2025 on 35mm Film
An analog recap on the year
2025 was a turning point for my creative and personal life. Though my perfectionist tendencies have left me with much to be desired in completed works and achieved goals; I still found this year to be a return to form.
One of those creative realignments was through shooting film more often. I bought an Olympus XA and took it nearly everywhere with me; and I shot almost as many rolls as I had in previous years combined.
I’ve been meaning to share more personal work here, so I think these film photos are a great way to do so while highlighting moments in the year.
Travel
New York City
Perhaps one of the most adventurous and spontaneous things I’ve done—I flew to New York, explored all day/night and flew back the following afternoon. I did it in January where flights/hotels are usually cheap and escaped Minnesota’s polar vortex in favor of NYC’s 40° F heatwave.
The only thing I had scheduled was seeing the city skyline at the One Vanderbilt building, everything else in the day was pure wandering and it couldn’t have been better.
Puerto Rico
I realized I was burnt out from work by late-March and had been wanting to visit family in my homeland after nearly a decade.
I went to stay with my grandfather for most of the trip and it made for one of the most personal and special trips ever. It was restorative and peaceful. My family took me in like a day had passed instead of a decade and I am forever grateful.
Italy
This was the most recent and impactful trip so far. I decided to go on a solo pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee year. It was my first time traveling outside of the country and I decided go to alone (go figure!).
It was restful inside churches and I got to see the Pope on three different occasions in one week, but I also learned that it wasn’t an escape from reality with the hustle and bustle of Rome. Not to mention the sheer amount of people made it fun for street photography.
Throughout the trip, I think the Lord prepared me to be fine being lonely, something I was not happy about at times. That being said; I eventually got a feel for the city and loved wandering it as well.
I took time off to see my friend Teresa near Venice and was beyond happy to see her and spend time with her family. It was a restful point of the trip and so surreal to be welcomed on an entire different part of the world.
Friends
I’ve been blessed with so many great memories this year and new friends.
I reconnected with one of my best friends, Emily (see, I said you’d be in an article someday) and shared adventures with many others.
I could go on and on but it was a full circle moment from initially taking film photos of friends in high school to now taking photos again with friends post-grad.
Other Highlights
Professional shoots
I had two occasions in which my friend Curtis invited me to tag along to his photoshoots. I hadn’t even sat in on an intentional shoot before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
They were incredible occasions, from seeing how Curtis does his craft, to sneaking in some photos of my own with his permission. It’s also how I met the wonderful Cecilia Wallace !
Ridin’ Solo
When I was living in Dinkytown I would go on an occasional photowalk, usually near the Stone Arch Bridge. I would let the golden evening glow light the path for me, though I would capture moments nearly anywhere I’d go on that street. I miss it already!
Overall, I’m both surprised and grateful with how much I was able to capture on film; and that was just one of the mediums I decided to capture 2025 through.
Many of these moments were candid, taken at the last minute and all of them were taken during great and challenging times of my life.
I hope I can take into 2026 the lesson that beauty is everywhere at all times, all it takes is being present in the moment, a willingness to be curious with what’s around, and a small camera to freeze that moment in time forever.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Santi.
I’m so proud of you! This is awesome!