2014 in Review

by Fire Girl Jess on January 1, 2015

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” —Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

(That’s one of my favorite quotes, and one I come back to on a daily basis. After all, what’s the point of living if you’re stagnant?)

It’s hard to write a year in review post. How do you sum up the day-to-day advents of a year gone by, the hours that tick past at an absurd pace, ready to be seized and filled with something awesome? How do you share those incredible moments that—even as you are living them—you know you will miss (and turn over in your mind time and time again) in the years to come? And what about those days that weren’t so good, days of frustration and anger and maybe even a little bit of panic?

A year ago today I started my drive from Austin to Vermont, relocating on a whim and the promise of something new and exciting. It was the first move of the new year—nothing new; I had relocated four times in 2013. Living on the road was familiar and comforting and exhilarating all at once. Give me a camera and a place to curl up to sleep and life is pretty damn good.

Three days and one tire later, I limped into Vermont on a wintery, sub-zero night. Looking back, it was perhaps a fittingly epic start to a pretty wild year.

The theme word of 2014 seemed to be “new.” I had never been east of the Mississippi (while remaining in the States) before moving to the Northeast. For a mountain girl from Montana, it was a foreign place that I had absolutely no desire to explore. Russia seemed more welcoming and interesting—as proven in 2012. But, as they say, life is weird and here I am. New places abounded—fly-fishing on Martha’s Vineyard, trekking down to Florida twice for business, one remarkably odd breakfast in a New Jersey diner, my first fishing tournament (ever) on the Delaware River. My first awards for fishing (who has ever heard of such a thing?!) And a remarkable adventure in Belize in November, camera in hand. It was a work trip, but managed a few hours on the water and my first couple bonefish. Tarpon and permit come next—2015’s goal, perhaps. I’ve made more new acquaintances than I can count, and am honored to call some of them friends. Made a few enemies, too, but that’s to be expected.

Fire Girl Photography has blossomed. I’ve added a host of fantastic new clients and continue to work with the vast majority of the tried-and-true editors and publishers collected over the past five years. I started this whole shenanigan in July 2009—suddenly we’re past the five year mark and it seems both like ages and only the blink of an eye.

I find myself hoping the theme for 2015 will be even more “new.” Maybe “unusual.” Maybe “gumption” will be the theme for the year.

Colossal thanks to everyone who helps make this work. You make it all worthwhile—awesome sponsors, incredible friends, patient family, fantastic clients, and editorial teams who make things look truly awesome on a page. And you guys, who come back to this blog to read whatever drivel comes next.

Right now, life is a run of mad, 80+ hour workweeks. Between juggling a full-time gig as Orvis’ outdoor copywriter—the voice of Orvis, as I am oft gravely reminded—and growing FGP, I’m pretty sure I dream about wording and typing and notebooks and camera bags. Last week there was that one panicked dream that my memory card was corrupted after a big shoot. (I got up in the middle of the night and checked. It wasn’t.)

Right now that’s my world. And I find I’m inordinately okay with that.

Enough talking. I’ll let the images speak for themselves. As is scrawled in the front of one of my notebooks: “How vain is it to sit down and write if you have not stood up to live.” —Thoreau

So here’s to a year of living. And living hard.

 

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And, if you made it this far, here's rare proof that I do, in fact, sometimes sneak out from behind the camera. My first bonefish in November. Belize. Huge thanks to Lori-Ann Murphy for the image and being my fishing buddy for the morning.

And, if you made it this far, here’s rare proof that I do, in fact, sometimes sneak out from behind the camera. My first bonefish in November. Belize. Huge thanks to Lori-Ann Murphy for the image and being my fishing buddy for the morning.

Tags: Fire Girl Photography

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Victor January 2, 2015 at 13:30

Great post new and change are what keep us going even at my age, I never tire reading this and chi with my morning java

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Fire Girl Jess January 2, 2015 at 16:19

Here’s to never-ending change and new things, Victor! Very glad you enjoy reading CW and this… always good to know folks are actually reading this stuff. Hope you’ve had a lovely start to the new year.

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