A very extreme year......

Dear friends and beloved followers of Following Mark Mennie,

For starters I apologize for my extreme radio silence lately.....

2014 has no doubt been a year up extreme ups and downs with an amazing amount of travel, both on a state and internationally. My year started with HeliExpo in California, and a few days later I showed up for the Outrider's tryouts. Then in early spring, I criss crossed the great state of Tennessee to cover and capture 5 AMTC host programs, for the Nashville event that was held in late September. In June, I revisited my beloved Roma and I walked the streets that the ancient Romans once walked and befriended a few new ones at one particular restaurant. I then circled the world with a trip to Australia to shoot a great project for CareFlight. After wrapping that project, I went directly onto my cherished Dubai to help the organizers of the Helishow 2014. I then ended my crazy year of travel shooting The Outriders and Drill Crew Calendars, another collaboration with my best buddy Waldy Martens. It was a lot of work and one technical hiccup, but all and all went very well.  I celebrated all the hard work with the Stampeders' Grey Cup win in Vancouver with the Outriders. What a season and what a year.

I lost two family members and one great photo friend. Unfortunately, I have to found out that yet another Calgary photo buddy passed away on January 1st.  

I was again a Burner at my 8th Burning Man, but this year I was officially designated by the BMorg to capture imagery for the event. This accreditation had its advantages for early access, and also recognition that you are just not another person with a camera. A claim second only to "I'm a DJ"… I was honored to be asked portray the organization professionally through my lens, and I never missed a sunrise on the playa the whole time I was there. 

Through these events and a very emotional filled year I probably shot 20,000 plus frames. This could also be measured as almost a terabyte in edited and saved imagery, and a few technical issues as well. 

My projects were extremely varied and my sleep and eating habits matched it too.

My visuals illustrated a couple new video projects that were created by Jean Levasseur of PHOCUS Productions,  which were all well received by our clients. I love the merging of imagery, music and ideas…

My last photographic action on December 31st, was to hang my first showing of large prints, from my 2 years of Dog Beach iPhone captures, at a very popular coffee house in Encinitas, California. The last time I exhibited was in 2009, my Altawan series in DC. 

So as I conclude this "all over the map" year (both literally and figuratively), what are my goals for 2015?!?! Both personal and career?!?!?

BALANCE - Personally.

BALANCE in my day to day life. A BALANCE that has now escaped me for years.

GAINS - in Business.

To cultivate and grow the GAINS I made in 2013 + 2014, as well as incurring new GAINS in 2015.

GROWTH - Artistically

I hope to make the Memorial Lights in Colorado and the AMTC, a bigger unique visual presence. 

And to take my Burning Man project I have proposed for years, and make it a reality. 

and SHARE - My Experiences

To certainly post a lot more on social media and my blog.

To keep making it happening in Dubai. The World Expo 2020, is right around the corner.

To hopefully continue to grow my visual influence with the Outriders and the Drill Crew. 

To simply share a pint with Greg Williams my high school biology teacher and catch up with a few others from my past. 

To return to Australia and attend the Air medical conference in Darwin. 

Someday I hope to return to Jo'burg, Roma and Wildhorse as well.

To someday again simply icefish with my Saskatchewan cousins as well.  

To continue to spend more time with my family. Honor thy Parents. 

And lastly to find a little more time for me, whether that be travel, sleep, or a new hobby. Something to spark my creativity and make me a better artist.

Happy New Year to all! 

Until next time....

MM