Flashback to 2024 and Prospects for 2025.
Tiny steps toward the Ocean. Den Haag, The Netherlands.
Introduction
The year 2024 goes to an end meaning that it is time to reflect on the year through my lens. After “finding” my photography style in 2023, I consolidated it in 2024 and have gotten more consistent at producing good work. The year was all about photographing, photographing and photographing. It’s really practice that makes perfect… This year’s picks are from three different countries and five different cities and I have made separate selections in 4:5 and 16:9. In this blog I share some key developments in my photography that will probably stay significant in 2025.
Neons at Boekhorststraat. Den Haag, The Netherlands.
Composition
The advantage of having clear preferences about what to shoot is giving you some clues about what to look for and what to ignore. I compose my scenes like a landscape photographer, meaning that I have a composition in mind and I just wait for an interesting subject to pass by at the right place in the right moment. Often, the subject does not show up which is unfortunate but makes the instances it works even more fulfilling. In 2024, I have massively relied on leading lines and framing. While these are very powerful tools, I need to become more creative and incorporate new composition techniques involving abstractions, negative space and complex composition techniques such as the golden ratio that I did not dare to touch in 2024.
Blobs and Dance Moves. Den Haag. The Netherlands.
Subject
A consistent aspect of my photography is that the subject is mostly unrecognisable and often silhouetted. While it obscures the subject’s identity, silhouettes still have a lot to offer anyway: what they wear or carry still tells an interesting story. Often, the subject is relatively small in the frame as it serves as a focal point, rather than the overly dominant element in a scene that should still maintain a lot of context. I strongly dislike pointing my camera into people’s faces as it does not inspire me, nor do I want to engage with people in such an awkward way. Additionally, “hunting” or “fishing” for subjects would lead me to disregard composition which I value more than the subject. I know prioritising subject or composition is a tradeoff so if I have to choose one, it would be composition for sure.
The lonely Wanderer. Wien. Austria.
Gear
All my top picks are taken on the X-T5 with 4 photos taken on a 40mm equivalent lens and 4 on a 28mm equivalent lens. One on a 50mm and one on a 75mm. In other words, I can’t say I have found one focal length that does it all for me. However, I realised that I mostly crop my 28mm lens to 35mm while 40mm is close by. That’s why I recently picked up an X100VI that converges my favourite focal lengths into one. That’s why the X100VI might become my most used camera/lens combo of 2025. I know people complain about Fujifilm’s autofocus and the smaller sensor but I can’t say that I really care about any of these aspects. Therefore, a system change in 2025 is very unlikely as I like the look, feel, compactness and ruggedness of my Fuji equipment.
Late Summer Travels. Bratislava. Slovakia.
Youtube
The start of my Youtube “career” has been the most significant change in 2024. Uploading the first video in October, I became monetised mid-December and I currently have 1386 followers. Still can’t believe that I amassed more followers on Youtube in four months than on Instagram in four years. At this point, I do not know exactly where I will take the channel. It has potential but it is a massive dedication next to my full-time master’s studies in political science. The goal of 2025 is to balance both as well as possible.
Wet and Dry Juxtaposition. Wien. Austria.
Instagram has given me a great platform to channel viewers to my Youtube and website but also the other way around. At this point, the account has about 920 followers compared to 250 at the beginning of the year. The realistic goal for 2025 is to bring it over the golden mark of 1000 followers that will hopefully give my photography some more legitimacy. At the same time, however, I find the practical benefits of Instagram very limiting. The reach is dog shit and I do not manage to find true inspiration on the platform as I am always being caught up in the algorithm suggesting gear posts and a very narrow view of “Instagram photography” that I want to get rid of. Given the limited benefits of Instagram and the excessive (and mostly wasted) time I spent on the platform, I might have an Instagram break in January.
Salzburger Silhouetten. Salzburg. Austria.
Overal Assessment
2024 has been the best but also most photographically intense year for me since I embarked on the journey in 2021. I shot significantly more, started blogging about it and started teaching via my youtube channel that I started in October and has been a massive success so far. In 2025, I hope to stay consistent in my shooting and teaching schedules while moving toward making a living from it, a goal that I am now closer to than ever before.
The Biker and the Bird. Den Haag. The Netherlands.
Haloed Cyclist. Leiden. The Netherlands.
See you in 2025! Happy shooting and Happy NEW YEAR!
