2017: The Year In Review...

In another life, I worked at Taylor Guitars. I was the Canadian Sales Manager and, if I do say so myself, I was pretty damn good at my job.

At the end of every year I would write a synopsis; a "year in review" if you will, to keep the powers-that-be up to date on what had been accomplished as well as goals I was setting for the coming year. They were fun to write and, seeing as it was a guitar company (as opposed to, say, a faucet manufacturing facility), things were often offered and taken with a great deal of levity.

Good times, those.

So, with that in mind, here I am looking back on this last year and what I've been able to accomplish. For the most part, things were pretty grand.

As in the previous couple of years, I started the year off shooting for Greek Yearbook. I've been with this company since the end of 2014 and I really couldn't be happier. Most of the photographers, I would think, have never met the staff at the home office in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Everything is done pretty remotely, and a person could easily do the job without ever meeting anyone from the home office. But my semi-frequent travels up to New York afford me the opportunity to stop in and see them, so I do. It's nice to catch up and talk face to face, make suggestions, etc. I consider myself fortunate to have found this company. 

One of the better fraternity photos I took this year...

I continue to be the house photographer at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall and the St. Augustine Amphitheater, although I've shot beyond those confines, as well. In April, I was honored to shoot the Rochester Music Hall Of Fame Inductions in Rochester, NY, which included performances by David Clayton Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears and Paul Shaffer of David Letterman's band (a career highlight for me!)

I've had the opportunity to photograph some of my idols (David Crosby comes to mind), but it's also nice to shoot when friends come to town (think Barenaked Ladies or Eric Johnson). In either case, I'm able to get knee-deep into the form of photography I enjoy the most, which is concert photography.

Eric Johnson's one man acoustic show...

Hanging out with Eric in the green room before his show at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall...

Another form of photography I absolutely love is racing. Being so close to Daytona International Speedway, it's easy to catch the Rolex 24 Hour Race in January or the motorcycle racing which takes place during Bike Week in March and Biketoberfest in October. NASCAR is ridiculously tough to get credentialed for, so I opt for these which, frankly, tend to be a lot more exciting.

Motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway during Bike Week, March 2017...

2017 saw the start of my tattoo/photo project. It's an awful lot to get into, but suffice it to say I'm hoping to make a lot of money so I can give every nickel of it to a cancer research charity. Let's face it, cancer's an insidious bitch which doesn't give a rat's ass what color you are, whether you're gay or straight, skinny or fat, man or woman, or what your tax bracket is. It's taken far too many from us and what started out as a simple desire to photograph cool tattoos has morphed into a thing bigger than I'd imagined. If I have one resolution to carry into the new year, it will be to finish the tattoo project.

And, besides, tattoos are freakin' cool: 

Any guesses as to what his nickname might be?

This is exactly how the photo looked in my head when I first learned I would be shooting inside a 200 year old church...

Finally, I'm starting year number four with St. Augustine Social magazine. Never in my wildest dreams did I think there would be someone out there who liked my work enough to put it into a regular publication. I started out as a photographer and quickly moved into being a regular columnist for the magazine. It blows my mind every time I think about it. The editors, owners and publishers of this magazine let me flex my creative muscle in every issue and I'm beyond thankful for that.

I'm not sure what a "photographic adventurist" is but, damn, but it sounded good at the time...

So, it's with no small degree of anticipation that I peer into 2018. The year 2017 brought both highs and lows, and I wouldn't change a thing. I'm not foolish enough to think I've not been blessed to do what I do. As I look at 2018, I see good things on the horizon, both professionally and personally, and I'm looking forward to every single one of them...