2015: Year In Review.

 

Well, that took longer than I thought it would. 2015 was a busy year, as it turns out.

At the end of each year, I make a habit of looking back and reflecting on the year that was. I think it’s a good exercise to do at this time of year, and as I wrote last year, I again found that it was a refreshing experience this time around. When I look at this body of work, I realize one thing. I shot A LOT. It wasn’t until I went back to the start of my January archives that I even remembered I shot some of these things. 

But busy is a good thing. No, a great thing! Above is a gallery of my favorite pictures and favorite memories from 2015. Click on any individual photo to enlarge it. I’ve also included some of my favorite video pieces from the year.

I completed my sixth year as a photographer working in Major League Baseball, and my fourth as a Boston Red Sox team photographer. That role was made into a full-time Staff Photographer position in March, which I’m really proud of and thankful for. This season was as much about Fenway Park as it was the team on the field. Although the team finished last in the division for the second straight year, a collection of first class events, including concerts, football, Irish hurling, and milestones made for a really exciting year at Boston’s old stadium. I love the grind there, and I’m ready to recharge on some new creative initiatives with the team in 2016. 

As a result of the full-time upgrade at Fenway, there were some sacrifices I had to make on the freelance side of my career. Taking two or three weeks off is tougher for me to do now, so I wasn’t able to make it back to shoot the Championships Wimbledon this year. I still got to shoot the BNP Paribas Open, though, where I witnessed some real history. I also shot and edited at some different events and games for Getty Images, which I’ve enjoyed immensely, and continued work for new and existing clients at events and weddings.

I also continued to grow on the video front, and began to work those skills into the corporate realm. Video is just as important as still photography, if not more, so I want to be sure to continue that work next year. 

All along the way, I learned a lot, both about myself and about this crazy, fast-paced world I operate in. Looking back, there were some decisions I would rethink, but I’ve learned from those and think I’ve grown as a person. Most importantly, as I reflect on all of this, I’m reminded of how thankful I am to be surrounded by incredible people. Colleagues, mentors, friends, and family members. You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and I’m really lucky to have great people in my life. Congratulations to all those people on everything they did in 2015. 

Thank you so much for following along all year! Happy New Year!

2016 is going to be big. 

2014: Year In Review.

 

I always like to make time to reflect back on the year that was. To me, it’s important to have a record of the work that I’ve done throughout the year, and in creating this post, found going back through this year’s work to be a particularly refreshing experience. I shot a lot, probably more than I have in any other year, and was lucky to be witness to some very special, historic moments. 

Above is a loosely edited gallery of my favorite pictures and favorite memories from 2014. Click on any individual photo to enlarge it. I’ve also included just a few of my favorite video pieces from the year.

I completed my fifth year as a photographer working in Major League Baseball, and my third as a Boston Red Sox team photographer. Although the season didn’t live up to the dream World Series run of 2013, I still enjoyed every second of it. Fenway Park is always an exciting place, regardless of whether the team is winning or losing.

I continued to stay busy on the professional tennis tour as well, and worked as the official tournament photographer for my second BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, as a tournament photographer at my third Championships Wimbledon in London, England, as the tournament photographer for my second Connecticut Open in New Haven, Connecticut, and as a shooter at several events and appearances in between. 

I kept traveling quite a bit, and thanks to a great working relationship with Elite Clubs National League Soccer, shot video and photos at tournaments in Florida, California, Arizona, and New Jersey. I also had the wonderful opportunity to work as part of the Getty Images team as a picture editor for NFL, and was embedded with an incredibly talented team at every New England Patriots home game this season. 

On this blog, I posted a lot, and gave the site a much needed facelift. I’ve loved continuing to keep this record of my life and work, and I’m thankful for those who follow along. Here are the statistics from my yearly blogging report:

“The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 16,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 6 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.”

Overall, 2014 was a fantastic year. Like any year, there were highs and lows, and I learned a lot about myself and the profession I work in. But during this season, I’m always reminded of how lucky and thankful I am to be surrounded by so many talented, caring, and supportive colleagues, friends, and family members. I believe one’s work is only as meaningful as the people it’s spent with. Everyone continues to do big things, and it’s great to see how far we’ve all come this year!

Happy New Year! Much more to come in 2015!