Photo Goals & Resolutions for the New Year

Become more active on this board (I have been lurking forever, but recently registered and try to chime in where I can, but still lurk too much)

Having a new 20D, I'd like to become more efficient with it (i'm already proficient with it, I want to get faster navigating around)

Get my lens situation straightened out, so I have what I need, and won't be looking to buy anymore for a while

Get 2-3 more CF cards

Borrow a small PS camera and take it on one bike ride (diehard cyclist)

Take my 20D on at least one nature walk, and get some cool animal pics

my photographic goals will be to balance my professional life with my photographic life and my relationship/family.

Working for Citigroup has had a big (negative impact) on my photography, and my goal is to simply provide more time to non-work events. Normally I am working 50-70 hours a week, and while I enjoy the paycheck, I would happily give it away for something that allows my dreams to flourish.

Already, we have planned two outdoor weekends to provide more stock/travel photography. The tent, backpacks, hand held gps are ready to go and I am determined to enjoy the next year with more personal trips. So goal #1 is to increase my personal work where I shoot for myself.

My commercial work is still doing decent, and I have a shoot for a jewelry designer where my photos will be a part of her national advertisement. My goal #2 is to at least double my revenue or pick up 4 more clients.

Goal #3, is to have a west coast gathering in a national park that is Central to Northern and Southern California. ie. Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park. There are a lot of easy trails and the accomodations are very good.

Goal #4 is to get off my lazy butt and mail Sebastian his prints. Sorry buddy.

Happy New Years
Loren

More than 6 months has passed since we wrote down our goals. I figured it was time to check in and see what kind of progress we've made.

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Originally Posted by mtbbrian

Great Thread!
Have we ever had one of these before?

Mine?
Shoot more of course.
Read a few photo books, I got myself one for Chrisatmas called, "On Being A Photographer"
Exhibit my work, start with a few images at a coffee shop or something.
Continue to be published.
Extend my vision.
Be a good community member here, be more involved here, give better critiques, be a better moderator.

Brian

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First one: Check!
Second: Check! And more!
Third:Check, CHECK! (Accomplished it twice within four months)
Fourth: Reevaluating that one..
Fifth: As far as I can tell. Yes!
Good to check back!
Thanks!
Brian

Yikes! Where has the year gone?!
:eek:
Honestly, I didn't get many of these done. I kinda feel like a slacker! :o

The good news is, there are 9 days left to this year (2005) which means, I still have time to accomplish some goals before the clock strikes midnight!

How about everyone else? How did you do? There's still time! :)

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Originally Posted by maplegirlie

Thank you everyone who shared your goals. There are great ideas on this post.<ol>
<li>From February 1 to June 30, 2005, earn at least $100 per month off of the sale of my photos (new work -- of a subject and style I enjoy). </li>
<li>From July 1 to December 31, earn at least $200 per month off of the sale of my photos. (Again, new work -- of a subject and style I enjoy.)</li>
<li>Donate <span class=SpellE>approx</span>. 20 hours of photo-related work to a non-profit organization or cause/individual that I support and believe in.</li>
<li>Have at least 5 photos of my own published in print media.</li>
<li>Educate myself (for free or less than $100) about photojournalism, specifically the rules and ethics, by </li>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=a>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level2 lfo2;tab-stops:list 1.0in'>Taking a class</li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level2 lfo2;tab-stops:list 1.0in'>Reading a book or other body of work</li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level2 lfo2;tab-stops:list 1.0in'>Networking with news/media <span class=SpellE>photogs</span> or</li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level2 lfo2;tab-stops:list 1.0in'>Attending a workshop/seminar, etc</li>
</ol>
<li>From November 1-15, review and reassess my progress with the intent of using the experience to build a plan for 2006. In 2006, I want to supplement my day-job income by at least 30% with income from photo work.</li>
<li>Complete 1 of the 2 historical-photo projects I've been entertaining in the back of my mind (old car/mining town).</li>
<li>Be a consistently positive influence for someone I know who has a genuine interest in photography and whose stated goal is to grow either personally or professionally in the field.</li>
</ol>
Now comes the task list, and figuring out how I'm going to accomplish all of this. Should be fun!

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I had no goals, so I guess I came out ahead. :)

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Originally Posted by SmartWombat

Learn the EOS 20D and 580 flash so I can operate them without looking (or reading the manual).

Goals: Improve !!
Reach the dizzy heights of "sticky" in Critique.
Sell at least one photo in 2005.

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Paul, if I remember correctly, you got all 3, congrats! :D

My photographic goals for 2006 are:
1. Lose weight! (so that I can get out and about more for my landscape and nature shots)
2. Learn my new camera enough to where I don't have to think about the settings.
3. Learn more "photographic" skills.
4. Take a course in photography. ( I have been thinking about the NYIP course, but I don't learn well by reading alone.)
5. As someone said earlier, try not to lose my desire for photography. I don't do well with frustration and my photography frustrates me because I can't yet get the shots I want.
6. Devote more time to PR and maybe take on another moderator position, since this has been one of the greatest learning experiences of my life.
I guess that's it for now!!! I'm sure after I think about it a bit more, I will come up with some others...but I have a lot of learning to do and that will be my main goal in anything I come up with.
GREAT THREAD!!!
Ken

Well I guess I failed pretty miserably on my goals... Did work on product shots though. I shot a few weddings this year and that's just not for me. It also took the fun out of photography in general, so for '06 I'm just going to get back out there and enjoy shooting. That's it.

Goals for 2006:

1) add at least one lens.

2) make the move to PSE

3) this year I had 4 pictures used on baseball cards, for 2006 the goal is to have 8 used on baseball cards.

4) this year I had 2 pictures in a national publication, for 2006 the goal is to have more than one picture in more than one publication.

5) make at least $500 selling my pictures in venues not related to the internet.

6) become more aware of technique (composition, lighting, focal points, POV, etc.), and challenge myself to learn other photography styles such as portrait, macro, street, etc.

7) do a photo shoot for Playboy (what the hey--dream big!)

8) put everything I learn on P & D to good use.

9) have a definate plan before I shoot.

10) photograph at least two other sporting events besides baseball.

Last year, I really didn't have any photography goals. I was fed up with my school paper, and I put my camera down for a couple of months. I don't remember what re-sparked my interest, but I think it was a digital sports photography book.

I've done pretty well for picking up my camera again at the beginning of August. I got myself an internship, sold a few sports photos, and am in a position to either go into business for myself or get a job in photography.

So here are my goals for 2006:
1) Learn more about photojournalism. There are some good books out there that will teach the basics, I just need to find these and read them.
2) Develop my skills in the following areas:
a.Portrait
b.Street and Photojournalism
c.Lighting
d.Nature and landscaping
3) Get more clients
4) Make more money
5) Get a sticky for the featured photo of the week
6) Buy a studio lighting kit

And then the biggest one of all - Get Published.

Very cool thread. I was not around for this last year, so I will put mine down for 2006.

1. Would have to be learn to be a better photographer. Read some books, try to find a local mentor, maybe.

2. Be more aware of composition, lighting and the other technical aspects out there as I frame a shot.

3. Keep better track of the info for my pics; f/stop, ISO, shutter speed, lens, mode etc.

4. Be able to make a minimum of $300 on the side with my photography. This is I think a pretty good goal as I made almost $100 just on my b&w prints of my cabin shots this year.

5. Work more to getting my own business off the ground. Not sure what all this will entail.

6. Work with OT on getting together for the Covered Bridge Festival next year.


7. And a big one, work towards getting 1 bigger, better, faster lens.

1. Finish website
2. Get some grids for my softboxes
3. Find a foolproof "recipe" to separate my subjects from the background
4. Find a foolproof "recipe" to use with white background
5. Use my Mamiya more and more
6. Scan close to 20 years of film
7. Convert 7+ years of digital 8mm tape to DVD

that is all I can think of right now!

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Originally Posted by shutterman

1. Finish website
6. Scan close to 20 years of film
7. Convert 7+ years of digital 8mm tape to DVD

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You're not looking to hire, are you?? :D :D

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Originally Posted by adina

I had no goals, so I guess I came out ahead. :)

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Good plan!

my goal is to buy a 1d. along with a 300 prime. so basically

1) work a lot
2) work some more

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Originally Posted by maplegirlie

Yikes! Where has the year gone?!
:eek:

How about everyone else? How did you do? There's still time! :)

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Thanks for resurrecting this thread. It was and still is a good one. Maybe you should start a new one for 2006?

I did ok on my goals. I'm not very organized or focused on my personal goals. So it was scary for me to even publicly announce some. And here's my list:

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Originally Posted by maplegirlie

1) Acquire new customers for my outdoor photography.

2) Finish 2-3 complete stories for publication.

3) Get published in some different publications.

4) Be more punctual about delivering work.

5) Expand my work into new areas. Specifically, I'd like to be doing more product photography.

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I got published in one magazine that I hadn't really done business with before. I think that qualifies For numbers 1 and 3. I did one complete story and I'm working on another. I've been better about delivering work quickly. And my product business exploded at the end of the year. The product workoad has actually been hard to handle. But it's been interesting, I'm proud of the work, and the money is good. It's just hard to fit the work in along with my personal life and my PhotographyREVIEW.com responsibilities.

This is sort of peripheral, but another big accomplishment is the pro review program on this site. That includes a lot of product photography and I've written a few reviews and a digital SLR buyer's guide. I don't really count that stuff as part of my photographic goals, but it takes up time and energy that might have gone towards the other goals. And the accomplishments are something I'm proud of.

Thanks again for getting this started and then following up, maplegirlie!

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Originally Posted by Photo-John

Thanks for resurrecting this thread. It was and still is a good one. Maybe you should start a new one for 2006?

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Done: It's empty so far but hope to see some new goals in there soon.

You can check it out at http://forums.photographyreview.com/...882#post103882 or by doing a search for "2006 - Photo Goals & Resolutions for the New Year"

Interesting to see everybody's goals and wants for this past year.

Definately a source of ideas/inspiration.

Jared

My goal was to photograph lovely young starlets and sell the prints on eBay. Unfortunately, all those restraining orders bogged me down...

Actually, I'd be happy just to find the battery charger for my Canon S400. The third one disappeared a week ago. I use that camera a lot more than my DigiRebel.

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Originally Posted by masdog

You're not looking to hire, are you?? :D :D

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I wish I could! I have a lovely assistant already - my wife :)

Some of these projects sure are tedious though!