At the end of every month I will select my twelve favorite photographs and offer a bit of commentary for each. Since March is the first full month since inaugurating this new vision, it will be where I start things off.

I’ve been trying to write this piece for a few weeks now and something keeps getting in the way of me sitting down and writing about this incredible experience. I think a part of it is that it’s had such a profound effect on me that I’m scared I won’t properly convey the depth of it with mere words. But ultimately, words are all I have so I will endeavor to relay my experience.

Now, I’m not sure if I’ve always known that, or suspected it, or what, but saying it out loud in front of a group of other photographers felt a bit embarrassing.

No matter how great the moment, photographs need to stand on their own.

I pick my ten favorite photographs taken in 2025 with some commentary for each one.

Looking back, I cannot remember having such a good time doing photography on a trip in recent memory. I honestly think the pictures I have from the trip are the best I have ever taken. And since I’m the only judge in that respect that matters, then they are the best set of pictures I’ve ever taken.

Is too much freedom a detriment to my creativity and leave me with no foundation to build upon?

Your aesthetics, knowledge, and taste changes over time. Don’t delete those “non-keepers.” There might be a winning photo in there.

A personal journey from black & white to bold color, embracing change, authenticity, and the joy of shooting what truly excites me.

Exploring the constant struggle for meaning and consistency in photography, as changing interests clash with the desire for purpose and focus.

A morning photo walk in Historic Folsom with the Sacramento Photographers Facebook Group

Spent the morning shooting Old Sacramento with my Leica M6 with Kodak Tri-X film (expired).

Things got a little crazy for me in 2023 photography-wise, and that is reflected in my top ten pictures from this year.

Shooting middle of the day "Street" Landscape Photography with the Leica M10 Monochrom with a red filter to create high contrast black and white images.

Street photography is a bit of a mystery to me. Probably because its origins are surrounded in mystique and filled with famous names and even more famous photographs. But what sets an iconic street photograph apart from just an average or a not very good one?

Everyone with a phone or camera is out shooting. On the whole, this is a good thing. But with images flooding everyone’s brain on a daily basis, one question remains. How do you stand out?

When we would travel down to San Diego every couple of years, we would take our daughters to the San Diego Zoo, mostly to see the Pandas. My oldest is especially nuts about them. Show the girl a Panda TikTok and she immediately gets those Puss in Boots endearing eyes.

Shooting in black and white forces you to look for different subjects and aspects to shoot. When looking for a black and white photo, you look for textures, contrasting light and shapes. It was the latter that I was on the hunt for that day. I wanted to make the perfect silhouette against the dramatic sky.

At one point, there was a subtle cacophony of squealing and we realized that we were hearing bats up in the darkened ceiling out of eyesight. Creepy. Where was Bruce Wayne when you needed him?

I had my student setup her tripod a few feet behind where we stood so that she could get a better view of the water, bridge and surrounding rocks. As she stepped away, I noticed a group of geese in the water. And as the sun was setting, a large sunspot appeared on the surface of the water just a few feet away from the geese.

As we approached this tree I thought to myself that it might make a nice photo. I had to have the usual wrestling match with the lazy part of myself because all my gear was nicely tucked away in my backpack. Thankfully, my photographer self won the battle and I took out my monochrome camera.