As 2024 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on some of my favorite captures from the year, as I always do. But this time, something feels different. In recent months, it’s crept into my consciousness that this year might not look like the ones before it. It’s an intriguing concept—to take a period of days and judge yourself within that span. While I know I excelled in significant areas of my life, I’ve come to realize that I didn’t have the slivers of free time to explore and photograph leisurely, as I always have.
Time wasn’t the only factor, though. This summer, I lost a couple of rolls of film—perhaps they’re still under my car seats, a thought that’s just occurred to me. My favorite film point-and-shoot camera died at Bonnaroo, and the replacement I bought turned out to be broken after I burned through four rolls. I also encountered fleeting moments, poor lighting, or simply bad timing that kept me from capturing what I saw.
On the professional front, I feel good about my work photography. But my personal photography—what I call my "in-between moments"—suffered this year. You might say, "Oh well, some years are better than others," but for me, it goes deeper. My personal photography is more than a hobby; it’s a time capsule of who I am. It’s where I’ve been, what’s caught my eye, and how it amused me in the moment. These images are a road map to understand myself—what I love, where I spend my time, and how I see the world.
I’ve had plenty of ups and downs with the quality and subject matter of my images over the years, but what weighs on me now is whether this trend will continue—or if it’s just an off year. If life plans to keep throwing hurdles in my path, I say it better pack a lunch. I’ll fight for the time to do what I love. I’ll draw lines in the sand, I’ll find more time and energy to do the thing I love, to photograph things and make them more of moment then they ever were to begin with, all by just being documented.
