Here are some of the photos from my 2011.
Some are included because they are one of my faves. Some are included because I consider them as my best. Some are included because they were a notable story. And some are included just for the hell of it.
On a side note: While scanning my images from the year, I did notice that there were more than a few images of people wearing cowboy hats this year – an occupational hazard for ‘Cowtown’ photographers, I suppose. My lens found its fair share of stetsons this year – whether it was a mounted police officer doing his rounds, a good Samaritan helping out during a flood, an artist working on a window, a cowboy getting tossed from his bucking bronco during the Stampede.
Even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge opted for the western look during their Calgary portion of their Royal Tour.
This was my 2011. And here’s to a great 2012.
(Click on an image for a gallery view)
The Old West meets the New West, The Calgary Police Service’s Constable Scott Campbell, atop police service horse Buddy, interviews two underage youths he found to be acting suspiciously on Edmonton Trail in Bridgeland in Calgary, Alberta Wednesday, May 18, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Friends Nini Li, left, and Cheolmin Jung walk along a pathway at Eau Claire Market during a wet afternoon in Calgary, Alberta Monday, May 23, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Calgary Flames President Ken King listens in as Craig Conroy speaks to the media at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Thursday, January 27, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
A window artist gets a plus-15 above 3 Ave. S.W. ready for the Stampede season in Calgary Alberta Friday, June 24, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Dylan Rose, 4, creeps up to her own ski jump at Canada Olympic Park, with ski jumps used in the 1988 Winter Olympics in the background, in Calgary, Alberta in Calgary Wednesday, March 30, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
BCBG fashions at the Fall Luxury Fashion show displaying fall/winter fashion at The CORE in Calgary Tuesday, October 4, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Members of the public observe a prayer during Remembrance Day services at the Military Museums in Calgary Friday, November 11, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
From left, Anna Calabrese, Giselle Gerlitz, who is attempting to coax a ball roll, Nicoletta Dal Cin, Lisa Cook and Gulia Sorrento play bocce ball at the Calgary Italian Club in Calgary Thursday, November 24, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Liberal Party of Canada leader Michael Ignatieff at the Central Grand Restaurant in Calgary Friday, February 4, 2011. The Chinese characters translate roughly to – A place to respect your guest.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
A “fan” is greeted by stadium security after running on the the field during the second half of the CFL game between the Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts at McMahon Stadium in Calgary Alberta Friday, July 1, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watch a rodeo demonstration at the BMO Centre at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary Alberta Thursday, July 7, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Sand baggers leave to pick up another load of sand bags for the Wallaceville area of High River, Alberta Wednesday, May 27, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
An Occupy Calgary protestor confronts Calgary by-law official Bill Bruce about signs that had been taken down at the site of Occupy Calgary at Olympic Plaza in Calgary Friday, December 9, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, left, and aldermen Gord Lowe comment on the new city budget at City Hall in Calgary Wednesday, November 9, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Calgary police with a distraught man at the scene of an incident involving a truck and trailer that left one man dead on Stoney Trail between Metis Trail and Deerfoot Trail in northeast Calgary, Alberta Monday, August 22, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The girlfriend, wearing a white hood, of a dead man is comforted at the shore of Lake Chestermere in Chestermere east of Calgary, Alberta Sunday, August 7, 2011. The man went missing Saturday after falling, and presumably drowned, in the water while tubing.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
David Dominic reacts at the scene of a fire on Coventry Hills Way in Calgary Friday, January 28, 2011. His home was damaged in the blaze.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Chip McCullough at the Barrier fire lookout tower in the Kananaskis valley west of Calgary, Alberta Wednesday, August 3, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Barrier fire lookout tower in the Kananaskis valley west of Calgary, Alberta Wednesday, August 3, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Josh Rose on the frozen pond he keeps clear to skate on in Calgary Friday, February 11, 2011. Rose uses a home made Zamboni to fill in some cracks in the ice.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Searchers scour the area near where a three year-old boy, Kienan Hebert, went missing in Sparwood, British Columbia Saturday, September 10, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The backyard of the home in which a three year-old boy, Kienan Hebert, was last seen before going missing, in Sparwood, British Columbia Thursday, September 8, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Kienan Hebert tosses a frisbee with his father Paul Hebert in Sparwood, British Columbia Sunday, September 11, 2011. Kienan Hebert, 3, was returned to his home early Sunday morning after going missing Wednesday. Randall Peter Hopley, 46, is being sought as a suspect in the abduction.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Calgary Flames’ TJ Brodie takes a tumble against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Thursday, December 1, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Members of the Dr. E.P. Scarlett Lancers men’s volleyball team celebrate winning the ASAA provincials final against Bev Facey Falcons at Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School in Calgary Saturday, November 26, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The UFA Bisons’ Wilson Sproule, left, has to deal with the Beardy Blackhawks’ Elliott Peterson during round-robin play at the Mac’s Midget Hockey Tournament at Max Bell Centre in Calgary, Alberta Tuesday, December 27, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
From right, Max Gagne, of Edmonton, is counted out against Brad Soanes, of Medicine Hat, at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Calgary Friday, January 14, 2011. Soanes won with a first round knock-out.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
A Calgary Flames fan gets a close encounter with the Nashville Predators’ Shea Weber during the second period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Tuesday, November 29, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Calgary Flames’ Rene Bourque leaps into the boards to celebrate a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Thursday, December 1, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Sheamus, top, and Mark Henry in the WWE event at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Tuesday, August 23, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Wes Cates, left, and the Calgary Stampeders’ Brandon Smith during the second quarter of their CFL game at McMahon Stadium in Calgary Saturday, October 1, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Calgary Stampeders’ Geoff Tisdale and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ Bakari Grant contest a ball during the first quarter of their CFL game at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta Saturday, August 6, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Cody Taton is thrown by from atop Stars Alive in the Saddle Bronc competition on day two of the Calgary Stampede Rodeo in Calgary Alberta Saturday, July 9, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Calgary Flames’ Miikka Kiprusoff makes a save with his skate against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Monday, February 7, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Two participants in the youth event, the Wild Pony Race, attempt to control a pint-sized equine at the Calgary Stampede in Calgary July 9, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
From left, The University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ Steven Dasilva and Kyle Ross bump into each other in action of the game 2 of the Canada West semi-final at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary Saturday, March 5, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Canada’s Ian Millar is forced to control his excited mount, Dryden, as Jon Garner, a manager at Spruce Meadows runs clear, during the award’s ceremony for the ATCO Midstream Challenge, Phase II, at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta Friday June 10, 2011. Ian Millar placed third in the event.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Toronto Argonauts’ Spencer Watt, #89, dives to try and catch a pass with the Calgary Stampeders’ Keon Raymond, #25, chasing during the second half of their CFL football game at McMahon Stadium in Calgary Alberta Friday, July 1, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Calgary Flames’ Miikka Kiprusoff, centre, reacts to the thrid Vancouver Canucks goal during the first period of their NHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary Tuesday, November 1, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ James Patrick, left, can only watch as the Calgary Stampeders’ Jabari Arthur dives for a reception during the second quarter of their CFL game at McMahon Stadium in Calgary Saturday, October 1, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Switzerland’s Dean Kukan jumps in an attempt to control the puck with his hand against Sweden during the third period of their round-robin game of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Wednesday, December 28, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
Sweden’s Johan Gustafsson keeps his eye on the puck against Switzerland during the third period of their round-robin game of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Wednesday, December 28, 2011.(Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)
You got some amazing shots!!! Very talented!