Hey friends,

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday.

I just finished organizing my photo library from 2025, and the final numbers are actually pretty crazy: 35,847 photos taken across 9 countries. Most will never see the light of day, but buried in there are memories I’ll never forget and images I'm genuinely proud of.

I posted a carousel this week with 20 of my favorites - the classic dragon blood trees in Socotra, a camel silhouette at sunset in Egypt, snow monkeys in Japan, a waterfall surrounded by flowers in the Azores (and a whole lot more).

If I had to pick my favorite photo from the entire year, I think it would be shooting the pyramids in Egypt. I was exhausted after a lot of travel and also very confused about how to navigate the pyramids to the spot I wanted to get to.

We had to walk through the sand for quite some time to find the perfect spot and honestly we thought we completely missed the good light. Luckily, there was so much haze that morning that the light stayed incredible for way longer than it should have.

To think we almost gave up finding that spot - and I ended up with one of the shots I'm most proud of from 2025.

But, that's the thing about photography… So much of my best work has come when I’m tired and unsure, but still showing up anyway.

Looking back at the year as a whole made the patterns pretty obvious - not just in how I shot, but where I felt most inspired. I posted my top 4 countries from this year, and honestly, the ranking surprised even me.

#1: Socotra - I knew this would be incredible, but I didn't expect it to top the list. The landscapes genuinely look like they're from another planet. Dragon blood trees, white sand beaches with turquoise water, some of the kindest people I've ever met. It took 48 hours of travel to get there, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

#2: Egypt - The scale of the ancient sites is something you can't really comprehend until you're standing there. The pyramids, the temples at sunrise, the columns that are thousands of years old. I kept thinking about the fact that people have been photographing these same structures for over a century - and to me it still felt so special to be there.

#3: Azores - The Azores are having a moment right now, and for good reason. Waterfalls everywhere, volcanic landscapes, that specific shade of green you can't find anywhere else. It's accessible, affordable, and stunningly beautiful.

#4: Japan - Japan would be higher on the list but I will be honest the crowds there were hard. Even with how busy it was, I loved it and I already know I'll be back. The attention to detail in everything, the way old and new coexist, the food, the culture. And those 24 hours of perfect weather around Mt. Fuji delivered exactly what I'd been dreaming about for years.

What's your dream destination for 2026? Hit reply and let me know - I'm making a list.

I spent a few hours last week analyzing my 2025 photos - not just picking favorites, but finding patterns in what actually worked.

Here's the process:

1. Export your best work I use star ratings so I pull everything rated 4-5 stars into one folder

2. Analyze the EXIF data Look for patterns in your camera settings:

3. Find the gaps What did you avoid shooting?

The whole process took about 2 hours but gave me a clear roadmap for 2026. The patterns reveal more than you'd expect.

Instagram now lets you control your algorithm. On December 10th, Instagram rolled out a feature called "Your Algorithm" where you can actually see the topic categories Instagram has assigned to you - and remove ones you don't want. The bigger deal for creators: Instagram confirmed they're removing accounts from users' interest lists if those accounts post inconsistently across unrelated topics. Niche down or risk disappearing.

The compact camera comeback is real. Camera manufacturers are shipping 5x more compact cameras than DSLRs right now, and Canon's 2018 PowerShot SX740 HS is still outselling most new compact releases. The takeaway: people want dedicated cameras, they just don't always want them big and complicated.

Memory cards are about to get expensive. ProGrade announced price increases starting January 8th - some CFexpress cards going up 123% due to AI infrastructure eating up memory chip production. If you need cards, buy them this week.

I'm not talking about expensive gear this week. I want to talk about something that only costs $10 and has saved me more times than I can count.

A good lens cleaning cloth.

Specifically, microfiber cloths designed for camera lenses. I keep at least a couple in my bag at all times.

Why this matters:

In Socotra, sand and dust were everywhere. One smudge on your front element and every shot has haze and reduced contrast. In Japan, condensation from going between heated buildings and cold outdoor air fogged up my lens constantly.

A clean lens is the difference between a sharp, contrasty image and a soft, muddy one. And a proper microfiber cloth cleans without scratching.

Pro tip: Never use your shirt to clean your lens. Fabric from regular clothing can scratch lens coatings. Always use proper microfiber.

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Looking back at 35,000+ photos from 2025 reminded me: the best ones weren't the most technically perfect. They were the ones that captured something real.

That's all I'm really aiming for in 2026… If you’ve made it this far, reply and tell me your top goals for 2026 - I’d love to read and be inspired by them!

See you next week,
Paige

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P.S. Interested in Lightroom Presets? Check out my Preset Packs below, made specifically for travel, landscape, & nature.