A little late on this year’s entry, but time for the New Year’s tradition here and share a few photos from the old year to bring in the new…

2020 was nothing like past years, to say the least.

After 5 years on the road working on my Major City work, 2020 started as my first year post-project. I had plans to put that work together, while focusing more on making money and other smaller projects. My schedule was booked through the summer, with a variety of work across South America through May and then off to Europe for more, including a couple of exhibitions. It was looking to be a productive year with things finally coming together from all the work I’d put in over the years. Then March hit.

I’d just finished photographing Carnival in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with some other work on the side. La Paz, Bolivia was next, along with a 3 month photography contract starting around South America and a few scheduled workshops. In the matter of what seemed like a day, all that ended due to the pandemic. All borders across South America were closed, my flights and work were canceled, Sao Paulo shutdown, and I was stuck there until June.

Things never really improved when it came to work and plans since border shutdowns haven’t ended and related work hasn’t come back. But I did focus on work I could do, while living in Istanbul and Minsk, after leaving Sao Paulo and a stop in Oregon (where I’m originally from). Since I had to cancel the year’s schedule of workshops, I’ve started online mentorship programs, which have been a great venture. And I’ve also recently started educational videos, which will offer Patreon subscription based content as well, where I’m creating a wide variety of unique video content, lessons and more. I’m still waiting to get back to home base in Asia, where I’ll better be able to work, but since borders aren’t opening, I’m currently in Yerevan, Armenia until then.

Shutdown in Sao Paulo. April 30th, 2020.

Spending time shutdown in Sao Paulo during a unique period provided me with a project I worked on that will become a zine later this year, “Carnival to Covid: O dia que a terra parou.” I have plans for two other zines to be released this year as well, after having one zine released last year with Bump Books titled “The Drowned World.” In addition, I decided to submit to different festivals and contests throughout 2020, including all of the major international street photography festivals, which ended up providing some of the year’s few highlights. Thankfully, I was at least a finalist in every one I entered, while winning a few.

Below, I share some of my award winning work throughout the year, followed by a few selections from each city I lived in or covered in 2020. As always, it’s not a favorite photo from each city (I save those), but some selections to share for now in bringing on 2021. All unstaged and unposed.

For previous yearly Photo Recaps, check here: 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015

Happy New Year to all and Cheers to a hopefully much better 2021!

– Forrest Walker

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