As we step into the new year, we’re taking a moment to pause and reflect on everything 2025 brought to Trope Publishing. We explored new cities and worked with dozens of talented photographers who helped bring fresh perspective to our list.
Here’s a look at what made 2025 such a special year at Trope.
14 New Books Published
In 2025, we released 14 new books, expanding our collection with new cities, stories, and perspectives around the world. We added two new City Editions, Trope Rome, our first Italy-based book, and Trope Chicago: The Loop & Beyond, the companion edition to the first City Edition title, Trope Chicago. We also explored San Francisco, London, and Philadelphia from the sky as we added these 3 cities to our Above & Across series.
We had the incredible chance to work with Taro Moberly and Mike Poggioli again as they added their work to our Dreaming Series with Kyoto Dreaming and Cincinnati Dreaming, as well as photographer Peter Jonker with the stunning addition of Barcelona Dreaming, our first book featuring images from Spain.
In addition to these 8 titles, we also released At Work by photographer Brian Doben, Viewing Hours by photographer Ben Geier, and Racing Unfiltered by motorsport photographer Jamey Price. We went behind the scenes and dove into the rich history of Chicago’s Fine Arts Building with building tenant and author, Keir Graff, in his book, Chicago’s Fine Arts Building: Music, Magic, and Murder. We explored people reading around the world with The Reader, and to wrap up the year and get into the holiday spirit, we released Chicago’s Holiday Train by photographer Daniel Moreno.
We had the privilege of working with 60 new photographers and artists. Their talent and vision brought fresh energy to our projects, pushing boundaries, and redefining how we see the world. These collaborations are the heart of what we do, and we’re deeply grateful for their contributions.
Growing Our Team
We also welcomed 2 new team members: Maddy Moderhack as Office Manager and Matthew Jorgensen as Production Designer. Their passion has already made a significant impact, and we’re thrilled to have them onboard as we continue to evolve.
Connecting with Our Chicago Community
In June, we joined Keir Graff at the Fine Arts Building for a launch party to celebrate the release of his book, Chicago’s Fine Arts Building: Music, Magic, and Murder. With over 100 family and friends in attendance, Keir shared some behind the scenes stories of his writing followed by a book signing. Chicago’s Fine Arts Building has been featured in Chicago Magazine, Booklist, WGN, the Chicago Tribune, and was a finalist for the CHIRBy Awards and the Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year. Read more about Keir’s event here.
In July, photographers Terry Maday, Fayth Koga, Graham Chapman, and Nenad Spasojevic joined editor Sam Landers at The Book Stall in Winnetka, IL, for a panel discussion on Trope Chicago: The Loop & Beyond. They discussed the neighborhoods that were included in this edition as well as the photographers’ favorite photos and the stories behind them. Earlier that day, Nenad Spasojevic and Graham Chapman were also interviewed on Chicago’s WGN to talk about the book’s release. See the segment here.
In December, we wrapped up 2025 and the holiday season with Daniel Moreno appearing on WGN twice to showcase his new book, Chicago’s Holiday Train. Daniel shared how he has always had a love for trains and found beauty in Chicago’s CTA Holiday Train. He spent years capturing the vibrant and festive train moving through the city. See the segment here.
These moments remind us how powerful it is to connect directly with readers, artists, and partners, fostering a sense of community and shared passion.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we move into the new year, we’re excited about what’s next: new cities, new talent and voices, and new ways of bringing Trope Publishing to you. Wishing everyone a happy 2026!