were released on the Editing Luke site in 2023 - ranked as the 10 most viewed collections on the site this year. Thank you all for coming on this ride with me. Here's to continued adventures in 2024!

10. A visit with the Statue of Liberty

9. Capturing iconic London views from the Royal Leonardo Hotel

8. Inside the German Spy Museum in Berlin

7. A stay at Winnipeg's iconic Fort Garry 

6. The Big Donut: Randy's Donuts

5. Trying the best scotch at the Balmoral in Edinburgh, Scotland

4. Inside the Academy Museum in Los Angeles

3. A stay at the Watergate in Washington DC

2. Climbing the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City

1. Sunsets & Cowboy Baths: Camping out in a vintage trailer in Joshua Tree National Park 

Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Opened in 1913, the Fort Garry Hotel is an icon of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Built by the now defunct Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, the Fort Garry is one of Canada's chateau-style grand railway hotels that were built in the early 20th century to entice tourists to travel their transcontinental routes. The Fort Garry Hotel remains one of Winnipeg's most prestigious hotels to this day.

 

Forever Bicycles in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Forever Bicycles was an artwork installation set against the backdrop of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This sculpture by Ai WeiWei called its location in The Forks home for just over 3 years, but moved on from Winnipeg in 2022. 

 

A Travel Photographer on the Canadian Prairies

Over the last 6 weeks I've found myself scouring the Canadian prairies in an effort to make up for some of the lost opportunities over the last year and a half. While some of this was planned, the majority of these shoots snowballed as a result of the extended warm weather, overdue visits, and frankly, because I just seemed to be on a roll. This autumn has seen new travel shoots across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, with features in Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Calgary, Lethbridge, and of course, Medicine Hat.

Many of these shoots will continue to be added to the Hey, Canada series as they're completed, but below is a collage of some of the random snapshots from the last few weeks.

A Week of Travel Shoots in Manitoba

It's been a busy week of new shoots, experiences, and mapping out potential travel photography hotspots around Winnipeg, Manitoba. Of course, with this being another one of my lengthy road trips, there was also time for a lot of random roadside pitstops, backroad adventures, and even a few unplanned Saskatchewan detours on the way back home. 

This Winnipeg, Manitoba experience was delayed from plans that I had originally organized for last year, so it was great to finally make up for some lost time. As I've been expanding my Canada series over the last few years, I really wanted to get back to Manitoba as I hadn't formally documented anything on previous visits. This meant the itinerary was especially ambitious and I went out of my way to capture thousands of images for a variety of potential projects. 

As is always the case, I released a handful of previews and glimpses from experiences over this past week to share what was going on, however the release of this content and the final photo essays will continue over the months ahead. 

The beautiful autumn scenery really made this an ideal time for a Manitoba getaway. I had so much fun exploring the centre of the country and I can't wait to share more with you soon.

Royal Canadian Mint in Winnipeg, Manitoba

With every single circulated Canadian coin produced at this facility, the Royal Canadian Mint in Winnipeg, Manitoba is a unique attraction. While the tour of the facility is interesting and worthwhile, unfortunately this is all I can show you as there's no photography allowed inside.

 

The Forks Market in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Offering a variety of eclectic products, artisan foods, and a vibrant atmosphere, the Forks Market in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba is a must-visit location. Surrounded by green space and walking trails, the Forks Market is a popular meeting place within the Forks historic site.

Centre of Canada Park in Manitoba

Just east of Winnipeg you'll find the Centre of Canada Park marking the longitudinal centre of the country located in Manitoba. This is where east meets west, half way between the eastern most point located in Newfoundland and the western most point located in the Yukon Territory.