I’ve started reflecting on the last twelve months—a stretch I’ve been calling a year of living. The phrase itself isn’t particularly remarkable; we all live, we all look back, and many of us share those reflections across our digital worlds. But if you keep reading, you’ll see a few of the moments that stood out for me: some travels, some people, and the everything-in-between that makes a year what it is.

Since last December, I’ve really lived. Simply put, I lived the life I created. After a few years of major change, personal development stopped being the center of my days. Living became quieter, simpler—waking up, drinking coffee, and showing up for whatever the day held. The other part was work, guided by a mantra that carried me through: just be a photographer.

On its own, that may not sound groundbreaking. But for me, choosing to just be a photographer—to fully inhabit that identity—was a meaningful shift. It marked the end of a season shaped by upheaval and healing, and the beginning of a version of myself I’m genuinely proud of. The work I created this year feels like the most me I’ve ever put into the world.

Woven through all of it—adventure, fun, challenge, and creativity—were the parts that mattered most: connection, curiosity, and the people who crossed my path. Those moments of human connection are what I live for, both personally and professionally.

So here’s the year, in all its living—captured in the frames that tell it better than I ever could.