2018 wraps up my 25th year of taking photos, and more than any year prior I feel the camera and I were one. The busiest year by far (this is not an exaggeration at all) and the subjects that came in front of my camera were more diverse that ever. 2018 laid the groundwork for so many things personally and photographically that it will always be one of those milestone years I look back at. Here is a year in review dailypic style, just a taste of what I was up to in 2018, you can always sign up so you never miss a dailypic.

January had one of the most looked at posts I have ever had, Toby Lee a 12 year guitar phenom from England came to Milford. And at the end of the month, I was able to photograph the Patriots Superbowl Rally for the second year in a row.

February had a few bands including Back Yard Swagger and Bad Marriage and a dog visit to the studio was very popular.

March was a big month, Dan opened and sang with Ellis Paul and played King Triton in his school musical. We had a blizzard, I photographed WGBH’s Celtic Sojourn on St. Patrick’s Day, The Special Olympics in Medway, the MSPTOs Dodge Ball Tournament and Lion’s Father Daughter Dance and Easter breakfast.

My parents celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary, I got soaked shooting the Marathon in the rain, documented Medway Police Dept training for active shooters, got my photo taken old school, visited the Medway Food Pantry and we met Argus for the first time all in April.

May started with a comic book themed wedding and a Kentucky derby themed charity in the same day, I figured out how to make little globes with my drone. Amy and Nick got married on the first of many rainy Saturdays this year, Dan dressed for the Sr. Prom, Josie got used to her new roommate.

June had the Medway Seniors walking the halls of the schools, a great Scott Wedding with tractors, a baseball themed father’s Day session, a Father’s Day portrait of my own, and Davina starting her run from Boston.

July we headed to New Hampshire for vacation, Snoopy walked in the rain, Devin and Katie got married, Casper joined the police department, Anna and I took a Duck Tour with Robin the Riveter, and I added a new phone to the yard.

The We Are Medway Project started this year, in August it made the newspapers, my friend Eliza turned two, Taylor and Erin got married, I dragged my family to the studio for a portrait before my daughter headed off to college for a second year. I helped out at the Police Chase 5k a cool night run in Medway, took some photos of Restaurant 45’s menu for their website and Dan headed to school for Senior year.

September started with Dan and I attending Ellis Paul’s Songwriter’s conference in CT, then the Labor Day Bash at the Tradesman. A quick trip to see Anna at school for her 20th birthday, crazy dog portraits, I gave a talk at the Milford Public Library on Photography, and started my season as the sideline photographer for the Medway Mustangs Football team. Went to King Richard’s Faire and The Old Coots Tractor Pull, then photographed James and Liz getting married and the dailypic end Year 9 at 3287 days in a row.

October started with a lighthouse tour in Maine, then I photographed the New England Patriots from the sideline during the KC Sunday night game. Dan started visiting colleges including the one Anna attends, my barn build was approved, and Colton had his 3rd birthday. I took in some light spinning at Choate Park, Heather and Larry got married in the rain and I held a Halloween Open House at my studio.

Dan and Chelsea got married in November setting off the busiest month I have ever had. There were plenty of family sessions at the studio, Shawn’s Auto Repair opened, Choate Park reopened, Sheilagh and Tim got married, Argus discovered snow. I had a record number of holiday sessions at the studio, including 27 in one day. The Medway Mustangs beat Millis on a freezing cold Thanksgiving morning, Santa came to Medway for a parade, we got the barn construction underway and I wrapped up November hanging with the Medway Police Department and Santa.

December had 10 days in Cuba where I tried to Hold Life Still, there were people, dancers, cars, a cowboy and a guest host for the dailypic, thanks Ray. Took in some holiday lights with my wife for her Birthday, took photos of lights for the town of Medway, held my last session at my current studio on Village St. straight into Christmas and even had a dog meet up for fun.

Thank you for looking, see you all in the next year, so much more to come.

tr/trp

I have said before and still believe it to be true, it is not how each day was filled, it is that the year was filled with each day. Just by collecting them all, it is a successful year. I do my best to use each second as best I can. Some are great, some are crap, this is how it works, but I am lucky to have the ones I get. At the end of the year I try not to look back and think of what to change. I am not a resolution type of guy, I like to work on objectives, goals, things that obtainable. 2015 had a few, I wanted to be in more photos, I did. I wanted to work more efficiently and spend quality time with my my family, I did. I wanted to be better at letting things go, I think I did – this one may roll over.

I do love to look back though, look through the memories I captured. I just spent time with my wife going through photos I took in 2015. I clicked the shutter over 60K times, this is up 2K from 2014. Though thanks to one of those objectives, I am willing to bet they were better this year than last. The emotions ranged from sadness – with a smile – while seeing the last photos of my beloved pet. Humor and pride, as we looked at the difference 12 months can make as my son became an adult. Awe, as I see my daughter drive away alone for the fist time, and own the stage as she danced. Pure joy, as I see the miles, trips and time I shared with my family from Maine to San Francisco. And honor for being part of not only my friends lives, but clients too, all of which allow me to capture memories for them.

I collect moments, it is what I do and I love doing it. I hope your moments were all you wanted them to be. The dailypic is a “Look Back” I took as we left NYC, the rest of the 240 are ones that I wanted to share from 2015. Happy New Year to you all, thank you for looking. No matter how your 2015 was, I wish you all a tomorrow.

tr/trp