With the new year upon us, it’s the perfect time to look back at what 2021 brought for my photography. Things started off slow in the winter, but picked up significantly by the late spring. Here’s my month-by-month recap, along with my favorite photo (or photos) from each month.

January

Winter is often a hard time to keep motivation to shoot, and this January was no exception. I only got out for one shoot in the whole month, when I stopped by the Faribault Woolen Mill to test out a new piece of gear – my Nisi V6 square filter holder and K&F square NDs.

February

February brought me even deeper into the photography doldrums. I didn’t get out for a single shoot the entire month. Honestly, I’m okay with that. Sometimes I just don’t have the motivation to shoot, and I’ve learned to not force myself.

March

March solidly reversed the trend for me. As always, spring brings more motivation with its later sunsets and increased signs of life. Towards the end of the month I got out for a pair of nature walks where I had mixed luck with chasing birds around. It can be a bit frustrating to haul a large lens around on a walk without any results, but that’s wildlife photography for you…

April

It’s hard to not be motivated to shoot with spring flowers and a macro lens. Add in a big supertelephoto and some wildlife, and you have a recipe for a fun set of shoots. I revisited River Bend Nature Center twice, getting some nice images of all sorts of flora and fauna. I feel pretty confident in saying that these are some of my favorite flower photos that I’ve ever taken. I like the extra context that the wider framing provides. Closer isn’t always better. I’m excited to see what I’ll be able to do next spring with the new techniques that I’ve learned.

May

May was a busy month! I visited the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for the first time, shooting together with my good friend Christoph (check out his Instagram here). I also rented a tilt-shift lens for a big shoot and had a blast testing it out. I wanted to try one out from the moment I learned they existed.

June

June was a little insane. I moved into a new apartment and took on a large, time-sensitive shoot – documenting a number of student houses at St. Olaf prior to their demolition. All of this while working full-time at my day job. For two days I started shooting at sunrise, worked my 8 hour shift, then continued shooting until I ran out of daylight. Despite how exhausting it was, I had a great time, and it sure didn’t hurt that I was able to buy a couple lenses with the proceeds.

Beyond that shoot, I spent some time exploring the new views from my apartment. The new angles brought some very different perspectives. It’s easy for a small town like this to start to feel stale, but this was a nice reminder that I’ve barely scratched the surface of potential compositions.

July

Another busy month! I traveled during the first two weekends, visiting the Detroit Lakes and Ely areas. I hoped to shoot the Milky Way in Ely, but unfortunately smoke from nearby wildfires prevented that from happening. At least I was able to get some interesting photos of aircraft responding to the fires.

August

August saw a lot of nature photography. I spent two nights in a row out shooting the Milky Way, took a short hike outside of Las Vegas when visiting my grandparents, and chased butterflies around the St. Olaf Natural Lands a few times. I also picked up a Sigma 105mm f/1.4, not knowing just how much I’d fall in love with it.

September

As things got busier with my day job, I spent a bit less time out shooting. That said, I still got out for a couple senior portrait sessions, and took photos of the first-year move in for St. Olaf. That latter shoot is one of my favorite events to cover. Everyone is always excited to be moving in, and the energy on campus is contagious. Even after over 20,000 steps and almost a thousand photos, I still felt light on my feet.

October

October solidly reversed the quieter trend of September. I had four different portrait sessions, a few fun nature shoots, a car shoot with some friends, and even my first-ever wedding. I found myself in some unusual shooting situations as a result. One evening had my hanging out of the back of a moving minivan, while another morning had me sitting in the middle of a canoe piloted by people I met only minutes before.

One portrait shoot was nearly met with disaster, as my car’s muffler decided to fall off as I was heading home to grab my camera. Fortunately a quick pit-stop showed that it wasn’t an emergency, so I was able to rush to the shoot. Then, just as we started to take photos, it decided to start raining. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise once the clouds thinned enough to let the sun backlight the raindrops. I’ve never seen a more incredible lighting situation.

As for the wedding, I started off a little intimidated (the consequences for messing up are much higher after all), but I ended up having a ton of fun. The couple got married on canoes at sunrise (hence the canoe for the shoot), which made for a ton of really fun, unique shots.

November

Things started to quiet down with the arrival of the cold, but I still got a number of fun nature shoots in. I spent one unseasonably warm afternoon wearing full camo while sitting on the edge of a pond in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. I didn’t get the wood duck photo that I was after, but I can hardly complain, since I was unexpectedly treated to a fantastic view of a pair of bald eagles.

I also spent some time thinking through a new photo series. The exact concept is still taking shape in my head, but I’m leaning towards covering the process of controlled burns. The extreme contrast that comes after a fresh burn lends itself to some otherworldly photos, and my hands-on fire experience adds some personal interest. I’ll likely revisit this in the spring.

December

Finally, snow! I think that the time between autumn leaves falling and snow arriving is my least favorite time to shoot outdoors. Everything is brown and grey, with rapidly diminishing light. The first snowfall always turns that around, changing that drab landscape into a winter wonderland. My recently-purchased snowshoes added even more excitement.

Not all of the fun photos happened outdoors, though. I returned to St. Olaf for another one of my favorite shoots – the Christmas Festival dress rehearsal. The various ensembles always put on a phenomenal show, and it’s extra fun to experience with the freedom to roam for photos. My higher-end gear really proved its worth at this shoot. While expensive cameras and lenses aren’t necessary to take good photos in many situations, it can make a substantial difference in low-light shoots like this one.

Thank you for making it this far! I’m very happy with how I grew as a photographer last year, and I’m excited to see what 2022 brings!