Hello 2013... What do you have instore?

Has 2012 been kind? Has it delivered? Have you become better in any way? A better person? A better worker? A better lover? A better negotiator? A better photographer? A better dad? Did the sunshine warm your back and light your way?

parachute jump sky dive coffs harbour sun

No? Doesn't matter... There's always tomorrow, right? Not always... Mostly...

Well, my 2012 was interesting... A full year of running my own business, still semi-sane, interested and excited about opening my email each morning... I get some time with my little man, I get to spend the days at home and can wander about nude if I so desire... Don't worry, I wear a shirt for business Skype calls... I have a good coffee machine and a great music collection.

I have interesting clients, all in my desired field, all producing products I believe in - it makes it very easy to talk about the gear you promote when you use all of that gear. I don't get people that *love* this, that and the other when they've not even used it.... Anyways, their loss... Smile and Nod.

2013 is going to be more awesome in many ways. I'm assisting on another wedding with award winning photographer, Katie K of HeartStory in Canberra early Feb and then shooting my brother's wedding a couple of weeks later - can't wait. He'll look awesome and his lovely fiancé will look amazing.

A brief aside for you, think about this...

Do what you love. If money was no object, what would you do? I'm doing it. Lucky.

What is one important thing I'm doing this year?

This year I'm working with MindShift Gear, a new company formed out of thinkTank Photo and award winning photographers Dan Beltrá and Jerry Dodrill... MindShift are a company that make camera bags - well, that's what they do at base level. MindShift Gear are much much more - they're a company creating a connection with nature, they're making products that enable a photographer to work unhindered, to take care when amidst the great outdoors. This all got me thinking - how can I make a difference to my little part of our planet?... I think like this often and, as with a lot of other people, I come to the crushing conclusion that it's very difficult for just one person to do something worthwhile - not impossible - just very difficult.

When I think about the environment, I think about global warming, I think about Polar bears, I think about reefs and mountain ranges... I don't necessarily think about the creek at the back of my house or the river down the end of the street... The local park... Hell, a roadside near where I picked up my coffee... There are a brazillion *small* things I can do to make my part of this planet a slightly better place - it doesn't need to be cleaning the wrong kind of ice away from the entrance of the Norwegian Fjords or chasing a Japanese fishing boat back into international waters.... So, rather than be overwhelmed, I'm committing to a blog post once a week about what I've done in the preceding seven days to help the planet in my local community. I encourage you to do the same.

In other news - other clients have exciting products lined up for 2013 - some you'll expect, some you won't... It's going to be an exciting year.

Don't look down, dont' frown... look back and smile, look forward and be empowered. 2013 will be amazing.

Don't look down, look up, keep going up

Happy New Year x