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 

A Stay At the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC

Completed in 1971, the Watergate Complex is one of the more well known, prestigious, and storied addresses in Washington DC. Comprised of offices, residences, and the iconic Watergate Hotel, the property and its name became immortalized following the Watergate Scandal leading to President Nixon's resignation in 1974.

The Watergate Hotel reopened in 2016 after almost a decade of closure and a $100 million renovation that embraced both the prestige and scandal associated with the name.

In addition to the upscale finishes, you don't have to look too hard to find references to wiretaps, President Nixon, and nods to notable past residents. These small touches give the Watergate Hotel its distinct character and are a clever and casual way of contextualizing the history. Located next door to the Kennedy Center, and with unmatched views overlooking the Potomac River, the Watergate Hotel is still a conversation starter.  

Space Shuttle Discovery in Virginia

At the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum you'll find the Space Shuttle Discovery on display just outside of Washington DC. With over 27 years of service and 39 missions completed, Space Shuttle Discovery has spent more time in space than any other spacecraft to date. In addition to assembly missions to build the ISS (International Space Station) this modern marvel also carried the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit.