Every year, the process is the same. I sit down, scroll through thousands of frames, and look for patterns — not just in what I photographed, but in why I photographed it. This annual review isn’t about favourite images alone. It’s about understanding what the year quietly revealed while I was busy shooting.
What stood out immediately was community.
As I flicked through event imagery — smiling faces, finish-line hugs, crowded trailheads — the recurring thread was connection. Over the past few years, there’s been a noticeable shift in events. My long-time favourite, cross-country MTB racing, has given way to more gravity-driven formats like enduro. And honestly, it makes sense. People want fun, shared experiences. They want to be part of something alongside others who love the same pursuits.
One of the more interesting changes I noticed was the crossover of XC MTB racers into trail running events. At first, it puzzled me. Then it became obvious: it’s not about the discipline, it’s about the atmosphere. XC and trail running share a similar rhythm — endurance, personal challenge, competition — just without the wheels. What people are chasing is community, and events that deliver that sense of belonging are thriving. For me the sport is not the main requirement but the mindset of the athletes participating and the motivation I get from being apart of it and capturing the moment.
Looking back at client and editorial work revealed another familiar truth: the “best” image is subjective. The frames I’m most drawn to aren’t always the ones clients select. When given the opportunity to choose their final images from a gallery, clients often gravitate towards moments I wouldn’t have prioritised myself. That difference in perspective is important. Images resonate for different reasons — emotion, storytelling, personal relevance — and no two people see them the same way.
That realisation reinforces something I keep coming back to: listening matters.
Understanding what a client needs, what they value, and how they intend to use the images is critical. It’s the difference between simply creating strong photographs and delivering work that genuinely supports a brand or story. Listening carefully ensures time is spent refining ideas that align, rather than chasing concepts that don’t serve the bigger picture.
Throughout the gallery, I’ve added notes to individual images — why I took them, what I think works, and what I’ve learned from them in hindsight. Many of these frames have shaped how I approach similar scenes now, influencing the shots I look for more deliberately going forward.
From a technical perspective, the tools continue to evolve — and with them, the possibilities. Advances in DJI drones with longer focal lengths, vertical shooting options, and better panorama control have all pushed me to explore new angles, particularly from the air. Shooting from above has become more than just a novelty; it’s an integral part of how I visualise certain environments and events.
But perhaps the biggest takeaway from the year wasn’t technical at all.
Outdoor lifestyle photography — whether travel, landscape, or sport — is ultimately about being outside. Somewhere along the way, as work got busier, I found myself returning to the office faster, exploring less, and spending less unstructured time in the places I was photographing. Travelling to new regions on a trip to New Zealand reminded me why I started doing this in the first place. It reaffirmed the value of slowing down, wandering without an agenda, and paying attention to the details that often get overlooked.
That mindset — prioritising presence, curiosity, and time outdoors — is something I’m carrying forward. Not just into the next year of photography, but into how I choose to experience it.