Though I photograph people every day of the year, I’m always filled with joy when there’s gorgeous natural light available. I don’t take the beautiful rays, colors and aura for granted, and am certain I never will.

Sunlight creates such lovely highlights in hair, in particular. There are hundreds of tips/secrets/best-practices that can transform a portrait from decent to good to memorable, and backlit subjects with the sun low in the sky (morning and/or evening) is high on the list.

Heading out for an afternoon run through Santa Fe, thankful for health, travel, opportunities, curiosity, a sense of adventure a sense of gratitude and a sense of reflection….

I feel a bit like the old Cash classic “I’ve Been Everywhere” as I wander through life. Each week is a mix of experiencing new and stopping to appreciate the places that are already close to our hearts.

Traveling through the U.S. Southwest for 30 days, and enthralled with all the wondrous moments that have unfolded already (at the halfway point of the adventure). It’s essential to travel, to explore, to set sails to the wind and flow with what unfolds. Miraculous, ever-fascinating, always-interesting mile after mile….

There are unquestionably times that images are more impactful and poignant and inspiring than are words.

I love both. Photography and writing have always been my two passions.

But photographs reach deeper.

Just closing the book on our seventh year in business, and opening the book of the eighth….

Remarkable journey, each day and each year.

Siobhan was a corporate finance director. I was a CEO/Managing Director/Board Chairman in a NYSE international company living in London, resigned, and ran a law firm in Philadelphia.

While in Philadelphia, we bought two vacation homes in Bloomington, with the dream/intent to relocate to B-Town once our son went off to college. He did. We did. And I said to Siobhan in 2014, “You know, I’d like to be a full-time photographer, and I’d like our studio to be on Bloomington’s courthouse square.” Without hesitating a moment, she said “I’m in!”.

Fast forward, and we’re Bloomington’s top-rated, most successful photography business, and constantly reminding ourselves how surreal and magical this has all been….

This past year we sold our original vacation homes and moved into downtown Bloomington’s historic corridor of beautiful neighborhoods…. The move has been a godsend for convenience, opportunities and time savings. We travel the country extensively, and, in turn, work tirelessly when home.

And, as we open the book on Year Eight, we thank every client who entrusted Jeff Norris Photography to provide the professional images for your special life moments. You mean everything to us. We could be doing X. We could be living in Y. We could have careers in Z. But we choose to be Bloomington-based photographers, serving our inspiring community client-by-client with gorgeous images, with smiles and fairness, and with heartfelt appreciation.

Wishing each of you the most meaningful and thought-provoking new year…. There’s so much to value in this one brief life we’re given, isn’t there?

There are so many laughs and surprises and unexpected moments in portrait sessions. Every single shoot is akin to meeting new friends, or spending a couple hours with dear old friends.

There’s a bit of a life metaphor in sessions, in that no matter how much is planned or hoped for, sometimes the exact opposite happens.

Keep shooting. Keep smiling. Keep laughing. Know that sharing your laughter helps everyone else feel joy, too.

Yesterday a dear old friend commented on how integral Jeff Norris Photography is to the positivity of our Bloomington community, and I couldn’t have been more complimented.

He said that it’s heartwarming that the sign in front of our studio wishes everyone passing by on the courthouse square a Merry Christmas, that universally when our name comes up in conversation the reactions are praiseworthy and uplifting, and that our values don’t dip into the antagonism or inciting in an attempt to create buzz worthy notice. I think all of that is by-and-large true. It’s rewarding to believe strongly in some traditional values while not falling into the chasm of staunchly defending history-versus-future. Written in the alternative, it’s rewarding to understand and embrace some new ideologies while not forgetting we have a shared, important, foundational past.

I love the description that we’re pebbles in a stream. There’s water all around us in the present moment. There’s water coming from upstream that we know nothing about. And there’s water that passed by us long ago and is now far away. All the while, we’re in our “here”, wherever our own “here” may be.

Tradition matters. Progress matters. Reputation and kindness and awareness matter. The flow continues, and always will.

By the widest of margins, Bob Dylan is the most important recording artist of the past 60 years. It’s an ongoing fascination with me how talented he was/is. I couldn’t choose a favorite album, a favorite 20 songs or a favorite 100 quotes from his lyrics…. The ensemble of emotion, insight, anger, forgiveness, questioning, dismay and resolve is unprecedented. Even measured against strictly authors/poets/writers, he’s at the mountaintop of artists who’ve lived in my lifetime.

I was struck this week to read that he sold the rights to his music catalog. Interesting decision. Clearly, he deserves the $300 million. I’ll be curious to learn what he may do with the payout, though I’m certain it won’t ever be acknowledged publicly.

We all have gifts. We all have resources. We’re not Dylan, but we need not be. Create. Inspire. Give. Let your range of emotions come through your work. It’s who you are. Share it. Tell your own story. Revel in the incomparable magnitude of unanswered questions, and embrace the small moments that matter most to those you love.

While I could be 100% wrong, for some reason I believe that 2021 is going to be the best year of my life (so far). I’ve been feeling palpably the momentum building for a few months, and I’m genuinely intrigued/excited about the process.

No idea where this belief is coming from, or what it may mean.

But it’s a wonderful sensation.

I’ve had an unimaginably charmed/blessed life already. One setback years ago, but, other than that, my journey has been remarkable, beyond my boyhood dreams and wholly uplifting. I’m going to pop some proverbial popcorn and enjoy watching/experiencing/living what’s in store for the coming four seasons. Whatever it may be.

I’ve had the good fortune to photograph many book covers, website redesigns, magazine articles and similar. In this case, the session was for the group’s upcoming album/CD and related promotions, and we had a terrific experience. Talented group of guys and a joy to work with..

As I enter this blog post I’m in my home-away-from-home of Key West, appreciating the wonder and enchanting vibe of life in the Keys. My photography down here is, on the other hand, essentially 100% wildlife-related, which is a passion for me.

Off now for some Cuban coffee, a run through Old Town and wandering about…. more strong passions!