2020 has just come to end and it’s not a stretch to think that many wish it had ended sooner. I’m never one to celebrate anything, but a new year functions as a marker for myself and the progress I make as a photographer. 2020 was a huge year for my photography. I would go as far as to say it was notable enough to recap and reflect on everything I did while also teasing what I have planned for 2021.

After my first full year of semi-consistent travel, I finally have a gauge for what can be achievable in one year. 2020 consisted of three photography road trips that produced a number of great images and unforgettable experiences. My first year was always going to be a shot in the dark, but heading into 2020 I had a basis for how to do everything that has to be done as a travel photographer.

The American Southwest trip was undoubtedly the most important of the three trips I took. This was the road trip I started to figure out how efficient I could be on the road. Prior trips consisted mostly of throwing together a list of locations to shoot and trying to cram in as much as possible into 10 days. I was solely focused on capturing as many half decent photographs as possible but later found that philosophy left me with very few top tier images. So I scrapped my whole plan heading into Arizona and focused only on the best locations that would give me the best images. Unsurprisingly, it worked (I’ll revisit this topic in a later post)! So much of the experimentation that went on during this 10 day trip became the basis for how I work on the road. I also snapped my two best-selling images to date (Mesa and Palm Desert).

I had plans for some epic adventures, and a Spring trip was booked. But then March arrived and I was forced to cancel trips to Utah and Maine. Fortunately, this opened up time for me to build my new Etsy Shop. For the first time ever, I began to sell prints of my work!

After multiple cancelled trips due to travel restrictions, I was finally able to make it to Minnesota in June. This ended my longest time without traveling in nearly two years. I spent about a week traversing along the North Shore of Minnesota. Duluth was truly something else, in the best way possible. A relatively small city, but one that features a more urban feel than one might anticipate. A perfect home base for a nature lover, Duluth is only a short drive away from some of the countries most stunning waterfalls and forest scenes. After braving the hordes of mosquitos and a wave of unrelenting heat, I walked away with some of my finest images to date.

Summer and early Autumn were quieter than usual. I spent most of my time secretly developing my website. I previously had a website through Viewbug, but it was time to upgrade to a hosting service that could provide me with the customization and presentation style I’ve been desperately craving. I finally created a space to share everything exactly the way I want to. Even with some of my best images thrown into the mix, creating this website is my top achievement for 2020.

In November 2020, I ended what is now my longest run without a road trip in 2 years while simultaneously hitting a total of 43 states visited. My most challenging photo trip since Montréal in 2018, Appalachia forced me to step back and adjust the way I approach my photography road trips. I wrote an extended recap of the trip which you can read here.

In a year full of negatives, 2020 did have a handful of bright spots. Photographically speaking, it was my most successful year, with record engagement and sales. I put together a bunch of necessary pieces this year that will prove indispensable as I continue to grow as a photographer.

Now, for 2021. On a larger scale, I have no idea how this year will shape up. But, that’s not stopping me from planning a year’s worth of adventures and new content. I am constantly looking to expand my print shop with a new print every two months or so. I also have begun a couple of multimedia projects that I’m keen to share in the next few months.

Between four photography adventures (fingers crossed), new content, more blogs, and improvements to my website, there is a lot to look forward to. If you want to keep up with everything I’m up to, follow me on Instagram or sign up for my newsletter (below).

Let’s have a good 2021!

A Photographic Review of 2020 // A Look Ahead to 2021

Sony Alpha A7Riii Review For Landscape Photography

Road Trip through the Appalachian Mountains (2020)