Photo Goals & Resolutions for the New Year

[Photo-John]

Yikes! Where has the year gone?!


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

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:

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.

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!

[maplegirlie]

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

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"

[jar_e]

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

Definately a source of ideas/inspiration.

Jared

[Michael Fanelli]

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.

[payn817]

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.

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

[ken1953]

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

[another view]

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.

[swmdrayfan]

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.

[masdog]

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.

[srobb]

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.

[Franglais]

Last year I bought a digital SLR and made a list of things I wanted to do with my photography. They were not grandiose goals, but they were important to me (and I got them done and felt great afterwards).

This year, I'm preoccupied with other big things in my life, so my goals brainstorming has been foggy.



I'm not feeling very creative and could use some inspiration -- so thought I'd ask everyone here -- what would you like to accomplish photographically for 2005?

The more specific the better (i.e. "shoot 100 portraits of children by June 1st" as opposed to "take more pictures")

Thanks! Oh, and Happy New Year.

Last year's resolution was "Shoot more black & white". I realised that much of the colour that I do is irrelevant and I'm actually much better at telling stories in black and white. So I did that and it worked out just fine.

This year - well I suppose I'd better learn how to use the D70 a bit and not just use it for events for other people where to some extent I leave the camera + flash to sort it out. Maybe learn advanced RAW techniques, but I wonder how relevant this will be in a few years when sensors have wider dynamic range (example: Fuji Finepix S3).

Oh and keep shooting film for the things that it does well, but that's obvious.

Charles

[Ryguyinlj]

Find clients for my surfing and possibly skimboarding pictures

Get paid for my contributions to an online skimboarding mag.

Get a job at my university's newspaper shooting photos.

[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

[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

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

[Dzerzhinski46]

I'm not feeling very creative and could use some inspiration -- so thought I'd ask everyone here -- what would you like to accomplish photographically for 2005?

The more specific the better (i.e. "shoot 100 portraits of children by June 1st" as opposed to "take more pictures")

Thanks! Oh, and Happy New Year.

Dear maplegirlie,

An excellent question! Also a rather sticky one in my case, as I am not a goal orientated person at all . So, I shall set a goal to make some goals for this year ;) ! But in another way, I enjoy the process of photography, and exploring it as a subject, without trying to "limit" myself with goals. But goals are good. For a rough start, here we go:

1. Finish the photography class I am taking now ("Introduction to Black and White Photography"), and enjoy it as well

2. Possibly acquire Photoshop Elements (as Photoshop CS is out of my price range )

3. Fully explore the possibilities of Velvia

4. Start to develop my own black and white film (more an economic reason than anything else, processing them myself is much cheaper)

and finally,
5. Not lose my passion for photography

If nothing else, the last resolution is perhaps the most important to me. Thanks for goading such an non goal person like me into making some definite goals for this year!

Dzerzhinski

[drg]

Was surprised to read that SBA wanted to charge you money for classes. They've ALWAYS provided huge amounts of free information and training and low/no cost loans to entreprenurial and small business.

They have been known to partner with Incubator projects, but those any cost has gone towards the actual services you recieve (like utilities, shared loading docks/postal service, certainly rent and so on).

Check out SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives, I've done this from both sides) to get truly good freed assistance. Below is SBA's web site. Please notice the number of things posted as free. If you have a different experience I'd like to know more. After all, it all of our tax dollars at work.

CDP

http://www.sba.gov/

[CaSousa]

This is a great post!
For me, a few glaring resolutions come to mind

1) Shoot more worthwhile photos.
2) Work on my composition and lighting a bit more
3) Figure out why it seems like I took better pictures with my Rebel than I am with my Elan 7NE
4) Try to sell a couple of my photos/submit a few for publication.

I have been working on #'s 1 and 2 for some time now, and I've been talking about #4 without making an effort. I think its time to maybe exhibit at local coffee shops and see how it goes.

-Chris

[tijean]

I was actually thinking about this the other day!

1. Take photos everyday. I know this sounds basic but between school full time and work full time, it's not rare for me to look down at my camera and realize that I haven't picked it up in a week - especially in the winter when I leave in the dark and come home in the dark days, even on days that I don't have class.

2. Post a set to the photolog every week beginning the first week of February.

3. More street photography. I began taking pictures because I wanted to show the world what I saw, not because I wanted to produce postcards. I need to get back there.

[livin4lax09]

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

1) work a lot
2) work some more

[racingpinarello]

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

[maplegirlie]

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.