My annual recap of the year’s highlights in photographs was a daunting task for 2017. The sheer number of photos – folder after folder on my computer – reminded me that, while I made a lot of pictures, I didn’t post or share many of them in 2017. This wasn’t entirely intentional. Regardless, it wasn’t me at my best – I spent far too much time overanalyzing my takes, frequently feeling overwhelmed by social media and left with a worrying feeling, a nagging reminder that to me my work didn’t feel up to par. It shut me down and left me feeling disconnected, depressed, and like I was completely entrenched in a rut. Sucked into the black hole of a phone screen, I was consuming great work from others while wondering why I wasn’t out doing the same; missing what was happening right in front of me and feeling frustrated about it. I lost sight of what I do and why – I was struggling to find my own voice and vision.

It’s been challenging at times, for sure, but I’m working my way out of the funk. I’ve been developing a more constructive mindset and I feel much more optimistic and motivated to start the new year. I plan to be more consistent with sharing my work again, if only to hold myself accountable in order to continue to grow and advance visually. Instead of uselessly comparing my work to others and making excuses for falling short, I’d like to make time to learn, improve, and give more props to people who inspire me.

This year’s collection of photographs seem quieter to me somehow, maybe a reaction to all the internal noise and the chaotic collective mood that seemed pervasive this past year. From frosty ski scenes, to a much-hyped total solar eclipse, to random encounters with strange and wonderful people, here’s some moments from 2017. Looking forward to a more productive 2018 and excited to see where I’ll go…