Hello everyone,

I’m writing to you today from a slightly different space both physically and digitally. As you might have noticed, I’ve moved this newsletter off Substack.

While I appreciated the platform, I found myself drifting away from their push toward short-form video and "Notes." I want this to feel like a letter, not a feed. I’m hoping this email-only format makes our connection feel a bit more personal and direct.

Looking back, 2025 was a uniquely complex year. It was one of the hardest I’ve navigated in a long while, both personally and professionally.

I spent much of the year in a constant tug-of-war with burnout, yet it was also a year defined by movement with more travel than I’ve ever done in a year and significant internal growth.

The biggest physical shift was our move from NYC to New Jersey. We are still figuring out exactly where we are headed next, but the timing felt symbolic.

The year concluded with the acquisition of the company I work for, which felt like a fitting "final act" to an NYC era that began when we first moved down from Boston five years ago.

Creatively, 2025 wasn't a year of explosive growth. In many ways, it was a "latent" year; a period of refinement rather than expansion. This newsletter was the only “new” medium I explored. I am proud of keeping it alive! I finished the year with 16 posts which surpassed my initial goal of one per month. This felt like a quiet but important victory.

Landscape photography became my primary creative anchor this year. The travel I did opened up incredible street scenes and architecture that made capturing compelling images feel easy.

As I look into 2026, I want to lean further into this thread by improving my eye and perhaps layering in some intentional video work. I’ve missed the deliberate nature of black and white film, and I plan to explore that more diligently throughout the coming months.

Thank you all for your support and for the thoughtful commentary you’ve shared as I explore these mediums. I’m truly excited for the possibilities of the year ahead.

Happy 2026!

—Luther