Every year I try to do a lookback at the previous calendar year and how my photography went. It gives me a chance to reflect on what I managed to do, and get my plans together for the next year. Since I normally get these out around February/March, it really is an intended path for the next 10-11 months. For previous years posts, see the Year in Review category.
It is now 2025, and my previous year will be 2024. In 2024 I actually used my camera. Not as much as I’d like, but it never is. 2024 is the first year in a while that I can say ‘yeah it got some use’. While I’m still not back to the pre-2020 numbers, 2024 was getting back to old times. It felt good to use my camera again, it had been too long. 2024 is now my 10th most productive year. The new 11th is 2013, a year which saw 1 major trip and a time when my job was very busy and didn’t allow for much. It was also a few years before I started this incarnation of this blog. My job did allow for a awesome work trip to Japan, where I then stayed for an extra week because, you know, Japan is amazing.
The Technical Stuff
In 2024, I created 10,796 photos and videos, excluding iPhone pictures. Around 800 of these are videos, with around 200 being dash cam videos from Iceland. I honestly have no clue what to do with these videos, but they may have a future use. 2024 is now my 10th most prolific year, above the 9000 of 2013 and below the 13,000 of 2020. 2023 is now pushed to #15 and 2022 is lowered to #18.
I’ve managed to use this same screenshot 5 years in a row! Saving time, Saving time….
Time to add in 2020 to now. This is a Lightroom screenshot and the year window only opens so far.
2024 was a good year but I didn’t always have the chance to take photos. The photos of the year were dominated by 1 event – a two week belated honeymoon to Iceland. This trip was nearly 8000 of the images for the year. If it hadn’t been for this trip, it would have not been nearly as prolific of a year, and would have been below 2022.
Normally, this image has more than one camera used. Once again it is quite unusual that I’ve only really used my D850.
For the sixth year in a row, the D850 was my most used camera. It was also my only used camera for the third year in a row.
My unused in 2022-2024 D750 is now 9 years old, and my unused in 2022-2024 D800 is 11 years old. During my preparation for this post I looked back even more, and found that my D750 and D800 were used for a fireworks in 2021, but that’s it. The D750 hasn’t been used much since January 2020, and the D800 since August 2018 (the same month I bought my D850). Historically, I had replaced a camera body around 5 years after purchase. It is usually at this point where the improvements just make life so much better. I remember going from the D70 to D300 (and later D800) about 5 years apart. The difference was shocking, in a ‘why did I wait so long’ kind of way. At this point though, all 4 of my camera bodies at 5+ years old. I haven’t even used my D300 since 2019 and it hasn’t been used in a meaningful way since 2013 (when I bought my D800).
I still have a hard time letting go. These cameras become friends. In the film days, cameras were trusty companions and a part of the arm. Today they are a simple tool that gets replaced when the time comes. In 2018, in exchange for my D300, I was offered about $150 in trade towards the purchase of a D850. I didn’t see it as enough, and I was right. The D300 and 18-200 lens are today worth about $300, and I think it will go to a relative who want to learn photography.
The Good Stuff
Let’s talk about the good stuff. I went on a trip and got to use my camera! Sure it wasn’t a camera trip, but, it was 2 weeks in Iceland with my wife so that was fun.
While I made some money off of stock sales, it still isn’t enough to cash out. I started an Alamy and Shutterstock account this year, and uploaded everything I have. I also kept up my Adobe Stock site. The sales on all 3 are simply miserable and I frequently ask myself if they are worth the effort anymore. I need a better option but haven’t found it, and am willing to take suggestions. I honestly feel like all of these options are terrible and I just need to find the least terrible of them all.
Adobe Stock for 2024 – $1.45
Shutter Stock for 2024 – $0.51
Alamy Stock for 2024 – $0.00
Let’s Focus on Goals for 2025
Goal: Actually make money with photography. Or let’s say more than $50, if we want to set an exact number. I’d like to do an art expo but I am actually nervous about doing so, and the up-front costs make it tricky to get started (start up costs and first show are likely at least $2500 for a tent, stuff to sell, travel, and lodging).
Goal: Even more posts! I have some ideas. The world seems to contract and expand. Over the last 10 years, everything has contracted to a few social media sites, and now it is expanding back out. Let’s see what happens. There might be a window to grab attention as everyone decides to leave Facebook for sites like this.
Goal: More travel, more photos.
I hope 2025 will be better. At least for now, I’m hopeful of a successful year with many photos.
To the future-
-Brad