My 2025 Photography Recap

Golden Appalachian Light – Gatlinburg, TN – Fujifilm X-T5 & 90mm f/2 – Classic Amber

It’s New Year’s Eve, the very last day—the very last few hours—of 2025. Very, very soon it will be 2026. For the last article of the year, I thought I’d simply share some of my favorite photographs of 2025, choosing three from each month. Some months were more prolific than others—for a few, it was difficult to narrow it down to just three; for other months, it was challenging to find three that I could classify as a favorite. There were certain days where I made more good photographs than I did over the course of several months. That’s just the way it goes.

I hope you all had a very merry holiday season. I wish you much luck and success in 2026! Now, to the photographs….

January

Balloons – Goodyear, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm
Orange Desert – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES & 35mm f/2 – CitrusChrome 
Tis but a Scratch– Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 ES & 35mm f/2 – Agfa 400S

February

Oak Creek – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – Nostalgia Negative
Oak Creek – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – Velvia Film
Ready to Fly – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 & 90mm f/2 – Fujicolor 100 Gold

March

White Bridge across Pond – Charleston, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Pacific Blues
Sailer on Sumter – Fort Sumter, SC – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – Kodak Tri-X 400
Beach Chairs – Folly Beach, SC – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Velvia Film

April

Church – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-E4 & 27mm f/2.8 – Pacific Blues
Southwind – Litchfield Park, AZ – Fujifilm X-T4 & 90mm f/2 – Kodak Portra do Sol
Rural Water – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – FRGMT B&W (originally photographed with Kodachrome 64, but later reprocessed in-camera)

May

Worn Out – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Kodak Portra 400 v2
Boulder Theater – Boulder, CO – Fujifilm X100VI – Fujicolor PRO 160C Warm
Flowers & Flatirons – Boulder, CO – Fujifilm X100VI – Kodak Tri-X 400

June

Pool Remnant – Rodanthe, NC – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – Kodak Tri-X 400
Low Clouds Over Manhattan – New York City, NY – Fujifilm X100VI – Kodak Tri-X 400
Red Barn – Ronks, PA – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – Kodachrome 64

July

All Way Stop – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X100VI – Summer of ’59
Rocks in the Sky – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – FRGMT B&W (originally photographed with Summer Sun, but later reprocessed in-camera)
Shadow Shapes – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm GFX100S II & 80mm f/1.7 – FRGMT B&W (originally photographed with Summer Sun, but later reprocessed in-camera)

August

Corndog – San Francisco, CA – Fujifilm X100VI – 1970’s Summer
Pacific Vista – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T4 ES & 35mm f/2 – Aerochrome v2
Coastal Cove – Elk, CA – Fujifilm X-T5 & 56mm f/1.2 – Kodak Plus-X 125

September

Sky Harbor – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Kodak Tri-X 400
SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Kodak Tri-X 400
Flight Watch – Los Angeles, CA – Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Superia Negative

October

Roaring Fork – Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN – Fujifilm X-E5 & 23mm f/2.8 – Vivid Velvia
Corn Crib – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5 & 56mm f/1.2 – Classic Amber
Forest Road 3 – Great Smokey Mountain NP, TN – Fujifilm X-T5 & 56mm f/1.2 – Classic Amber

November

Autumn Trail – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & 56mm f/1.2 – Kodak Farbwelt 200 Expired
Oak Creek in Monochrome – Sedona, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & 56mm f/1.2 – FRGMT B&W
Cheers – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & TTArtisan 35mm f/1.8 – FRGMT B&W

December

Glowing Gold Leaves – Buckeye, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & TTArtisan 35mm f/1.8 – Astia Negative
Phoenix Sunset – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & TTArtisan 35mm f/1.8 – Astia Negative
Swirly – Phoenix, AZ – Fujifilm X-E5 & TTArtisan 35mm f/1.8 – Astia Negative

8 comments

  1. Sasha · January 1

    Great! Love that topographic style.
    What about top 3 now?

    • Ritchie Roesch · January 3

      Top 3 for the year? Probably Pool Remnant, Pacific Vista, and Forest Road 3.

  2. Sasha · January 1

    Phoenix Sunset is outstanding. This is largely due to the color reflection in the water, which we do not see in the sky itself.

  3. Thomas H · January 1

    All the best for a happy 2026 to you and your family and all your readers, Ritchie. The combination of your photographic eye, the Fujfilm kit and the recipes that create a literal and often emotional glow is welcome to see after a Christmas that has been overshadowed by the loss of a young family member on tour of active duty. A bit like choosing which shirt to wear, my recipe choices vary from day to day but right now my favourites in your selection are Oak Creek, Sedona AZ taken with Nostalgic Negative recipe; Corndog, San Francisco CA taken with 1970s’ Summer (I love that mustard tone on the VW Mickeybus); two of the different Velvia recipes (unusually for me); and all of the b&w interpretations. I usually go in b&w for Reggie B’s HP5 but the Agfa 400S, Kodak Plus-X 125 and of course Kodak Tri-X all look well worth another visit!

    • Ritchie Roesch · January 3

      Thank you! I appreciate your kind feedback.

      I’m very sorry for your loss. Is there a GoFundMe or anything like that?

  4. larry adams · January 1

    you should be so proud, to follow such a project through

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