Retrospective December 2025

Well, well, well here we are. Look at you, hungover, lying in your bed having waited for 2025 to leave and 2026 to arrive. I just put my daugher to bed for the last time as a one year old (new years day baby), the big bash is on and I have a birthday cake to make so lets get into it.

Linus Bergman Portra 800

This has been one hell of a Christmas present. I have had an eye on the packs from Linus for a while and he has been teasing a Portra 800 pack for a little while and I jumped on it Christmas day as soon as it was released. I am still getting my head around working with them but the initial results look incredible and I can’t wait to fine tune tome to how I like it.

Redundancy

Bit of a downer for the end of the year but thats just the hand that has been dealt. Last week of November I found out I was being made redundant. A surprise more than anything else it was also probably one of the worst timed events to happen this year. Trying to juggle interviews with companies wrapping up their year can be a bit stressful to say the least.

Fingers crossed for early 2026 but a big part of the new year will be diversification of the things that I do, more of that to come below. ;P

Video services

Oh look, diversification. I have been looking at how I can help others with the knowledge I have for the new year. I have a plan to work with local business with a more hands on approach to making longer form content. But another thing I want to do is work with others as a video editor. I love helping craft stories for people to present to their audience. If this is something you want to chat more about I would love for you to reach out here.

Lumix S1

I have had this camera a while now and it has finally reached the point of YouTube videos coming out with the “Is this camera underrated in 2025?” and I have some input. This camera was underrated when it was launched, it was underrated when it got firmware 2.0 and it is still underrated now. Sure the continuous auto focus is hit or miss but if that is the only stat you look at for a camera then you may need to look at your criteria.

in 2025 having something that shoots 6k open gate at 24p in log is something we expect. Getting that as a firmware update in 2021 on a camera that came out 2 years before the firmware update was unheard of. The Panasonic S1 is an absolute monster for video and always has been a monster for photos. I added this util lut from Cinema tools which gives a false colour that can be used as a preview and makes quick exposure adjustments a breeze.

2026 the year of golf?

I have been getting back into playing golf more consistently and I think 2026 will be the big year of moves to make that a more permanent. So expect more images from early mornings from the course as well as some more reels and stories on my instagram of me making a ball get small.

Best Secret Santa present

This was a present as part of a secret Santa with our friends locally. Scott who is behind Lefever Design got me this year and made me this incredible present with his 3D printer. It’s going to be hung straight up next to my coffee machine as a pride and joy of things I have.

What else is to come for 2026?

As far as I am concerned 2025 is gone and left in the rear view, bring on 2026. There is going to be a lot more of me out there making things in public and a bit more of me in your email inbox.

I think the newsletter will have a more frequent trip to your inbox, not a crazy amount but maybe adding one more per month could be on the cards to have a bit more of my thoughts or things I have been working on.

Captured my interest

The only thing on my radar that has cut through my December has been the Light lens lab 35mm f1.4 AA. It has been a lens they have been teasing for while and the initial reviews I have seen from those that got the Titanium edition have further cemented that I think this is absolutely a lens I will be adding to the bag. If you want to go down the rabbit hole I have checkout the reviews from Keith Wee, Robbie Sumantri and Fred Miranda

Best of November 2025 Gallery

That wraps up 2026

It’s been a big year of creative intent with lots of things in lots of areas. There has been YouTube videos (which I want more of for 2026), this newsletter, which I think will change a bit in the new year as well.

I think my big takeaway from looking back at December and this year as a whole is to make things in public, the more you’re out there the more you find your people. I have made a lot of new friends this year from reaching out as well as having more things out there and people reaching out to me. If you’re looking to make more publicly in 2026 I highly recommend it. You will sure be seeing a lot more from me next year so I will see you in 2026.

The benefits of working in public and sharing your work has clearly been working for the growth of my little community on the internet. I have grown my Instagram to over 400 followers, YouTube is at 39 subscribers and I have had 19 people signup to this very newsletter.

As a subscriber to the newsletter I would like to personally thank you for being along for the ride. It has been great having you join me on this journey.

Bye for now, see you next year.

Tom