Mobile Bay’s Top 20 Photos of 2020

We close the door on 2020 with a look at some of the most eye-catching photos of the year.

McGill-Toolen basketball sensation Barry Dunning. Featured in “Wonder Kids,” August 2020 // Photo by Matthew Coughlin

I liked the way the color and the space of the image worked together and the way the player fit the space and added to the impact.  Not to mention the fact that he can balance the ball on his finger without spinning it, while nonchalantly looking at the camera.

Jocko Potts, Publisher
Barbecue shrimp on the grill. Featured in “Sunset Supper,” April 2020 // Photo by Elizabeth Gelineau
Jacopo Pedrin kiteboarding on Dauphin Island. Featured in “Catching the Wind,” July 2020 // Photo by Matthew Coughlin

I loved the sharpness and detail of the kiteboarder in this shot. It really jumped off the page. Another great photo by Matt Coughlin.

Stephen Potts, Assistant Publisher
The Greek Burger from Ox Kitchen in Fairhope. Featured in “7 Best Burgers You’ve Never Had,” August 2020 // Photo by Elizabeth Gelineau
Winners of the inaugural Watershed Awards. Featured in “Watershed Awards: 10 Champions of Sustainability,” January 2020 // Photo by Matthew Coughlin

I loved putting this massive group photo together for our first ever environmental awards. We were inspired by a photo we saw of a group of surfers all standing at the shore of the Pacific Ocean and wanted to recreate that look. We all climbed down a retaining wall alongside the Causeway, waded through muck and driftwood up to our knees, and came out on this little beach right in front of the Battleship. They were troopers! We captured everyone in one shot, but photographer Matt Coughlin combined 13 different versions of the same photo to make this final photo, as I moved down the line holding a light in front of each face so everyone was illuminated well. Technology, skill and everyone’s adventurous spirit made this shot possible!

Maggie Lacey, Executive Editor
Bacon-Wrapped Elk with Chimichurri created by Chef Jeremiah Matthews of Daphne’s Southwood Kitchen. Featured in “Wild Cuisine,” February 2020 // Photo by Elizabeth Gelineau
Roberta Swann, director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, on Three Mile Creek. Featured on the January 2020 cover // Photo by Matthew Coughlin

The angle of the vessel and the paddles and the movement of the water brought this cover to life for me. The subject looks as if she is riding right off the page. The lighting and colors are fantastic! This was the Trailblazer Issue for 2020, and I think this photo depicts that theme perfectly. 

Laurie Kilpatrick, Art Director
Melinda and Mike Finan’s Dog River home. Featured in “La Louisianne on Dog River,” March 2020 // Photo by Justin Cordova
Assorted cocktails from Post. Featured in “Summer Cocktail Recipes from POST,” July 2020 // Photo by Elizabeth Gelineau

Elizabeth Gelineau always makes every dish look its best, but these gorgeous cocktails didn’t need any extra help. POST knew exactly what we all needed to get through a long, hot summer at home.

Abby Parrott, Managing Editor/Web
Summer storm brewing on the Bay. Featured in “Before & After: Bay House Renovation,” July 2020
Benjamin the giraffe at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. Featured in “Keeper of the Zoo,” July 2020 // Photo by Matthew Coughlin

I’ll never forget being face-to-face with this gentle giant, Benjamin, at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. Matthew Coughlin’s ability to capture every little wisp of hair is remarkable. Remembering that fuzzy face sure brings a smile to mine.

Amanda Hartin, Editorial Assistant
The remote camps of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Featured in “The Rivers are Roads,” December 2020 // Photo by Sam St. John
Boaty Campbell on his Point Clear wharf. Featured in “Get to Know Boaty Campbell,” June 2020 // Photo by Matthew Coughlin

This photograph sums up the late firefighter, fisherman, and master storyteller, Boaty Campbell. Pictured on Mobile Bay, around which his entire life revolved, Boaty proudly stands on a pier that he built, beside a boat he constructed with his own two hands. Even as he underwent chemotherapy to fight the cancer that would ultimately take his life (in fact, he had undergone treatment just hours before this photo shoot), Boaty never lost his joy. It’s hard to look at this image and not be impressed by the happiness on his face, despite the battle he was fighting.

Breck Pappas, Contributing Writer
Whole grilled fish by Chef Jim Smith of The Hummingbird Way. Featured in “Restaurant Review: The Hummingbird Way,” March 2020 // Photo by Elizabeth Gelineau
Canoeing on the river. Featured in “Alabama Rivers: A Celebration & Challenge,” November 2020 // Photo by Hunter Nichols

Amidst all the chaos of 2020, this photo captured the calm and serene beauty that we are surrounded by each day. We just need to look up from our screens long enough to really take it all in!

Joe Hyland, Sr. Account Executive
The restored Joshua Kennedy Jr. home, located in the Church Street East historic neighborhood of downtown Mobile at 607 Government Street. Featured in “Mystic Restoration,” February 2020 // Photo by Summer Ennis Ansley
Sailing vessel, The Virginia, on Mobile Bay circa 1930. Featured on the June 2020 cover // Photo courtesy S. Blake McNeely Collection, The Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of South Alabama

I absolutely love this old photo because it shows how our love and appreciation for the water has endured for generations.

Anna Pavao, Account Executive
Sailor’s Punch, Kai Kai and Kentucky Atoll cocktails crafted by local bartenders. Featured in “Tiki Talk,” September 2020 // Photo by Elizabeth Gelineau
A vignette from Brady and Rob Berglin’s eclectically curated, cabin-style home in Fairhope. Featured in “The Story House,” November 2020 // Photo by Justin Cordova

Flipping through the November Issue, my six year old, Rosaleigh, saw this photo and said, “Mommy, look how beautiful this house is!” Home has taken on a new meaning for all of us this year, and the warmth and intention of the Berglin’s living room is captured perfectly in this shot. I hope my daughter found this home beautiful because it reminds her of her own.

Jennifer Ray, Account Executive
Marshlands where the Mobile-Tensaw Delta meets Mobile Bay. Featured in “Watershed Awards: 10 Champions of Sustainability,” January 2020 // Photo by Kathy Hicks

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