This year I took an intentional break from model photography to focus on my other work. We did do one shoot back in November, which was published a few weeks ago. In terms of salons, last year I submitted to 18, which resulted in 56 photos being accepted for various exhibitions around the world and 6 receiving awards. This year I submitted to 23 salons, resulting in 101 acceptances and 15 awards. Always like improving. Speaking of awards, this year brought about a fair number of honorable mentions in international competitions along with a few gold medals and an unexpected first place for a photo that was total serendipity. Thank you to the unknown woman who was also exploring the ruins of London’s St. Dunstan-in-the-East for being the grounding that photo needed. I always knew there was a reason I liked redheads.

New this year was submitting to journals and anthologies. A lifetime ago when I did this with my writing, my acceptance rate was around 10%. With photography, it has been over 50%. It is one thing to process and post your work online, but quite another to see it in print. That I do not know these editors and all they know of me is my submission and a short biographical statement is very gratifying to me. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a short play of mine selected to be performed among other shorts plays for an evening. Seeing my work in print now was like watching my play being acted them—it brings about a different level of completion. It was also one of my favorite nights, not only seeing my work being performed but hanging out with the actors and writers afterward. I didn’t quite belong but, then again, I never do.

2017 and 2018 saw solo exhibitions of my work. No such luck in 2019, but Inspired Eye did select me for a lengthy interview and photo portfolio that appeared in Issue 71 of they’re wonderful publication. It was my first time doing an interview of such length and depth and it was not easy for this typically private person who would rather speak through a camera. Regardless, I found the experience to be very rewarding and thank editors Olivier Duong and Don Springer for it.

In terms of travel, we were able to explore seven new countries this year and meet some stimulating fellow-travelers along the way. Here’s hoping in future travels that our paths cross again. Each year I creep a little closer to my goals of seeing at least a hundred countries and setting foot on all seven continents. I had planned on reaching that latter goal a decade ago but then I met the woman who would become my wife that winter and decided spending time with her the following summer was more important than accomplishing arbitrary goals, so plans were changed, I proposed, and now we get to set out to achieve any goals together. More serendipity.

Purchase select prints of mine: https://society6.com/jgtravels
Follow me on Instagram: @jg_travels