There's a difference between being known of and being truly known. We've talked about it for years. In 2025, we got to live it. 300 photoshoots in 16 different cities. 125 coffees. Multiple trips to D.C. One unforgettable conversation in Omaha. We captured thousands of photos during photoshoots that started with "so, tell me about yourself."
This year, we sat across from the legendary Warren Buffett, who reminded us that kindness is costless but priceless. We captured portraits in the US Capitol and the White House. We watched Chelsea walk across a graduation stage after chasing that goal since 2007. And we had more reasons than ever to be grateful for the people who trust us to tell their stories, both locally in Tallahassee and across the country.
2025 was a great year. We traveled more, created more, and had more conversations than any year before. Some of those stories ended up in magazines. Some live quietly on a client's server. All of them reminded us why we do what we do. We are grateful for each one of you joining us on the journey. It’s an incredible honor to work with the people we get to work with and tell the stories we get to tell.
What follows isn't organized by month or client list. It's organized by some of stories that shaped our year: the projects, the people, and the moments that made 2025 one we won't forget. This barely touches the surface on all the projects we got to be a part of, but we are grateful for everyone who has entrusted us to be a part of capturing their story. Fair warning: it's a long page. Like, grab-a-coffee-and-settle-in long. But we poured a lot into it, and we hope it challenges and encourages you as you head into 2026. We think it's worth the scroll. We cannot wait to collaborate with you in 2026
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW
Signature Portrait Sessions
The Garage. The Capitol. Adams Street. These are the staple locations for what we are calling our Signature Portrait Sessions. We started with Garage Sessions in 2020 as a way to pivot during COVID and it blossomed into a way to connect with people and capture portraits in an attainable, easy way. You’ll see the term Signature Portrait Sessions used a bit more as we go into the new year. It’s been such fun getting to know people in these sessions and we are excited to see what 2026 brings!
Garage Sessions
What started as a COVID pivot has become a staple. Our garage studio with its rotating backdrop colors and 15-minute sessions has now been the setting for hundreds of portraits. In 2025, we hosted multiple rounds of sessions throughout the year, capturing everyone from lobbyists to executives to folks who just needed a fresh portrait for Hinge (we see you).
Capitol Sessions
In Florida, the fences finally came down (before they went back up but we aren’t talking about that)! After months of construction, Capitol Sessions returned in 2025. There's nothing quite like capturing portraits with the Florida Capitol as your backdrop and this year, we made the most of it during Committee Weeks and Legislative Session. We also had the opportunity to capture some US Capitol Sessions. We will be set up outside the Florida Capitol and US Capitol throughout 2026. Make sure you stop, say hello and capture a new portrait with us!
Adams Street Sessions
Our downtown outdoor sessions continued strong, filling the gap when Capitol Sessions weren't available and offering a different vibe for those who prefer an urban backdrop over the Capitol grounds. We hope to see you on the corner of Adams Street and Jefferson Street this year!
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. has become a second home of sorts. Contrary to popular belief, we still do live in Tallahassee, but in 2025, we made the trip north multiple times capturing portraits, CustomStock, and editorial content for clients working in and around the nation's capital.
The influence of Florida is rapidly growing in Washington, and we’ve had the opportunity to work with multiple Congressional members, lobbying/consulting firms and associations during our time up there. There's something about capturing portraits with the Capitol dome or Lincoln Memorial as your backdrop that never gets old. We captured additional portraits and photos for a few projects we can't share yet, but nonetheless, we're honored to have been in the rooms we’ve been invited in.
D.C. has been good to us. We're already planning our 2026 trips, so let us know if you’re in town!
#100Coffees: 100 More
When we launched #100Coffees: 100 More at the start of 2025, we knew from the beginning that this round would be different. Back in 2021, we had a new baby, a toddler, and a preschooler, so it was difficult for Chelsea to make it to most of the coffees. But now that all the kids are in school and we have a little more flexibility in our schedule, we tackled this one together.
We joked that this was like marriage counseling for us. Alex is a professional at interrupting Chelsea, and Chelsea’s a professional introvert who goes out of her way to avoid conversations with people she doesn't know. This journey stretched us as a couple in ways we didn't anticipate. Alex had to practice holding his tongue when he wanted to jump in, and Chelsea had to practice engaging in conversations with dozens of people she had never met. It wasn't always comfortable, but it was good for us. We’ll let you figure out who was more successful :)
By the end of the year, we'd had 125 documented coffees, bringing our total across both years to 288. Over on the #100Coffees page, we shared our thoughts and lessons learned from the project.
Let 2026 be a year that we live out what we say we believe. If connection and community is important, then we should be intentional about building it into our rhythm. Together, let's make our community a place where people are KNOWN instead of just being KNOWN OF.
Editorial
Editorial photography has always been something we love to do. There's something about collaborating with a publication to tell a story, knowing that the images will live alongside carefully crafted words. There are times we know what the story is about and other times, we only know the name of person we’re photographing. Both provide an opportunity for creativity and collaboration.
In 2025, we had the privilege of contributing to some incredible publications. While the list is much bigger than what we get to showcase, here’s a snippet of some of the fun projects we got to work on this year.
A Morning with Warren Buffett
From Alex: In June, Chelsea and I flew from Tallahassee to Omaha to spend a morning with Warren Buffett.
We were there for a client project. Chelsea was producing a video interview, and I went in hoping I might have a chance to capture his portrait. We spent the next two hours in conversation about life, business, and the things that matter. And yes, there was Cherry Coke.
On the flight home, everyone asked the same question: What was the big takeaway?
I kept searching for the gem. Some profound one-liner that would transform everything. But the more I reflected, the more I realized there wasn't one. And that was the point.
What stood out wasn't a single quote. It was his consistency. The same assistant for 51 years. The same routine. The same principles. His demeanor never wavered — steady, joyful, humble — from the first minute to the last.
In his final shareholder letter this fall, Mr. Buffett wrote: "You will never be perfect, but you can always be better."
That line has stayed with me.
I turn 40 in September. And as I head into this next chapter, I keep thinking about what it means to be more consistent — as a man, as a husband, as a father, as an entrepreneur. Not perfect. Just more consistent.
Here's to a consistent 2026.
The Workmans
Our business is our name. It's our family, who we are, why we do what we do — and each one of us plays a role in making this work. 2025 was a year of hard work, but we also got to celebrate some big moments.
10 Years of Parenting - In November, our oldest turned 10. We started this business with one baby strapped to our backs, and now, we've continued bringing our kids all over the country to be part of what we do. We’ve had a lot to celebrate on the parenting front this year, but we are so proud of our kids and are grateful to be able to cheer them on as they continue to grow up.
Chelsea's Graduation - On December 13th, Chelsea walked across the stage at the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, Summa Cum Laude. It's a goal she started chasing in 2007, and after late nights, chaotic weeks, and life never slowing down, she did it.
Family Adventures - We've always believed in giving our kids experience rather than random gifts, and 2025 gave us plenty of opportunities to make memories with both work and play. The kids joined us on photoshoots around the National Mall and US Capitol. Charlie experienced NYC for the first time. We ended the year with a spontaneous Christmas Day flight to San Diego (because when the deal is right, you buy the ticket). The kiddos love animals, so we hit zoos in Tampa, D.C., San Diego, and Escondido. We explored a lot of places, ate a lot of food (we may be trying to eat our way through every bartaco location in existence…), took a lot of pictures and we’re just getting started. Here’s to an incredible 2026!
As always, if there’s ever anything our family can do to serve you, your team or your organization, please let us know.
❤️ The Workmans