As the new year kicked off, I decided to stick with my monthly photo diary, and January proved to be a month full of activity. Let’s take a look at the highlights.
The year began with celebrations, and after ringing in the New Year, I found myself waking up on a friend’s couch. I spent some quality time with friends, including a charming Flemish tradition where kids read their rhyming New Year letters to their families—a delightful way to start the year.
January also brought a couple of personal milestones: I celebrated my niece’s second birthday and joined my good friend Jan-Bart to celebrate his many years—about 16 times more than my niece, to be precise!
While January was full of celebrations, I didn’t neglect work. It was mostly administrative tasks, like refreshing email templates and fine-tuning my social media presence. Speaking of which, I made a significant change this month: after 14 years on Twitter, I decided to leave the platform. It was a tough decision since I met many of my closest friends there, but in recent years, the platform had become less enjoyable. My final push came when the CEO made that infamous arm gesture, sealing the deal. Now, I’ve happily moved to Bluesky.
Though I’m still undecided about whether to continue using Instagram or Threads, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on those platforms—do they still offer value?
As for my personal time, I had the chance to roam the streets, focusing mostly on Antwerp but also spending a day in Namur and a bit of time in Brussels. Namur was a fun break, while my trip to Brussels was for the launch of the Samsung S25.
Naturally, there was work to be done as well, including shooting portraits and covering events for various clients.
New Experiences and Media in January 2025
Firsts:
- Visited Namur for the first time
Books:
- Henri Cartier-Bresson Biography by Pierre Assouline
- Helen Levitt – Photofile
- Tim Jamieson’s Ultimate Street Photography Guide
- Growth Hacker Marketing by Ryan Holiday
- Saul Leiter Retrospektive
Blogs & Online Media:
- Matt D’Avella’s 3 Rules of Life Series
- AP’s Report on the Terror of War Photo
- Jo’s Art History Podcast
Movies and Series:
- Cunk on Life
- The Substance
- Alita: Battle Angel
- Skeleton Crew
- Flow
- Ace Ventura
- Mulholland Drive
- Night at the Museum
Museums, Restaurants, and Coffee Bars Visited:
- Museum Cnops
- Tota Zurenborg
- Nonno Tiramisù
It’s been a month of reflection, new experiences, and, of course, plenty of time behind the lens. Looking forward to what February brings!
