It is that time of year when you reflect back on the year you just experienced. Reflecting back on the past enables you to understanding from where you have come.  That is key in any plan for moving forward.

Creating photographs is one thing.  Blogging about these photographs is a whole other deal.  It take time, effort and thought.  It’s work.  But it is fun work.

I began in 2011 without a clue.  A blog seemed like a fun thing – a way to grow my photography by sharing with a vast community.  I shared 1170 photos from Sept-Dec. and had 15,000 visitors.  I was fortunate enough to be Freshly Pressed three months into my new blogging experience.  It was an eye-opening to say the least.  The busiest day of the 2011 was November 17th with 3,043 views.  My post, PHOTOGRAPHY PURIST. WHATEVER…, netted 10,000+ views overall and lots of wonderful feedback.  This was just the boost I needed to keep me motivated and pressing forward (no pun intended).   //2011 full report//

2012 was a great experience in photography and blogging.  I averaged just under two posts per week – adding 98 new posts, growing my total archive to 158 posts.  I think blogging  about my photography encouraged me to see photographs in almost every direction I would look.  There is no shortage of interesting subjects surrounding you.  All you have to do is see them; that is what I think 2012 was all about for me.  At 45,000+ views from 76 countries, I really feel like I reached out and shared a great deal of myself and my photography.  2012 was the year I began my monthly “revisited” posts where I would go back through my photos of the month and create black and white conversions on my favorite images.  //2012 full report//

In 2013, I added 179 new posts, growing my archive to 332 posts.  Cyndie and I traveled and photographed as much as we were able this year. Most notable was our two trips along Minnesota’s North Shore and our trip to Colorado when we were married.  2013 was the year I started my weekly photo posts in addition to my monthly reviews and black and white conversion posts.  That seemed more plausible as a 365 project was more than I could commit to then.  This was a great exercise in seeing my everyday.  I captured some interesting aspects of normal life.  A lot of my weekly captures were on the road as I commuted to and from work.  I had two hours a day to view things differently.  Two hours a day to see different compositions of the same/similar things in different light, weather and seasons.  At 49,000+ view from 96 countries, once again I feel like I put myself and my photography even further out there.  Another great year.  I thank everyone for the wonderful feedback and your continued visits to my humble little space on the Interweb.  //2013 full report//

Enough looking back.  What is in store for 2014?  A few Changes.  (1) I changed names.  I retired outdoorguyphotography and am now posting under my full name instead.  I feel like the name just didn’t fit anymore.  (2) I migrated away from WordPress.com and am hosting my blog.  I haven’t figured out what all this means just yet.  I don’t think you need to have everything figure out.  Sometimes you just need to go with.  With that spirit in mind, I did.  This venture has not been without challenges.  The biggest one so far is the separation from the WordPress community.  More on that later.

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Thank you all for your continued follows and feedback.  I look forward to traveling and photographing my way through 2014 with my lovely and talented wife.  I expect this new year will be full of all sorts of photography opportunities and adventures.  Here’s to living, learning and pressing forward!