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2016 in Review

Story by Ash Furrow December 31st, 2016

My 2016 photography started off a bit ominously: a blizzard hit NYC so my wife and I headed out into the streets. I had a blast, met some other photographers, and got the new year off to a great start despite the weather.

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Next up was my around-the-world trip from NYC to Lisbon (colour, black&white) to Tokyo, and back to NYC. I spoke at conferences in Lisbon and Tokyo on iOS development, and made sure to make time for photography. The trip was two weeks long, so I made sure to bring an adequate and varied supply of film.

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Who says a six-hour layover in Dubai has to be boring?

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Tokyo was amazing (colour, black&white) – though I didn't have enough time to see everything I wanted to, I still had a great time with friends. I had been looking forward to visiting some camera shops, and indeed I ended up buying a Rollei 35 compact film camera.

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Back in New York, I struggled to shoot. Things just weren't inspiring, and I was under a lot of stress at work.

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A quick trip to Warsaw for a conference, and the first trip I've done on film alone – black and white only!

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The fair weather of Summer helped me get over my photo rut back home, as did getting out to see Manhattanhenge with some friends. I started focusing less on a scene and more on leading lines.

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Here's where I noticed I was playing with... non-conventional photos. Some had no discernible subject, or were intentionally obscured. I like the style, and I plan to do more experimenting next year.

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Artsy's offsite is always a fun time to bring a camera – the change of pace from the city helps shake things up.

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Ashley and I visited the Brooklyn Navy Shipyard with a friend. A lot of my photos didn't come out as planned, but I still had a great time.

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I visited Seattle for the first time in August to attend a conference. I had a few days of sunny weather to traipse around the city and visit some cool cafes and markets. Seattle felt like a mix between Toronto and Vancouver; it's the most I've felt at home in a foreign city.

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I hadn't realized how homesick I was until I flew back home for my sister's wedding. I miss my family a lot, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again early in the new year.

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Back in NYC, I started focusing on some different themes: looking for striking shadows, strong lines, and umbrellas. I dunno what it is about umbrellas, but they just look so cool! Look forward to an umbrella photo post before too long.

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It was about this point that I bought a large format camera, a beast of a camera that shoots 4x5 inch negatives. It's not the easiest to shoot with, but it's oddly satisfying. Looking forward to using it more once the evening sun comes back.

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The fall had me step in for a friend and give a workshop in Verona. I didn't have a tonne of time for photography, and the time I did have was subject to rain, but I had my tripod and I made the best of it.

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My final trip was to Crans Montana in Switzerland. I was "lucky" enough to see their first snowfall of the year in a three-day blizzard. Good thing the weather eventually let up so I could get some photos in.

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Finally, back in NYC I made sure to grab some photos of the foliage before winter set in. Central Park was a great place for photos and people-watching, I definitely need to visit it more often.

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2016 has been for me, like more years, a mixed bag. Lots of good things, lots of bad things. I'm starting to accept that things will never be perfect and to make the best of sub-ideal situations. Expressing myself through photography definitely helps.

Earth