2025: A Year in Review
As the year draws to a close, it feels like a natural point to pause and reflect. With 2025 nearly behind us, I wanted to take a moment to look back at the work done over the past year and the progress made across my website and creative projects.
This past year has been one of the most focused and rewarding periods of creative work I have had in a long time. What began as a needed reset slowly turned into a full reboot of my website, my publishing rhythm, and the way I present my work as a creative. Looking back, I feel both proud of what has been accomplished and energized by where things are headed next.
Rebooting the Foundation
In May, I officially rebooted and relaunched BillMcNamee.com. This was not just a visual refresh, but a deeper restructuring of the site and its purpose. Alongside the relaunch came a full rebrand under the name Bill McNamee | The Art of the Create.
That shift was intentional. I wanted the site to better reflect the creative process itself, not just finished photographic work. Photography, writing, experimentation, and exploration now live together under a single, more cohesive identity.
Refining the Photography Folio
One of the most important changes this year was reworking my Folio galleries to better showcase my photography. Rather than expanding photography’s role on the site, this update focused on clarity, curation, and presentation.
The revised Folio pages offer a cleaner and more intentional way to view my images, allowing individual photographs and projects to breathe within the larger context of the site. Photography remains central to how I see and document the world, but it now sits more comfortably alongside my writing and other creative work.
Clarifying Values and Transparency
This year also included important behind the scenes work that speaks directly to how I approach creativity and publishing.
I refreshed the Legal Information page and added a Generative and Assistive AI Statement to clearly explain how I use modern tools within my creative workflow. Transparency matters, especially in a landscape where technology continues to reshape how creative work is produced.
Alongside that, I developed an Independence Statement outlining my position on sponsorships, affiliate programs, and creative neutrality. While I may participate in affiliate programs, my opinions remain my own, and my work is not influenced by outside partnerships. Stating that clearly felt essential.
A Consistent Publishing Rhythm
Perhaps the most meaningful accomplishment this year has been consistency.
I committed to publishing at least one new blog post each week, and I followed through on that commitment. That steady rhythm helped refine my voice, strengthen my ideas, and keep the site active and evolving.
Out of that consistency came the launch of new blog series, including Nearscape Photography, which focuses on photography closer to home and closer to the everyday, and LifeTracks, a more reflective series centered on moments, memories, and personal observations.
These series have given the blog structure while still leaving room for exploration and experimentation.
Extending the Work Beyond the Website
The work did not stop with the site itself.
I created a curated Flipboard Magazine for Bill McNamee | The Art of the Create as another way to share writing and photography beyond the website. I also built a curated Pinterest board to visually extend the brand and highlight imagery and inspiration connected to my work.
For the first time, I began regularly sharing blog updates on LinkedIn, treating it as another channel for thoughtful creative updates rather than just a professional bulletin board.
In addition, I created and launched The Art of the Create Discord server, establishing a dedicated space for conversation, learning, and community around creativity, photography, writing, and emerging tools. While the server is still new, it represents an important step toward building a more connected creative community, and it is my hope that it will continue to gather momentum and grow throughout 2026.
Looking Ahead
When I step back and look at the full picture, this year represents a shift from maintenance to momentum. The difference is not just in how the site looks, but in how it functions day to day. A consistent publishing rhythm, clearer structure, and defined values have turned it into a platform I actively work within rather than revisit from time to time.
There is still plenty to refine and expand, but the foundation built this year feels durable. More importantly, it supports the kind of creative work I want to keep doing, and it gives me a solid place to build from as the next year unfolds.
To those who have followed the reboot, engaged with the work, or offered feedback along the way, thank you. This past year has been shaped not just by what I built, but by the people who took the time to be part of it.
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Technical Notes:
This image was captured using a Canon AE-1 Program with a Canon FD 35–70mm f/4 lens on Kodachrome 64 film. It was processed in Lightroom with subtle adjustments to texture and clarity, along with a slight vignette to help guide the eye. The final image is presented in a 4:6 aspect ratio.