The year 2020 has not been a good year for me. I guess it was the same for most people. What was starting as a hopeful year was immediately dashed by the pandemic.

I do photography because I want to capture happy, memorable moments in time. Photography has become my solace and I feel happy whenever I am able to produce eye pleasing photographs.

I almost stopped doing photography because the pandemic has made us dwell in sad and, sometimes, angry moments. What spurred me on was the hope for good things to come. I felt that photography has helped me find the happy, memorable moments and not dwell on the sadness of the pandemic.

The first quarter of 2020 felt like a photography desert! The emerging new virus made regular daily activities questionable. Quarantine and isolation were difficult options to follow. By the end of the first quarter of 2020, it was evident that the pandemic was getting worse and curtailing most of our favorite outdoor activities.

The second quarter had the ambivalence of staying in isolation versus cautiously mingling with the general crowd. Masks and gloves became the norm. People were hoarding medications and grocery supplies. Church worship was shifting from church attendance to online services. I eventually ended up doing more backyard and indoor photography.

We had booked for a cruise ship tour of Europe. It was cancelled because the epicenter of the pandemic was at our port of departure. Our cruise ship tour became a cross country drive across Albuquerque NM, Ouray CO, Salt Lake City UT, Arches National Park UT, Yellowstone National Park WY, and Grand Teton National Park WY. It became an excellent alternative to losing the cruise ship tour around Europe.

It is now the last quarter of the year but we are still struggling with the pandemic. The vaccine has brought new hope for the future but there is still a lot of work to be done. Celebrating the Holy days of the season has been a struggle but we have learned to adapt. May the future hold a better promise. May 2021 be a better year!