As I sit down to write this final Substack post of the year, I can feel just how much weight and meaning this chapter holds.

This wasn’t just another year on the calendar.

It was a year that reshaped me, challenged me, and ultimately redefined how I see my work, my purpose, and my life.

The Carty Method turned two this year, and that alone feels surreal.

What started as an idea built on experience, hard lessons, and a deep desire to help photographers stop struggling in silence has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined.

Thousands of photographers have now come through this ecosystem in some form.

Hundreds have gone deep.

I’ve watched people gain clarity, confidence, and momentum.

I’ve watched careers take shape.

That will never stop meaning something to me.

This year also marked passing 46,000 subscribers on YouTube.

That number still feels strange to say out loud. The video above has over 500k views.

I remember posting videos with no expectations, just hoping one person might find something useful.

To now have tens of thousands of people choosing to spend their time learning from me is something I never take lightly.

It’s a reminder that consistency beats perfection every time, and that showing up honestly compounds in ways you can’t always predict.

My Pro Accelerator turned two years old AND is evolving continually.

Two years of watching photographers step into their potential.

Two years of helping people move from confusion to clarity, from hesitation to action.

I’ve seen photographers land their first real clients, raise their prices, and finally believe in themselves.

That kind of transformation never gets old.

This year also took me to South Africa for the first time.

A place I never imagined I’d visit, yet one that left a deep mark on me.

Travel has a way of resetting your perspective.

It reminds you how big the world is and how small your worries can feel when you step outside your routine.

But 2025 wasn’t only growth and milestones.

It was also the hardest year of my life.

Being diagnosed with lung cancer and brain cancer changed everything.

Going through brain surgery, awake, for three and a half hours, stripped life down to its most honest form.

There was no noise.

No ego.

No distraction.

Just presence.

Just reality.

Just gratitude.

The recovery was fast, but the transformation was deeper than I ever expected.

I see the world differently now.

I move through it with more intention.

I’m more grounded.

More patient.

More grateful.

I feel closer to God.

I feel more connected to people.

And I carry a deeper understanding of how precious time really is.

I’m a better photographer because of it.

Not because my technical skills suddenly improved, but because my perspective did.

I listen more.

I observe more.

I care more.

And that shows up in the work.

I’m also doing my best, every single day, to be a better human being.

That matters more to me now than any milestone or metric ever could.

As I look ahead to 2026, I feel a quiet sense of excitement and purpose.

I’ll continue building the Carty Method into something that lasts.

A place where photographers feel supported, challenged, and understood.

A place rooted in honesty, generosity, and real-world experience.

I want to keep showing up for photographers at every stage of their journey.

Teaching.

Mentoring.

Encouraging.

Helping them see what’s possible when they stop doubting themselves.

I’ll continue growing my own photography career with intention and integrity.

To keep making work that matters.

To keep saying yes to the projects that align with who I am becoming.

I’ll reach 100,000 subscribers on YouTube, not for the number itself, but for what it represents.

Consistency.

Service.

Trust built over time.

And I want to keep writing.

Every Saturday.

Just like I have for almost three years now.

Writing to reflect.

Writing to process.

Writing to connect.

Writing to remind myself what matters most.

If you’ve been here in any way this year, thank you.

Whether you watched, read, commented, or quietly followed along, you were part of this chapter.

Here’s to 2026.

To deeper work.

To stronger community.

To more honesty and intention.

And to continuing the work that truly matters.

Thanks for reading me, see you next Saturday.

Happy Holidays.

PS. My info session on the Ultimate Camera to Cash Flow challenge is today at 1pm EST. You still have time to register.