Reviewing a year of photos is almost like experiencing the best dives of the last 12 months all over again. You would think the task of selecting a few images as my favourites would be relatively easy. Then something happened during the selection process, and I began to realize that it’s not necessarily the content of the photo that hooks me, but it’s the experience of getting them. So as I sifted through the gigabytes of files, this seemingly easy task of finding a few favourites became a full-blown project, and the hours slipped into days, as I relived some of the best adventures I had in 2012. 

And so it goes, in a never-ending loop: Researching, travelling, diving, making friends, swapping stories, and finding critters. The year has ended, but I’m already gearing up and getting ready for new adventures in 2013. I can’t help but to feel excitement thinking about the new year and wondering what incredible adventure awaits me. 

Hope you enjoy!

Mike Bartick was born and raised in Southern California, not far from the ocean in Huntington Beach. After finding his first nudibranch on an Open Water checkout dive, he was immediately hooked on diving. Bartick, who splits his time between the Indo-Pacific and the Eastern Pacific as a freelance photographer, photojournalist and field guide, shoots with a Nikon D300 and D300s, Sea and Sea housings, and YS-D1 and YS 250 pro strobes. To see more of his work, visit saltwaterphoto.com.