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Crowds of people reach to grab discount coupons and jewelry in a merchant's giveaway in the central shopping district of Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.

A tiger skeleton stands in a vat of tiger wine at the Siberian Tiger Park in Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. The wine is said to imbue drinkers with various health benefits such as strength and virility. The wine sells for 780 renminbi (about US$110.00) per half kilogram of liquid. The Siberian Tiger Park is described as a preserve to protect Siberian tigers from extinction through captive breeding. Visitors to the park can purchase live chickens and other meat to throw to the tigers. The Siberian tiger is also known as the Manchurian tiger.

A public service film about medicine, health, and hygiene, plays on a temporary screen in a park in Hekou, Yunnan Province, China, on the Vietnam border.

A public health notice in Kunming, Yunnan, China, depicts an airplane representing the AIDS virus running into a skyscraper which is protected by a condom.

Women shop at a market in Pangzhihua Village, Yuanyang County, Yunnan Province, China.

A boy stands in the muddy streets of Sheng Cun, in Yuanyang County, Yunnan Province, China, while workers unload a truck full of concrete to be used to improve roads in the area. "Sheng Cun" is translated as "Successful Village" in local tourist brochures.

People argue with a policeman on the night of Lunar New Year celebrations in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The policeman confiscated fireworks and tore up lanterns. The man in a parka and beanie (right) was seen to speak with the policeman after the confrontation, likely an undercover policeman. Lunar New Year is also known as Chinese New Year. 2009 is the Year of the Ox, the Year of the Cow, or the Year of the Bull, according to the Chinese zodiac. Niu is the Mandarin word for ox/cow/bull.

An imam speaks at a small mosque in Pingliang, Gansu, China.

Workers wait in line at the border to take goods into Vietnam from Hekou, Yunnan Province, China.

Li Bing Feng, a migrant restaurant worker from Gansu Province, rides his bicycle through the streets of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. Shoot was directed. Clothing (pants by Diesel Black Gold, shirt by J Crew, shoes by Converse Jams, hat by New Err) provided by Fader magazine. Model release available on request.

Mannequins display clothing for sale in a window display in the Bund area of Shanghai, China.

A man's hat rests on a fence post during work outside a small house in Pangzhihua Village, Yuanyang County, Yunnan Province, China.

Rescued dogs gather for feeding time at Ha Wenjin's animal rescue farm outside of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. About 1000 animals, both dogs and cats, live at the no-kill shelter where they have spacious indoor and outdoor living areas. At times other than feeding time, the animals are not as crowded as this picture depicts.

People ride a sleeper train in Shandong Province, China.

Spanky Spangler comes up short on a 200-foot daredevil jump at the culmination of Evel Knievel Days in Butte, Montana, USA. Spangler survived the crash.

The dunes of the Gobi Desert at night near Dunhuang, Gansu, China.

Crowds wait for their trains at the Shanghai Railway Station in Shanghai, China.

Tourists ascend the Great Wall at Badaling outside of Beijing, China.

A small boat travels on the Jialing River between Langzhong city and the surrounding agricultural areas in Langzhong, Sichuan, China.

Bride Ren Jing and her friends walk toward the mosque for Ren Jing's wedding to Da Fen in Pingliang, Gansu, China. The newlyweds are members of the Hui ethnic minority, a Muslim ethnic group in northwestern China.

Black Angus beef cattle graze on land outside of Fairfield for the Malek Angus Ranch operation. The Malek Angus Ranch operates Big Sky Montana Beef, a high-quality jerky and other processed meat business.

Young Hui minority Muslims sing karaoke songs in a KTV room in Pingliang, Gansu, China.

A family lights sparklers and other fireworks in the crowd gathered in Stalin Park on the banks of the Songhua River during Lantern Festival celebrations in central Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

Buddhist pilgrims walk among the guesthouses surrounding the Labrang Monastery in Xiahe, Gansu, China. Xiahe, home of the Labrang Monastery, is an important site for Tibetan Buddhists. The population of the town is divided between ethnic Tibetans, Muslims, and Han Chinese.

Young Tibetan Buddhist monks and Chinese military soldiers wait for an attendant in an internet cafe in Xiahe, Gansu, China. Xiahe, home of the Labrang Monastery, is an important site for Tibetan Buddhists. The population of the town is divided between ethnic Tibetans, Muslims, and Han Chinese.

Workers construct a building in Xiahe, Gansu, China. Xiahe, home of the Labrang Monastery, is an important site for Tibetan Buddhists. The population of the town is divided between ethnic Tibetans, Muslims, and Han Chinese.

Crowds gather on a hillside to watch a motorcycle performance during Evel Knievel Days in Butte, Montana, USA.

Men fish in the Yangtze River as barges pass by Chongqing, China. Increased river traffic and nearby manufacturing in the area has threatened the river's long-term ecology.

Seen through a bus windshield, a man and dog walk down a road in mountainous rural southern Yunnan Province, China, near the Vietnam border.

Following Matt’s lead, I’ve collected a few of my favorite photos of mine from 2009. It was a relatively good year, with a few assignments, corporate shoots, other gigs, and an award and exhibition or two. Always room for improvement in that respect, and 2010 seems to be off in full swing. The work here is mostly from China, with a little bit from the northwestern United States thrown in. These aren’t necessarily the best photos I took, or representative of everything I photographed, but they’re favorites nonetheless for various reasons.

The Year in Photos packages are trickling out. Thanks to Filmoculous’ great annual List of Lists, here are a few of the collections released so far.

• MSNBC’s Year in News Pictures (watch out for the way over the top music…)
• MSNBC’s Year in Sports Pictures
• Time’s Top 10 photos
• Time’s Top 10 election photos
• National Geographic’s Best Science Images
• Pitchfork Media’s Year in Concert Photos