I started this post at the end of May at home in Nova Scotia, but I’m posting this from Spain, a few days into my stay in Seville. The weather has been awful in Nova Scotia. It’s been a mix of wet, gloomy, grey days, rarely reaching over 10 degrees Celsius. I used to say we have three or maybe four good months of weather here in Nova Scotia; I’m starting to think that may be the case.

As a photographer, it’s easy to be motivated and focused one day, completely burnt out, and lacking motivation the next. Photography is a lot of work, both physically and mentally. Although it’s not the most physically demanding thing you can do, you still need to be motivated to plan it and do it.

The saying “once in a lifetime” is heard often. A phrase that signifies an excellent opportunity that one cannot pass up. It is a ubiquitous saying, and we may miss its literal meaning. The truth is, our travel destination could be the only time we experience it in our lives. It’s easy to convince ourselves that if we enjoyed it immensely, then this is only the first of potentially numerous times that we will be back.

Each year brings joy, heartbreak, triumphs, and challenges as we journey through life. With every experience, we are shaped and transformed by the world around us. When January arrives, we gaze ahead, wondering what the future holds while reflecting on the year just passed. Did we achieve what we set out to? Were there unexpected twists?

I started photography long ago when the YouTube photography community was in its infancy, and finding helpful information wasn’t as instantaneous as it is today. At that time, the Photoshop experience was more experimental, and Lightroom didn’t even exist. Today, there is essentially an endless supply of photography content.

As we progress as photographers, reflecting on our past work is always interesting, especially as the years pass. I say interesting, but what I mean is partially nostalgic, a little bit of satisfaction, a good deal of considered deletions, and probably some choice words about previous creations. It’s a good thing no one will see these.