2024 Year in Review and Looking Forward to 2025

This year felt a little off for me; I think it was because I was in a mental recovery mode.  I finished my graduate program in June and immediately went on a week-long vacation to Palm Springs.  I do not recommend Palm Springs in June; way too hot.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but the graduate program mentally and physically exhausted me, which I think showed in some of my creative work.  But being able to work with great people like Natalie Hanrion, Coralinx Cosplay, and Anastasia B kept me motivated.  While I didn’t attend as many Cosplay Photo Shoot events as in the past, the ones I did attend were helpful in keeping the creativity flowing.  I also took some time this year to reflect on a few things and will be making some changes for 2025.

In 2024, I shot 6241 frames, which is a 30-percent decrease from last year.  I edited 3187 frames, which is a 40-percent decrease from 2023.  I think this year, I started focusing on being very mindful about how I’m shooting and which photos are worth editing.  No one needs to see the same image five times in their gallery.  My most used ISO was ISO 100 with 50-percent of my photos being shot at this ISO.  My most used aperture was F8 with approximately 31-percent of my photos using this F-stop. Interestingly, F4 was fairly close behind F8 this year, with 20-percent of my photos being shot at this aperture. I am starting to see a greater distribution of apertures across my work.  My most used shutter speeds were 1/200s with approximately 40-percent of my being shot at this shutter speed.  I found it interesting that the shutter speeds of 1/125s and 1/250 were each around 17-perecent, being my second most frequently used shutter speeds.  Finally, my most used focal length was 24mm with approximately 19-percent of my photos being shot at this focal length. I did expect this as this is the widest my favorite lens goes, but I do have a nice distribution between 35mm and 105mm.

Cosplay and Conventions

I only attended Katsucon 2024 and took a very limited number of bookings due to still being in my graduate program at the time. The convention is getting way too crowded for me, so I have decided that 2025 will be my last Katsucon.  While I love working with people, trying to find locations and just working to make the locations seem unique is starting to feel more like work than fun. (Read Katsucon review here). 

In 2023, I did five one-on-one cosplay sessions outside of the standard convention circuit.  But most of my cosplay work came from attending D.C. Cosplay Photoshoot meet-ups.   I also had the opportunity to attend a Central VA Cosplay Photoshoot event in Richmond.  It was nice to work with some new people in a new location.  I plan to attend more of their events in 2025. 

Creative Portrait Work

In 2024, I did 14 creative sessions, most of which were done in my small home studio.   This year, I tried an interpretive shoot based on breaking out of a box.  I think the overall concept is solid, but I needed to work on execution.  At the last minute, I switched it from inside to outside with live flowers, so the poor model melted during part of the shoot.  I think I’m going to re-attempt the concept in 2025.  I think my other unique shoot was with the fake stained glass windows I made, and I’ll probably work on improving those as well.

Vacation

This year’s vacation was to Palm Springs and San Diego with my mom.  This vacation was only a week long but needed. I also didn’t take that many photos during vacation, mainly because it was too hot.  I want to go back to Palm Springs at some point, but in the fall or winter, when I can actually enjoy the town and landscape.   

Overall, 2024 seemed a bit like a reset year, with finishing school and just mentally recovering from it.  I just didn’t have the motivation, which is ok.  This year, let me look at my priorities, start resetting, and realize it is ok not to want to create every day and just do nothing.  I have a hard time relaxing and doing nothing, but I’m slowly learning how to do it before my body and mind force me to do it.  I’m happy with the work I accomplished this year.

For 2025, I have decided that Katsucon will be my last anime convention.  While I like seeing and working with people the convention scene just hasn’t been doing it for me lately.  So, expect to see more announcements for studio or on-location sessions rather than conventions.  I’m mainly going to focus on studio work; I enjoy working in the studio and developing sets.  I’m also going to try to do a few more on-location sessions now that they have changed the photography rules for the National Parks.  There are so many places in Great Falls NP, and Harper’s Ferry that I want to shoot with a model (and a parachute dress).  Finally, the last thing I’m going to focus on is getting all my photography gear, props, and general stuff organized.  While it is basically organized in my storage room, it could be better.  So here is to a productive 2025.  And don’t forget, if you want to work with me, just ask.