It’s the last day of my thirtieth year today and while most people use new year’s as a time to reassess, I’m more about me. Yes, new year’s eve I’ll always look back at that year and where it took me, but my birthday is always the time for looking forward. I feel like I spent the first few days of 2015 exactly how I want to spend the whole year and that made me really happy. I wrote, I shot photos, I hung out with good friends, we worked on our home. Long may it all last.

I’ve got a few things I’d like to do in 31. I’d like to focus on my work more, earn more money, be a better photographer, be a better friend and make a bit more time for my people while I’m with them. I’ll also be visiting Australia for the first time and getting married all before Easter so it’s a front-loaded year around here. Which just makes me want to hit the ground running all the more.

So here are five bits and pieces from around the internet world that are pretty interesting and inspiring to me at this beautiful, unsullied, bright-eyed and hope-filled time of year.

1

Anne Almasy is an incredible photographer and beautiful writer. She’s uncompromisingly truthful and seeks out the purest beauty in her photos and her study. Here are five inspirational photographers she wants you to know about.

This photo is stunning and is by Min Mohd from Kuala Lumpar.

2

Are you trying to make changes in your life? Read this post from Alexandra Franzen and substitute the topic for whatever’s missing.

When there’s something you love & want — that just isn’t “happening” — it’s usually because the architecture of your life is contradictory to your desire.

3

Conor Clinch gave a short interview for Hunger TV.

Let’s face it, no one is original anymore. Originality is dead.
Just have your own vision and no matter what, it will come out differently because you have your
own eye for things.

4

Early 2014, while I was in Viet Nam, I meditated a lot. Like a lot. Some times I had very little else to do and it was great. But then life got a bit uncoordinated and I couldn’t, I stopped being able. But I’m trying again and I’ll get back there I hope.

This was primarily written for men, because that’s who Chase Reeve’s audience mostly is, but it’s a no BS primer on mediation that anyone should enjoy. I like that it says “it’s not as easy as getting into Breaking Bad but it’s worth it.”

5

This is for all the photographers out there, and should really be re-titled the Ten Commandments of Photography.
And this applies to everything:

Just remember, you get nowhere if you don’t try and as scary as it is, it gets easier every time.

Happy new year.

Photo: Joshua MikhaielÂ