Well Sol-lal is finished and for those who don’t know what that is, it is when Korea celebrates the Lunar New Year. Being as this is a blog about photography in Korea, I though that I would take this time to look back at the previous year. 2011 was a great year and so far 2012 is shaping up to be even better. I actually learned a great deal in 2011, thus I want to share it with you.

First of all I just want to give a shout out to the people that have inspired me and helped me out of the last year. These selection people have made a great impression on me over the past year and I just wanted say thanks.

Griffin Stewart – For those of you that don’t know of him or his work, you don’t have to look far. From designing ebook templates for Trey Ratcliff and the site for Trey’s Flatbooks venture, Griffin has been a busy guy. The thing that I appreciate more about Griffin was his friendship. He was always there to lead a hand or help me out. I am previliaved to have met him while he was in Ulsan and I wish him all the best in his journey with his wonderful wife Valerie. You can catch up with there adventures on their site.

Dylan Goldby – I first met Dylan when we were interviewed by TBS and then maintained contact. Following Dyaln, he has been a constant source of inspiration and professionalism. His work with the Seoul Photo Club, 10 magazine, and his partnered venture Flashlight Expeditions is enough to make you wonder if he ever sleeps. His website Welkinlight photography is amazing to look through and should be added to your list of reads.

Robert Koehler – Most either know of him through his wildly famous blog “The Marmot’s Hole” or for being the executive editor for a Seoul-based Magazine. However, with his photography and travel blog gaining speed, people now know his name though his amazing photos as well. Robert’s constant hard work and the sheer quality has always impressed me.

Sungjin Kim – If there is one person that has always supported a lot of the expat photographers, it has to be Sungjin Kim. His photos are stunning and worth of mention on National Geographic’s “Photo of the Day” He frequently posts to either his facebook page or his website, all of which are a treat for the eyes.

Chris Backe - Chris in South Korea is a great source of information and imagery on Korea. It is written by another hard worker that has the ability to put together upbeat and informative articles for both seasoned vets and newcomers alike. Chris’s drive and determination has shown me how bad my procrastination is and this is something that I am hoping to change in the year of the dragon.

Steve Miller – Probably one of the most positive and hardest working bloggers in Korea. Known as the Qi Ranger his upbeat videos have gained him a lot attention and praise. I have the upmost respect for Steve and I hope that one day we can work together on a project. His blog is also a great way to keep up on his adventures as well as his frequent posts to the Korea blog.

Ed Provencher – He is the mastermind behind the blog Tigers & Magpies. His posts are thoughts and his locations are as beautiful as they are widespread across Korea. Ed ventures into places that even some Koreans don;t know about.

Gregory Curley – This is a man that wears man hats on the internet and truly adds to the professionalism of expat blogs in Korea. He writes for numerous publications including CNN Go and the Huffington Post as well as his own very popular blog Hermit Hideaways. His photos are well composed and beautiful and his articles are well thought out and very informative.

Simon and Martina Stawski – These two are some of the hardest workers in the Korean Blogosphere and probably the most famous. They have received their fair share of attention from the Korean Media and abroad but it is from all their hard work. The stand as an example of what two teachers can do if they work hard at something they love. Their site “Eat Your Kimchi” has a seriously strong following and I wish them all the best in the year of the dragon.

Garrett Fallin – If you have ever wondered how to make special effects for movies then look no further than POPfx. If you do and live in Ulsan you will notice a familiar backdrop. Yup, this mastermind of special effects has call Ulsan his home for the past year and I am grateful to have got to know him a bit during that time. Sadly, he is leaving in a month but I hope to get out shooting with him at least once or twice before he goes.

The Pros… living outside of Korea

Trey Ratcliff - Trey is always one of my supreme heros when it comes to HDR, photography and just being creative. This is one person that I have followed extensively throughout 2011 and will continue to do so. His site and photos are breathtaking and he probably is one of the most accessible photographers out there. I am hoping that I get a chance to join one of his google hangouts.

Chase Jarvis – What I like  most about Chase is that he works on the creative side of things a lot. His blog and videos have explored what it means to be an artist and not just a photographer. I always look forward to reading his posts because they truly give you something to think about after reading.

Scott Kelby – Since I started learning photoshop, Scott Kelby has alway been a huge help. From his blog, his shows to his books to Kelby training, these resources have been a huge help to me. In times where I have no idea what I am doing, I know that I can count on this guru for help.

RC Concepcion – You know sometime you just need to have things laid out simply for you to understand them? Well, when it comes to all things internet, I am one of those people. RC made a book that I reviewed about getting your photography on the web and it totally rocks. It helped me out a bunch and I can thank him enough for that. If you notice the little touches on the site that make it look more “professional” well you can thank RC for that.

That about does it for this lengthy post. Please understand that I am not brown-nosing here at all. This list is made up of most of the people that I took inspiration, advice or found to awesome in their own way. However, this list is not a complete one. If you found your name not on here, please don’t take offense. It has been a long couple of months off and it has taken me a long time to get back in the groove of writing. Thus, I probably left out half the people that should be in here.