The last time I was involved in photography in an even remotely serious way was about 30 years ago. After having a family and a career and never raising a camera with anything in mind other than capturing a memory or two (not that there's anything wrong with that!), this year I re-started a long-dormant photographic journey.

In anticipation of a great European trip that we took in July, I bought my first decent digital camera in March, discovered digital processing in April, and have been lost in this re-discovered passion ever since, taking thousands of images, keeping hundreds, and liking a relative handful. Amazed with, among other things, how quick and easy today's technology makes doing what was enormously difficult and time consuming in years past. But, as ever, the real challenge of photography is learning to see the world photographically. That's a never-ending pursuit that I hope I started to scratch the surface of again this year.

I don't know if I'll continue with photography at the pace I have this year - maybe I will and will look back on this effort in 10 years as the rookie effort it is. Or maybe I'll lose interest and this will serve only as a record of how I spent a lot of time this year. Either way, it's been a stone blast!