Every year I highlight my favorite images of the year in a separate post. If you missed it you can find it here, My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2018. Be sure to check out my annual slideshow of many of those images as well. I also like to do a year in review and write about what I’m looking forward to in the new year. I’ve never done New Year’s resolution but rather like to set some goals for the coming year.
Interviews & Features of 2018
January started out with an interview by Marc of Loaded Landscapes. I enjoyed the interview and was grateful to be featured. Check out all the amazing photographers, many whom I admire that are also featured there!
In June & December I was included in Landscape Photographer Magazine for a couple of Fujifilm sponsored features.
The summer also brought a couple of other nice surprises. I was included on a list of 40 Landscape Photographers to Follow on Instagram through Capture Landscapes and included in Fuji X Passion‘s special edition magazine of Landscape Photography X-Masters.
Other Publications
I’m still a contributing author for Visual Wilderness. I believe I’ve been writing for them since 2014.
FujiLove Magazine commissioned me to write an article on Abstract Landscape Photography for a special print edition launched in the summer.
I enjoy writing about photography but will be taking on a new direction in 2019. More about that later, hopefully.
Photography Related Goals & Looking Ahead In 2019
These are only a handful of goals I have this year. I usually write several down in an annual notebook. I don’t always share them all publicly.
eBook – Last year I wanted to write another ebook but didn’t manage to do it. However, that is my new goal this year. I’ve had a couple ideas for awhile for new content. I recently updated my ebook, Your Photography: The Essential Guide to Promoting Your Work Locally. It’s been two years since I wrote it. I updated some of the content as well as fix a few typos and links.
Photography Conventions – I will be participating in two photography conventions in 2019! The first one is June 2019 in NYC for Optic 2019. Watch my event page for more information coming out soon. The second one is in October on the Oregon Coast for Out of Oregon. Both conferences sound very exciting and I’m looking forward to them!
Time-lapse Photography – One of my goals this year is to do a time-lapse from every location, if possible, that I travel to in the new year. Since I’ve updated my Fujifilm camera to the X-T3, I’ve learned how simple it is within the new camera to do these. I’ve recently been practicing with doing them and it’s pretty fun. At the end of the year I would love to put together the ones I’ve taken into a larger movie that will showcase all the amazing places I’ve traveled to.
YouTube Channel: Well I wasn’t very good about putting new content on my YouTube channel like I had planned. Even though I vlogged a lot at various locations, I chickened out at the last minute and never posted most of them. I’m better prepared now with some new tools to vlog so I’m hoping to try harder this year and actually get content uploaded. Wish me luck!
Macro Photography – I haven’t done any macro photography for a few years. I sold my Canon macro lens when I switched to the Fujifilm system. A Fujifilm 60mm macro lens is on its way as I write this. Looking forward to doing macro photography this year!
Personal Goals
Health & Wellness – 2018 was the year I finally got serious about my health and decided to loose weight and eat a healthier diet. In mid December of 2017 I personally researched a whole foods plant-based diet. I’m no stranger to eating this way as I’ve been mostly plant-based/Vegan since around 2012. However, I occasionally ate animal products. Eating this way has always made me really feel good.
After watching What The Health and Earthings documentaries, I decided to go completely vegan in December 2017. December marked a year of eating this way. I’m seeing the benefits. I’ve lost 30 lbs effortlessly. All the while not feeling deprived. I even eliminated extra salt, oil, and refined sugars from my diet. Not only do I have more energy, but I’m seeing a reversal in an autoimmune disease that I’ve had for ten years. This way of eating is better for personal health, the environment, and for animal welfare. I’m pretty excited about continuing this lifestyle for the rest of my life. I plan to exercise more and get down to my goal weight in 2019.
I incorporated intermittent fasting into my diet after spending a week at the True North Health Center in Santa Rosa, CA. in October. While there I did a seven day medically supervised water fast. Not only is the staff great but I met many wonderful people all serious about changing their health destinies. I learned so much about nutrition and health durning my stay. It’s while there that I met a great doctor I will continue to see annually. I may even do another water fast there in the future. It was such a great experience.
New Living Situation – My husband and I plan to sell our RV in the spring and move back to Oregon. We’ll be back to getting a permanent home base. We have already scouted areas we would like to live while back in Oregon over the summer. Hopefully, if all goes well after selling the RV, we’ll be looking for a new adventure rig. We are thinking at this point it would be a small camper van. We are looking forward to being back in the Pacific Northwest and being close to family. I definitely miss the waterfalls and seascapes that I love to photograph in Oregon!
Wrapping It Up
I’m pretty excited about the new year. I’m definitely looking forward to more adventures and the events I mentioned above. I want to wish you a successful, happy and healthy 2019.