2024 was a year of CHANGE. It marked my final year participating in Ignite Camp, transitions for my mother, and personal sadnesses. Through it all, I was able to compile a list of creativity that helped elevate my mood as the year went on. :) Here is my 2024 Top 5 projects.

5. The Wedding of Nikki and Stephen: Late this summer I had the privilege of capturing Nikki and Stephen’s big day!

The wedding and reception took place at the gorgeous Hillcrest Country Club. It was fun to capture an outdoor wedding with perfect weather. I also love it when weddings and receptions take place in the same location :)

I enjoyed being able to not only captured alongside my wife once again, but being able to use so many fun tools to capture a unique and special day for Nikki and Stephen.

As always, it’s fun to meet new photo and video vendors. Monahan Photography captured images of the big day. Check them out.

I wish Nikki and Stephen the happiest of marriages. Thank you again for asking me to be a part of their big day!

The Sherpa Pros, Kristin Weitzel (top) and Lina Midla (bottom).

4. Sherpa Breath & Cold: The talented instructors at Sherpa Breath & Cold connected with me a while back. Lina is a student of the Totty Studio of Vocal & Piano Artistry where I did some recent work. Tamara Totty passed along my information and Lina reached out!

They were looking for someone that could film a few initial videos for them. Their speciality is breathwork and deliberate cold exposure. We initially filmed several videos in one day to get them rolling. I took the footage and edited the videos together. These videos provided demonstrations for their other instructors - through a private online portal - how to go about demonstrating techniques for their clients.

This team has several instructors from around the world that contribute content, showing off their product. Over the past year or so Kristin and Lina would funnel me content to edit together for consistency.

It’s been a pleasure to work with them. They are so full of energy (who wouldn’t be after a cold plunge!?) and the nicest and most down to earth people. I’ve also learned a lot about this fascinating science.

Discover more about Sherpa Breath & Cold: https://www.sherpabreathandcold.com/

3. Year-In-Review, Rewind: What better way to end 2024 than with a recap of the year, at least the year at Conner Prairie.

I love a good recap, as you know, so being able to make one on an annual basis for Conner Prairie is fun! It not only sums up the year and shows it off in an impressive way, it’s a tool used for a lot of people a Conner Prairie. That includes donors, staff and guests to reshare, use for promo and used to grow and show off the organization.

Some of the ways I crafted this recap include having a fun introduction with the title, then a brief recap of highlights. Then I go into the mission with some elements, as well as “classic” Conner Prairie things like Prairietown and the balloon, then I go into new projects, new exhibits, returning events and then sum it up at the end.

For 2024, we really spotlighted the 50th anniversary of Prairietown throughout the year, and I focused on that.

It’s fun to look back and remember all the work I’ve done with Conner Prairie and I look forward to new ways to recap the year. I hope to mix up the layout of this video and to see how to continue the idea in future versions.

2. Ignite Camp 2024: 2024 was my 20th Ignite Camp.

Excluding 2020, which was canceled, 2024 marked exactly 20 years of Ignite Camp for me, The Media Buff. The 2024 theme was REFLECT, giving us the opportunity to look back and play on the theme of “20 Years” through several elements.

Not only did we do a camp shirt this year, but we did a pre-camp shirt with the collage of logos on the back and an anniversary logo on the front. The anniversary logo echoed one of our favorite camp logos from 2014.

Promotion for the 20th Ignite Camp incorporated this triangular element from the logo. The element carried over into the recap for camp as well.

Some of my favorite camp shots have come from the use of a drone, GoPro helmet camp for blobbing and other GoPro shots. One camp we held several years back used a TON of GoPro footage because, you know, it was cool.

Ignite Camp 2024 will be my last camp. I wish those taking on the mantle of Ignite Camp in 2025 and beyond, the BEST of luck. As camp is planned, meetings occur, logos and videos are created; I’ll be praying. Praying for creativity, stamina, and for God to work through each and every item.

Most especially, I’ll pray that the students who come to Ignite Camp have an encounter with God that will forever change their lives. Just like mine was changed.

View ALL my blogs on Ignite Camp.

The promotional poster I designed for *”The Village on the Prairie: 50 Years of Prairietown”.*

1. The Village on the Prairie: 50 Years of Prairietown Documentary: In 2024, myself, and Director Ryan Shank of Conner Prairie, created an hour long documentary about 50 years of Prairietown.

Founded in 1974 by Indianapolis industrialist Eli Lilly, Prairietown at Conner Prairie brings 19th-century Indiana to life. Lilly’s dedication to history and preservation inspired this immersive experience, showcasing trades, foodways, music, and daily life of the era. Prairietown has become a central feature of Conner Prairie, celebrated for its engaging portrayal of the past through talented interpreters, and its ongoing impact on the community. In 2024, Conner Prairie celebrates 50 years of Prairietown’s history and legacy, honoring the vision that started it all through the documentary, “The Village on the Prairie: 50 Years of Prairietown”.

Beginning in 2022, Ryan and I had the idea, perhaps simultaneously, to do a documentary on Prairietown. The village of Prairietown is full of rich and creative history, and being about to dig into that history to build a fairly complete timeline of events not only for Prairietown, but for Conner Prairie itself was an honor.

Working with Ryan on the project was also a big highlight. Ryan is from Indiana, but for several years worked at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. in a similar capacity as he serves at Conner Prairie. Creating online educational content for the organization. Our talents together make this project complete.

- The Media Buff

"The Year In Creativity Blog" 2024 Edition