How do we say that it is the end of the year and you’re wondering where your days went without sounding cliche? No matter how tired it sounds, we end up reminiscing about the previous year as it draws to a close. Are there better times to look back and plan forward? What about birthdays? That would be an amazing time to think over the past year and then decide on what type of a year you wish to manifest in the next. It is easy though to look back as the rest of the world does then make plans for a future just like everyone else. So look back with me over the past year.
Something I started this year was to open a Buy me a Coffee account. Shout out to my friends Al Harmon and Barb Livieri who have already sponsored a coffee, or in my case, a tank of gas for my latest adventures. I am grateful to have you in my life. I’m trying to think of a way to thank all my coffee buyers with something special. If you can think of anything, let me know - maybe a print with a thank you or a behind the scenes video just for you?
I started out the year photographing “stick season” and a heart filled with hope and apprehension to what the future might hold for our public lands and my career. I had plans for the year - adventures to see the Pacific Northwest and hike trails of all sorts. Some plans changed midway because either my heart wasn’t in it (my 4th of July backpacking trip that left me with welts from mosquitoes) or I saw a new way forward (delaying plans so I could photograph Seattle for a friend’s upcoming walking guide of the city). And of course, there were successful plans like exploring the Sawtooth mountains to find locations for a future photo workshop. What will the new year bring? Not sure yet but I know I will be photographing “stick season” with hope towards the future and maybe a little apprehension of the unknown.
I know my Youtube channel hasn’t been super reliable. I have several videos in the cue for editing. They’re coming along slowly as I’m still working through cleaning up files from the drive recovery process. That happened in July just as I started photographing for Peter’s book. Five months later and I’m still working on cleaning that up as well as working on new projects and working full time. So don’t be surprised if you see my July backpack in January. I had also intended to update my website along with the release of my newsletter each quarter but even that has fallen behind. Looks like my beginning of the year planning session may also include a few days of catch-up.
A few things that have been going on in the past few months is that I got my 200+ photos into the publisher for the new walking guide. He has had nothing but praise for my work and I hope my images help to make his book a success. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my city better and will be making plans to spend more time in the city’s parks this winter and beyond. As for the book, look for it in October of 2026 and yes I will be posting about it on my socials and will remind you to buy a copy when it comes out. That journey has been one of the most impactful for me this past year. I was born and raised in Seattle so I thought I knew my city. Thanks to Peter’s invitation, I found parks and trails that were completely new to me and had my eyes opened. Even locations I thought were unphotogenic, there was beauty to be seen and recorded - osprey calling from the light poles at Seattle’s industrial waterfront, Chief Sealth trail weaving through the meadows in South Seattle, sunlight streaming through willow trees along the Duwamish River in Seattle’s industrial area, small details of a city striving to become more in the early 20th century. I’m looking forward to revisiting all of these places in person and through the book.
An article I wrote about photographing the imperfect beauty of the world was published in the Happiness Hour newsletter. You can find it here. The Happiness Hour is the brain-child of Linda Nickell, a photographer in Texas. During COVID she started a Wednesday night zoom meeting where she would invite fellow photographers to share a technique or idea or project with her friends from across the nation (and globe). I was able to present my talk on Forest Therapy with Photography last year. Linda is host to many interesting photographers and I’m loving her monthly newsletter. I encourage you to check out her live Wednesday night meetings or at least follow the Happiness Hour YouTube channel and sign up for the newsletter. You will not regret it.
Challenge for the new year. Have you been wanting to try something new? Is there a technique, sport, craft, hobby that you’ve admired and wanted to try but were too afraid to start? For the new year, start a path towards that goal - watch videos, read a book, take a class about it then start dabbling. But the challenge doesn’t end there. I want you to buy a new notebook - a nice one - and a pen dedicated to the task. This journal will be your Confidence Journal and only holds your successes even if you don’t think you had any. Every time you try the sport or technique, write what you did well in your journal. Did you sit through a 30 minute video that was on the outset boring? YAY for you! Did you get something out of it? Then double YAY for you. Write it down - by hand even if your handwriting is crap like mine. The act of handwriting helps cement the ideas in your head. I started one several years ago after my accident when I had trouble getting away from my lizard brain of survival. Each time I came home from a photo trip, even if it was only to a local park, I wrote something that I felt good about and was grateful for. Within months, I noticed I didn’t have to convince myself to get out anymore and that my creative processes were coming back online. I’ve talked to others who started a confidence journal and they’ve found the same thing. The woman I got the idea from started one when she decided to run a marathon but didn’t think she had the stamina to do it. She ran her marathon and she credits building her self esteem through her confidence journal. Give it a try, you will be surprised by your own success. My new task is to create folios of my work, especially with Washington’s State Parks. Sounds like I need to buy a new journal.
A couple of weekends ago, I met up with my sister and 2 of her dogs, Luna & Willow. Luna is her old girl, a Belgian Malinoise, who has been an excellent trail dog over the last several years. Luna is slowing down and WIllow is a young pup needing some shadow training on how to behave on the trail. I walked with Luna, while Kristi worked with Willow. Spending time in the forest with my sister and the dogs made my mind soar with joy and possibility. While Luna is a very good trail dog, she's not always the best when it comes to waiting for me to photograph tiny forest details. The photo above didn’t come from the walk. I had arrived at the trailhead early as the sun began warming up the low-lying clouds over the farmlands south of Olympia. Instead of waiting in my car, I grabbed my camera and began walking the edges of the parking lot to admire how the sun warmed plants sparkled with morning dew. I loved how the light filtered through and lit up what my sister and I called tree “helicopters” or the seeds (samaras) of a vine maple. If you want to improve photography, this is exactly the way you would - take a few moments of your day and explore where you are. Photograph anything that catches your eye. You can always delete it later if you don’t like it, but you will have stretched your photographic muscles.
What’s in store for next year? Well, I’m still planning that. The devastating floods in the PNW this past month have put many outdoor enthusiasts in a holding pattern. It’s hard to make joyful plans when so many families are without even the basic necessities. As we watch the flood waters recede we see the small miracles but overall devastation the weather has had in the region. If you feel moved to help in any way you can, there are several resources to help the victims. The state itself is needing to repair highways and access points for communities - it may be months before we know the true extent of the damage.
I do hope to be on my bike more and have 3 organized rides on my schedule. Backpacking is always there in my thoughts. I need to revisit state parks for the folio series. There’s more planning to be done for leading a workshop in the Sawtooth wilderness - like figuring out how to plan and implement a photo workshop (hmmm, sounds like another confidence journal maybe? Because that truly scares the sheet out of me.) No matter the plans, I hope to take you with me.
On a side note, I still have a couple of 2026 HIWalkerPhoto calendars left. Let me know if you would like one.
Good bye 2025 and hello 2026 - I will see you on the next adventure.