One of my absolute joys of being a photojournalist is being able to capture the everyday lives of the people who live and work among us.
I always like the challenge of capturing what is usually mundane and trying to make it look interesting or memorable.
These images, of which there are many, find a home on our Good Morning Barrie posts each day.
I have sifted through the hundreds of photographs to single out my favourites of 2024.
Depending on your reading habits when you visit BarrieToday, many of these images may be the first time you see them.
If you aren't an email subscriber or reader of that first post of the day, I suggest you become one, as you may find yourself captured enjoying your day in this complicated but wonderful city we call home.
Being an animal lover, I have to admit that many of the shots are of the countless dogs on their walks along the waterfront and in Sunnidale Park in Barrie.
Meeting all the pups is my favourite part of the job, and I always stop to pet and say hi.
I keep coming back to these two locations in the city on a regular basis as I find they are the main magnets for residents and visitors alike, and there’s never a shortage of interesting people passing through or hanging about.
Sprinkled among these captures are some surprise moments, such as a young fox kit watching me through the trees and grass in a park, and a lovely little vole who visits my patio to hurriedly grab its share of the bird seed offerings I scatter about every morning before I head to work.
I also love capturing the friendly interactions between people young and old while out on my daily walks, whether it’s the fleeting bits of connections between the subject and myself with a friendly wave to the camera, or if it's between two people who are oblivious to the fact I am preserving the moment from just a short distance away.
Some of those instances include what looks like a father teaching his daughter how to ride a bike, a sweet moment when a grandmother and grandson are walking hand-in-hand on a sidewalk, and two young children greeting each other with a wave as they skate at the city hall rink.
So, with 2024 behind us, 2025 brings me another new year, and with it, 365 new possibilities of capturing these beautiful slices of life for Good Morning Barrie.
Keep an eye out, as I will be watching, focusing and clicking.
Kevin Lamb is a reporter at BarrieToday and an award-winning photojournalist.
