In reflecting on the past year, I’m so grateful for people, books, movies, sites, and images that inspire and transform me.

If you’re looking for a little inspiration in 2015, here are a few recommendations, based on what I returned to regularly in 2014 – on contemplation and creativity, but mostly photography.

Emails I Always Look Forward to Reading 

Brain Pickings – still my favourite site about three years running. Maria Popova writes about books and ideas. She’s prolific, so it can seem like too much, but pick and choose which articles attract you. I get her weekly email on Sundays, and usually spend a very happy hour perusing the articles.

Robert and Sarah Genn’s twice-weekly letter – thanks to a reader for turning me on to this letter on creativity. It’s always insightful.

Photographers who Inspire Me 

Guy Tal Photography – those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile may have noticed me quoting Guy Tal a lot more this year. He’s a great photographer, but what I love most about him is his ability to write about photography and life. His collection of essays, More than a Rock, was one of my favourites of this year.

Patricia Turner – is a photographic sage. She’s a retired teacher who loves to travel and write about contemplative photography, just for the fun of it. She’s also prolific and has an amazing yearlong project she’s working on called A Poetry of Place, where she’s visiting and photographing a pond near her home for the entire year. I had a chance to co-teach a workshop with her at Star Island and she’s a delightful person all around.

Photography Movies/Videos that I Kept Revisiting

Dorothea Lange – Grab a Hunk of Lightning (112 minutes, PBS Video)

Art Wolfe – The Art of the Image (51 minutes, Photographers at Google)

Photography Books that Changed Me

A Beautiful Anarchy – by David duChemin, another of my favourite photographer/writers. This book is about being courageous and living your life the way you really need and want to. Inspiring. Subscribe to the blog.

Looking into the Light – by Sean Kernan offers exercises in learning to see and enhance your creativity. It is written for photographers mostly. What could be better? It’s the book I wish I’d written and I’ll be referring to it much more in the coming year.

But Most of All …

I’m inspired by my daily walks, the power of photography and the creative life, friendships and family, and the incredible group of people that I interact with online. Happy New Year!

p.s. There are many other sites and people that inspire me on a regular basis. These are just my favourites for now.

Please share a favourite site, book, movie that inspired you this past year and is not on this list.