I’ve been writing “Year in Review” blog posts since 2018, making this my 6th annual review. 2022 was a doozy of a year for me, so I’m happy to report that 2023 was overall much calmer!

Here are a few highlights and stats from 2023:

• 2023 marked 2 years of being a full-time photographer and my 2-year anniversary of moving to Colorado
• I photographed 55+ projects in 2023, including weddings, elopements, engagement sessions, and commercial shoots
• My commercial clients included Stio, LifeStraw, and Hannah Rose Creative
• I photographed weddings in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and New York
• I significantly surpassed my annual income goal
• I took a 2-week solo trip to Thailand

Every year I look back at some of my favorite images and think of the people I got to work with, and I’m always so thankful. This year was no different. I’m so incredibly grateful for the experiences I’ve had, the places I’ve gone, and more importantly the people I’ve had the honor to meet.

In 2023, I know I became so much more confident and comfortable working in the mountains. I’ve gotten to know my favorite locations so much better. I can tell you how the sun moves differently in different seasons, what the trail conditions are likely to be at any time of year, and how to prepare for weather conditions. I’ve honed in on both my camera gear and my general outdoor gear.

A highlight of 2023 was spending 2 weeks in Thailand!

Goals from 2023

Here’s a look back at the goals I set for 2023 and how I did in working towards them.

• See more of Colorado: I did really well with this goal! I made it a goal to visit Telluride, Aspen, and Crested Butte, and I visited all three in 2023.
  
• Travel less?: Yes! I traveled for photography wayyy less than other years and it was really great. I know Colorado really well, and focusing on more local weddings/elopements allowed me to give my clients an amazing experience in a place that I know really well. It also allowed me to plan my own trips, and I traveled for fun to Hawaii, New Mexico, Costa Rica, and Thailand in 2023.
  
• Connect with others in the industry: I did a pretty good job of this, but I still think I can do better!
  
• Keep serving my clients well: This goal is never complete, because I am always striving to serve my clients better. In 2023, I invested in a new camera, bought a Polaroid camera, and enhanced my existing resources.

Goals for 2024

• Uplevel specific points in my client experience: I have a few specific things that I want to enhance in my workflow and client experience.
  
• Test working with team members: I’m considering bringing on a team member for 2024 which will allow me to work with more couples
  
• Invest in new gear: I have some specific gear that I want to purchase in 2024 that will streamline my shooting and backup process
  
• Continue to make industry friends: I want to continue making industry friends, but I also want to intentionally cheer on other wedding industry vendors.
  
• Travel well: One of my goals for 2023 was to travel less. Well, in 2024 I have several big travel weddings that I’m super excited about, but also involve a lot of travel and logistics.

Past Yearly Recaps

• Best of 2022
• Best of 2021
• Best of 2020
• Behind the Scenes of 2020
• 2019 Behind the Scenes
• Best of 2018

A little heart to heart

Last year I was really personal with my year-end recap. This year not so much. But I do want to tell you a bit of what 2023 was really like for me, outside of just photography. The first half of the year was amazing and so much fun. Then in the fall, several things happened at once that made the rest of the year feel pretty hard. Over the course of about 3 months, I lost one of the most significant relationships in my life, I got COVID, I turned 30, some of my camera gear broke suddenly, and then I got in an accident that resulted in my car being totaled.

I’ve been living in Colorado for 2 years now, and I really do love it. But there are still times when it feels hard to be here. If you’ve moved somewhere far away and sometimes it still feels hard even after 2 years, you’re not alone. If you want more of my story regarding moving to Colorado, you can read last year’s recap.

Anyway, that’s where I’ll leave it for now.

Here are some of my favorite images from 2023.

Cheers to 2024!

Best of 2023 Colorado Wedding Photography