I looked back at the faces of this community and the events that we’ve gone through together this past year, and the images that stood out were the ones that allowed me to ask a question.
The kinds of images that I can stare at for long periods of time and wonder “What was Gretchen thinking as she looked back at me in that swamp?” or “What brought that man to the beach that morning to walk between the shadows of the palm trees alone?” These are questions that I will probably never know the answers to, but that’s what makes this collection of photographs so special to me. I do what I do to ask questions and try to find the answers in a visual way.
Thank you for a wonderful 2017, and I look forward to continuing to ask questions in 2018.
Best photos of 2017: Katie Klann
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Dragonfly season coincides with large mosquito hatches, one of their main food sources. Here, hundreds of dragonflies hover over the beach in Naples, Florida, waiting for their prey on Saturday, July 15, 2017.
Katie Klann/Naples Daily News
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Gretchen Matt, also known as "Dirty Bowl," turns around to adjust her pack while wading through the swamps of Big Cypress National Preserve as she begins her 1,100-mile hike on the Florida Trail on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. The Florida Trail is one of 11 National Scenic Trails.
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The Glam Bam Burlesque troupe runs through the opening number to "Big Spender" during rehearsal Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, at Blue Flame of Naples. "To dress up and wear the costumes and the makeup and the hair," says Rose Bernstein, co-founder of the troupe, "it's very intriguing."
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Dr. George Wilder uses a small magnifying glass to look closely at a leaf on Friday, May 5, 2017, at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Golden Gate Estates. Wilder and his research partner Jean McCollom created a floristic inventory of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary over roughly two years, recording 773 different plants.
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A person walks along the beach at sunrise on Friday, March 17, 2017, in Naples, Fla.
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Ivana Lezcano, left, measures a nesting sea turtle as Michelle Sparks takes down the information on Thursday, July 20, 2017, on Keewaydin Island. As the turtle begin to lay her eggs, she goes into a sort of trance. This is when the interns gather their information.
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Fire rescue teams work to fight the fire as nearby farm animals remain calm Friday, April 22, 2017, in Golden Gate Estates. At this time, the brush fire was 5,500 acres and was only 10 percent contained.
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Lely High School football practice on Thursday, August 10, 2017.
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Lane Brennan, from Fort Myers, hugs his mom, Amy Brennan, after winning on the second night of the Professional Bull Riders Touring Pro Division at Germain Arena on Saturday, July 29, 2017. Brennan is 21 years old.
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A fisherman throws a net as seagulls crowd the shoreline in Bonita Springs on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017.
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Gina Young moves a skimboard out of the way as her son, Jake Young, holds Shelley "Sea Shelley" McKernan in the water on Saturday, April 1, 2017 in Downtown Naples. McKernan is using her sparkly mermaid tail to teach people about the environment, health and other issues she’s passionate about.
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Students pause during a dance rehearsal on Thursday, June 1, 2017 at Etudes de Ballet in North Naples during a dress rehearsal for "Mary Poppins".
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Stanley Cronig kisses his wife, Cynthia, on the forehead after exchanging vows at the 8th Annual ValentineÕs Day Vow Renewal Ceremony on Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at Lovers Key. The couple got engaged when Cynthia proposed to Stanley during fireworks at Martha's Vineyard and they've been married for 61 years.
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Leos TV Event, a greyhound from the Oxbow-Trow Kennel, walks onto the track before the second race on Friday, April 7, 2017 at the Naples-Fort Myers Track and Entertainment Center in Bonita Springs.
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Florida Everblades goalie, Anthony Peters, makes his way to the rink during game 7 of the South Division Semifinals between the Florida Everblades and the Orlando Solar Bears on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Germain Arena in Estero. This marks the third game 7 in the history of the Everblades.
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Crystal Holler waits for her clothes to dry in the garage of her neighbor's home in Chokoloskee on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, three days after Hurricane Irma. "All of my clothes came flying out of the house," said Holler. She returned home to find her clothing covered in mud in her yard.
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Tourists snorkel on Monday, August 21, 2017 at the Devil's Den Spring near Williston, Florida.
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The brush fire continues to burn as helicopters and planes drop water on the target areas on Friday, April 21, 2017 in Golden Gate Estates.
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Damien Rodriguez, 2, from left, Kelzie Hinojosa, 1, and Jody Gutierrez, 1, sit in a wagon after being crowned kings and queen of the festival during the Celebrate Immokalee Festival, hosted by The Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch in Immokalee on Sunday, March 26, 2017. The festival celebrates the rich history and traditions of the community and included a cattle drive, rides, carnival games and food.
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As it begins to rain near mile 718 of the Florida trail, Cyrilia Trudel-Gazquez, Gretchen Matt, and Lint Bunting pull out their rain gear and continue hiking on Saturday, February 18, 2017.
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People exercise along Fort Myers Beach on Friday, March 17, 2017.
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A double exposure image shows people watch the fireworks from the beach during the New Years Eve celebration at Naples Pier on Saturday, December 31, 2016 in downtown Naples.
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Students in puppy costumes make their way to their seats on Thursday, June 1, 2017 at Etudes de Ballet in North Naples during a dress rehearsal for "Mary Poppins".
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Jorge Donis, 6, looks around as he stands directly on a fountain on Friday, June 9, 2017 at Sun-N-Fun Lagoon at the North Naples Regional Park. The event, Hot Summer Nights, is hosted by the Collier County Sheriff's Department and occurs on Fridays throughout the summer.
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Philip Baum throws his head back in laughter as he stakes down an inflatable Christmas puppy in the Santa's pet store section of the yard on Sunday, November 19, 2017. Baum groups decorations together to fit different themes and provide photo opportunities for visitors.
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Marckus, Marckens, and Marcin Docteur wave to the crowd from a float in the Fourth of July parade on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 in Downtown Naples.
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Arik Levy poses for a portrait with his 20 foot sculpture outside of Baker Museum on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at Artis-Naples in North Naples, Florida. "Unnatural History" is Levy's first exhibition in the United States.
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An aircraft drops retardant on target areas as the Greater Naples Fire Rescue, North Collier Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service keep flames from spreading on Friday, April 22, 2017 in Golden Gate Estates.
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Investigators in hazmat suits gather material in bags inside of the terminal two baggage claim at the Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Saturday, January 7, 2017. Esteban Santiago opened fire on the terminal two baggage claim the Friday before.
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Torrence Andrews, firefighter with Great Naples Fire Rescue Station 72, peers down a road in the Forrest Glen community on Sunday, September 10, 2017 after Hurricane Irma passed and the company was cleared to assess roads for obstructions. The vehicle Rescue 72 became stuck on a median when trying to go around a fallen tree in the road and needed to call to the station to be pulled out.
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Vernon "Bo" Sigo, 92, sits in the radio room of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress during a flight from Marathon, Fla. to the Naples Municipal Airport in East Naples on Thursday, February 2, 2017. This was the first time Sigo stepped foot on a B-17 since he came home from war on October 4, 1945. Sigo was a navigator in the 49th bomb squadron in the second bomb group.
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Robby Daffin consoles his mother, Nancy Daffin, as she returns to her destroyed home on Plantation Island for the first time on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 in Everglades City, three days after Hurricane Irma. "I care about her more than anything," said Daffin. During the eye of Hurricane Irma, Daffin drove to his mother's house to check on it. While leaving Plantation Island, Daffin became trapped by rapid flood waters and feared for his life. After finally contacting his son on Snapchat, he was rescued from the bridge.
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More photos of the year:
Sarah Holm and Liam James Doyle
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