Summer Vibes

Some shots from the archive

A man with a cigarette with his arm out the driver's window of a green Jeep Grand Cherokee at a traffic light on a sunny day, with palm trees and commercial buildings visible in the background. Passengers aboard a vessel watch a distant tall ship sail across blue waters toward forested mountain cliffs. Purple flowers in soft evening light with a blurred coastal landscape and water visible in the background. A weathered wooden birdhouse stands alone in a vast field of dried golden grasses under a soft, twilight sky with pink and blue hues.

Morning Light

A nice way to wake up

A window sill full of succulents is bathed in morning light

Favorite (unposted) photos of 2024

In 2024, I posted fewer photos than in previous years. I carried my camera with me more often, but I didn’t always use it with purpose. I thought that I “should” be taking photos, which led to many halfhearted shots that didn’t turn out well. These vastly outnumbered the good ones, leaving me dissatisfied with most of my library and feeling like I had little worth sharing.

I finally sat down and culled to just the ones I like. They aren’t all post-worthy, but many are “almost great”. These don’t bother me - they inspire and motivate me to go back out and improve. With a higher concentration of photos I love, my library gives me pride and joy instead of anxiety and doubt. In fact, narrowing down to just 10 favorites was difficult.

In 2025, I want to prioritize intentionality. Carrying a camera is just half the equation; I need to use it with purpose. If I’m not feeling creative or have competing priorities, it’s ok not to use it. Forced pictures are not necessarily good pictures.

A weathered, black rectangular metal piece with two circular holes lies on a bed of smooth stones. Two fallen signs in a wooded area. One is an upside-down “STOP” sign with graffiti, and the other is an overturned “NO TRESPASSING, NO DUMPING” sign. Both are surrounded by fallen leaves and branches. Two large wooden spools of blue rope are surrounded by stacked wire lobster traps. A garden scene with a white wooden sign labeled “SIMON,” surrounded by marigold flowers and soil edged with red bricks. A green plastic watering can featuring embossed tulip designs is nearby. In the background, there are rows of plants. A red and white lifebuoy is attached to a white post marked with the number 13. The background includes tall grass, a palm tree, and part of a building. A traffic light with a red left-turn arrow stands against a backdrop of the ocean and a clear blue sky. There are some plants and coastal scenery visible at the edge of the road. A coastal town with houses on a hillside, palm trees, and a marina filled with various boats. Hills are visible in the background under soft, diffused lighting. Three people wearing colorful tie-dye hoodies and hats are walking through a parking lot. They are carrying bags and one person has a hat in hand. The sun is setting, casting a warm glow over the scene with palm trees and a bridge in the background. Three white wildflowers with yellow centers surrounded by green leaves and curly tendrils, set against a blurred natural background. Close-up of assorted padlocks and combination locks, including a blue dial lock and a textured metal key lock, arranged together.

Sunrise Walk in New Suffolk

I took this same walk a year ago and got some shots I really liked. This year, I felt pressure to capture new, equally interesting pictures. I left disappointed, feeling I hadn’t met my goal. When I finally went back to edit, I was surprised to find some photos that I liked. I realized I captured these during moments between the pressure. Overthinking led to underwhelming images - I just needed to react to what caught my eye.

A life preserver attached to a wooden post on a dock at sunrise. The background features moored sailboats and calm water reflecting the colorful sky. A serene waterside scene at sunrise featuring a weathered wooden dock with rusty, metallic containers and stacks of fishing traps. In the background, calm waters reflect the soft hues of the sky, with a distant shoreline and a few anchored sailboats. A sailboat docked at a marina during a sunrise, framed by two vertical wooden posts. The boat’s name “Fortuna” is visible on the stern. The sky is painted with warm hues of orange and pink, with purple clouds scattered above

Afternoon Walk in Waltham

I like finding things people have left behind. Some leave a mark, others are pauses waiting to be resumed, and many are simply forgotten artifacts. All are reminders that we're surrounded by more people and stories than we'll ever know.

Two blue sheds enclosed by a chain-link fence with rusted metal frames leaning against them An empty yellow excavator with "McCourt" written on the arm, parked on a gravel surface with trees in the background. A small, worn, tattered American flag hanging on a street sign that reads 'VETERANS'. Yellow police caution tape entangled in branches on the ground outdoors in front of a small pine tree A stop sign with black markings lying on the ground with brown leaves around it.