2025, A Year In Review: Pat Brogan
PHILADELPHIA, PA-This shoot for The Philadelphia Citizen offered something refreshingly different. But I try to highlight the other vendors, especially if there is enough time, to showcase the teamwork and collaboration needed to make each event a success. As a vendor myself, I’ve really come to appreciate all the staff who make these events happen behind the scenes, and I like shining a light on that.
I love the Philly Goat Project . What a novel idea for getting rid of your Christmas tree. It’s always fun to work with animals, though coaching goats isn’t exactly realistic. Thankfully, the handlers were there to help. It’s always interesting photographing subjects who aren’t great at following directions or who just go their own way entirely. The Laurel Hill location is one of my favorites in the city.
Rebuild PHL shoots are genuinely cool to me. There’s something special about seeing a sense of community come together to celebrate the work being done in Philly, especially when it affects neighborhoods I live in or have lived in. Hearing about these projects and seeing the city in a positive light as it grows, it’s just great. This sweet kid was really interested in being at the podium and ended up being a staple of the event. He was a neighborhood kid, and it was cool to see actual community members show up. This isn’t your typical podium photo, it captures an authentic moment and the true benefactors of these great revitalized spaces – the kids.
The silhouette plays with the information being presented, showing the work behind the people. It was a very informative event, as are all the Philadelphia Citizen events. I learned a lot. For this image the information is the priority here, and I wanted to give a clear read on that. It’s great to see people coming together to find solutions for Philadelphia that will actually work.
I love me some puppers. I’m an animal lover of all shapes and sizes, and I’d love to do more work with shelters to showcase our furry friends. I think it’s a quintessential shot or maybe a must-have that if an animal is present at an event, I will get that photo. Don’t worry.
Another great shot from the El Concilio event. The energy was there, super vibrant. I love this frame in particular because I was able to get on stage and really capture the hype of the crowd and hype them up too! Location is essential here; the people create the horizon line. Lots of energy, lots of food, lots of people. I live for the chaos. I also had friends in attendance, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
My last photo, also from El Concilio. We meet a lot of celebrities, but Ivy Queen is someone I would never have imagined photographing. I know this was a huge appearance for the community, her being an icon and all.
These highlights capture what I love most about this work: the people, the energy, and those unexpected moments from community groundbreakings to fun-loving goats that remind me why I do this.
As we begin 2026, these images remind us of the moments that make our work meaningful: the unexpected, the joyful, and the powerful. From shared celebrations to small acts of connection, it’s the people and their stories that shape the year. The year ahead is full of stories, and we’re ready to capture them all.
Have a project you want to work on this year? Reach out to us at hello@veracitystudios.com!
