23 in 2023
Genoa, Italy, September 2023
Friends, colleagues, family & photo community,
Hello, happy holidays, happy solstice, and happy end of the year.
With just 10 days left of the year, in this period of holiday frenzy exhaustion and a deeply heavy state of the world, I imagine many of us are reflecting on what took place for us this year, personally and globally, and what we can bring into 2024 to make our lives a little bit brighter and the world a little more just.
I know that I am, and I couldn’t close the year without a reflection list. For much of this year, I felt like I had photographic writer’s block and I felt pretty deflated; I liked some of my work, but I didn’t really love any of it. It occurred to me as I was crafting this newsletter that 2020 Erica would be pretty happy with where 2023 Erica is, and my year in review suddenly looked a lot better when I got out of my own way.
I hope that when you make your own list, you also find yourself pleasantly surprised.
So my reflection list, chronologically.
23 in 2023
Goals & Gratitudes
Starting my year in New Mexico and seeing my book at the Photo Eye book store display shelf.
My participation in a second photo book, “Love Story: New Photography of Love and Intimacy,” published by Hoxton Mini Press, alongside 21 other wonderfully talented photographers.
Opening my at-home photo studio doors in March.
Getting back to shooting so much more film than previous years.
Camera of the Month Club hosting a hugely successful show “Cordless: A Show About Our Phone Rituals.”
Turning 40 and getting engaged in Puerto Rico.
My first ever artist residency. It was an absolute honor and dream to be invited to be one of the Rockaway Hotel and Baxter Street Camera Club of NY’s Inaugural Artist in Residence in late June and throughout July.
Opening my first Rockaway-based solo show, right by the beach where the series was born.
Hosting “The Ocean is My Muse” photo panel with several talented photographers that I admire.
My parents each coming to see my Rockaway residency at different points, and spending some time in the place I call my second home.
Creating video work for Beach Lovers for the first time in the series.
Renting a beautiful summer bungalow in Rockaway with two of my favorite people and spending so much time by the sea.
Visiting Genoa, Italy for the first time to visit my best friend, and take travel photos for the pure enjoyment of it.
Hosting my first two home studio visits, with 3 Walls and The Get Gallery.
Having a Beach Lovers image chosen for an upcoming ‘40 Over 40’ Online Exhibition, juried by Elizabeth Avedon.
Co-organizing, hosting and participating in Camera of the Month Club’s 2nd Annual Photo Retreat in upstate NY.
Celebrating 9 years since I founded Camera of the Month Club in 2014.
Commissioning more than a dozen Beach Lovers prints this year for homes and business around the city and country.
Selling almost 80% of the first edition of my Beach Lovers book.
Gathering my evidence to get ready to apply for my green card in early 2024.
Adopting a new kitten, Samba.
Getting even more comfortable with the many rejections I had this year.
Concluding another year as a full-time freelance photographer in NYC, still standing.
