After 220 days of travel in 2024, I slowed my pace in 2025 and found something unexpected. Returning to familiar places, working with smaller groups, and choosing experience over accumulation reshaped how I photograph and how I teach. This year became a reminder that photography is not about doing more, but about seeing more, learning deeply, and showing up with intention.

There’s no better way to experience the changing of seasons than through the lens of nature photography. This year, I let winter’s chill and spring’s awakening guide my travels, camera in hand. From the snowy stillness of Hokkaido to the surreal beauty of the Azores, and finally the vibrant life of Florida’s wetlands and beaches, each destination offered a new perspective and fresh challenges. Here’s a look at three unforgettable stops in my nature photography journey so far

Photographing the Azores throughout the seasons has given me a bit of insight into the changes these islands experience seasonally and what