2016 Highlights, Part 1

2016 had a lot of personal highs, but also some real lows. Within the span of less than three weeks in March and April, I had to euthanize my cat, Reno, and then, on April 1, one of my closest friends of almost 20 years lost his battle with cancer.

And yet, 2016 was a great year for my photography. I managed to photograph every month, and, through the local chapter of the Drink and Click (a worldwide organization of photographers), I had the chance to photograph some very unusual events. Then, there were some absolutely unforgettable trips, particularly to Arizona and South Dakota. And, my two get togethers with my friend Cathie, first, when we met up in Washington, DC, and then when Cathie made the trip up to my home turf here in Chicago (by way of Springfield, IL).

And then there were the two photography conferences I was fortunate to attend as part of the planning team- the Out of Chicago Summer Conference in June, and the first Out of New York Conference in October. It’s a great group that I am fortunate and honored to be a part of.

To tackle this all, I have divided the year into bi-monthly segments. January’s highlights started with a meet up with some local photographers for sunrise at North Avenue Beach, on January 10. It was insanely windy, and as a result, very dramatic, but intensely cold. Still, we captured some amazing photos. Later in January, I met up with some other friends downtown for a fun Saturday of exploring interiors (the Harold Washington Library and the Cultural Center), and some alleys, and puddles (we were bizarrely fascinated with puddles lol).

Then, at the very end of the month, I met up with the local Drink and Click chapter to photograph at 111th Annual Winter Ski Jump Tournament at the Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove, IL.

In February, I again met up with the Drink and Click chapter to photograph Cupid’s Undie Fun Run in Wrigleyville, on another intensely cold day. The month finished with a drive to far western Illinois, starting with a stop at the frozen Mississippi River, and then driving through the countryside. I get cabin fever in winter, so, even though it was cold, it was great to get out of the apartment for several hours.