Happy New Year!

I’m in the midst of this long Cuba series and didn’t want to break the flow. However, I also wanted to acknowledge the start of the new year and make some comments. Thus, I found a street photograph from Havana that fit into my narrative for 2026.

Regarding the photo, I shot it fairly close at 28mm as I was walking the streets of Havana on my way to the venue where we were going to make portraits. I don’t know what these women were looking at that made them look concerned. The people I met in Cuba were generally laid back and went with the flow.

Why is there a picture of concerned people, and how does it relate to 2026? We’ve been hearing for a while now about an impending stock market downturn and an economic slowdown. So far, both have defied the expectations of very knowledgeable macro investors. I’m no financial expert, but I’ve been thinking the market has been frothy for a while, and the boom in AI-related enterprises has further juiced the market. It’s bound to stop and possibly reverse hard. But when? That’s the big question. Would it happen in 2026? Hence, the look of concern without any certainty.

A year ago on my New Year post, I was sporting a new camera, the Leica D-Lux 8, and was talking about EDC (Every Day Carry) cameras. I’ve doubled down on Leica this year, purchasing a bunch more, including the classic M cameras, an SL2-S, and a few classic cameras. I haven’t talked about it in detail on the blog, so far. But, I’ve gone into depth on my monthly magazine and on Substack, which I started right after I retired from my 39 years of corporate work.

I’ve considerably stepped up my travels after retiring, as well as photography and everything related. Not only have I purchased more gear than I ever have this year, but I’m also now writing about photography and gear on three different outlets (this blog, the magazine, and Substack). It keeps me busy.

I recently bought into a completely new camera system, and it will have a significant impact throughout 2026. Expect more travel and plenty of new stories and images. While I hope 2026 will be an excellent year for all of us, I’m doing my best to enjoy my retirement and stimulate the economy. Both of my sons have graduated, are employed, and are living in San Antonio, so my wife and I are enjoying our empty-nest status.

I hope you had an excellent 2025 and have an even better 2026. Stay happy, healthy, and creative.

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