©Aline Smithson, Strange Days

What a long, strange and emotional year it has been.

Taking this day to reflect and rest. Thank you for your support this year, as always. As we head into our 10th year, we are excited to continue to expose and promote wonderful photography and have lots of ideas for the future.

Be kind, make work with meaning, don’t forget to laugh, step out of your comfort zone, honor the gift of having a visual language, step away from social media, keep some mystery and hold back something for yourself, pay it forward, and have hope for better days. Nothing comes without effort and fear.

With all best wishes for 2017 and thank you to the most incredible group of photographers who make this site what it is: Grant Gill, Sarah Stankey, Noelle Swan Gilbert, Jonas Yip, Valerie Patterson, Patty Lemke, Clay Lipsky, and Julia Bennett. To the States Project Editors, Linda Alterwitz, Aaron Turner, Ken Weingart, Lisa Volpe, Polly Gaillard: Big Love.

©Aline Smithson, Follow