2011 Photography Goals

[Wicked Dark]

Not really being a person to have resolutions as such, I put some goals together for last year and did pretty well; 2 partial wins and a fail (but for a good reason). Obligatory Blog Post

So this year I have these -
1. Improve composition; read a book or two, podcasts, tutorials, essays etc.
2. Strive for more distinctive images
3. Maintain post-processing workflow discipline

I hope to make some headway and continue to improve.

Anyone else have photography goals? Feel free to share. Also thoughts on how to keep them in mind or any support you need from the forum. We're all here to get better, aren't we?

[Iguanasan]

Interesting post and interesting thoughts. This line has me perplexed though "...This kept me focused and less distracted. I didn’t do this with every shoot though and often went into the field without a plan so only a partial win here..." I'd give yourself a full win. The fact that you even did it once is a full win in my book. I'm not sure that you need to do it a lot just to consider it a win.

Of course, I really haven't taken the time to set and write down goals myself so maybe I'm not the right person to comment on this.

[Wicked Dark]

Thanks, Ig.
I guess I just saw a big difference between the shooting sessions I had a plan for and the ones I didn't. Keeping a particular image in mind keeps me focused and I'm afraid I miss the good stuff when I don't plan. Too much chatting w/other people or goofing around going for the obvious. One of the best photographers I know posts hardly an image a month because he plans everything he shoots. Now, that's an extreme, I know, but I admire his results.

[Iguanasan]

Thanks, Ig.
I guess I just saw a big difference between the shooting sessions I had a plan for and the ones I didn't. Keeping a particular image in mind keeps me focused and I'm afraid I miss the good stuff when I don't plan. Too much chatting w/other people or goofing around going for the obvious. One of the best photographers I know posts hardly an image a month because he plans everything he shoots. Now, that's an extreme, I know, but I admire his results.

Sorry, don't get me wrong... I think you should totally plan, just don't be a slave to it. For instance, yesterday, before I headed out to shoot the Polar Bear Dip I looked the itinerary up on the website and I looked up the location up on Google maps and then spent some time trying to figure out where I would get the best shots. I must have done something right as I ended up sitting next to a fellow from The Canadian Press. He had a 400mm f2.8 that was almost as big as I was! Planning is a good thing but don't let it ruin your enjoyment of photography.

[angd]

Well, I might as well jump into the forum with some goals for 2011. I'm a complete newbie. So here's my list.

1. Learn what I can do with my camera. It's a Canon XS.
2. Learn about photo composition and framing etc.
3. Learn how to use editing software.
4. Complete my Project365.

[Iguanasan]

Well, I might as well jump into the forum with some goals for 2011. I'm a complete newbie. So here's my list.

1. Learn what I can do with my camera. It's a Canon XS.
2. Learn about photo composition and framing etc.
3. Learn how to use editing software.
4. Complete my Project365.

Welcome to the forum, angd! Not only a fellow Nova Scotianer but a fellow Haligonian!

Those are awesome goals but be careful on the Project 365... it's a hard road to follow... I've tried twice

[angd]

Thank you for the Welcome.

Those are awesome goals but be careful on the Project 365... it's a hard road to follow... I've tried twice

What were some of your pitfalls?

[Iguanasan]

Thank you for the Welcome.

What were some of your pitfalls?

Just one.. it's hard to force yourself to click that shutter EVERY day. As much as I love photography there are days when I just don't want or think to pick up the camera and take a shot.

[Andrew]

Some general suggestions for goals.

1. You have to write them down and review them regularly. It's part of the committment process. If you really want to commit, tell someone else as well and follow-up occassionally. For a skill such as this my best suggestion is to use a mentor if you can find one with a style you like. If one is not available get yourself a knowledgeable contact you can bounce things off of and can expect some honest feedback. You can use the critique forum but I would suggest you stick to one person to maintain consistency.
2. Be specific on your goals. Wicked,, number two is way too vague. With some effort you could probably do that tomorrow to some extent. What do you want to accomplish for yourself? Make sure it's a challenge to you alone. How are you going to measure the steps and end result? Peers comments, a critique forum, published in an article, sell a print?
3. Set measureable targets. If you don't know where your going how will you know how to get there and when you've arrived? It's a good idea to have progressional targets to break large goals down into smaller tasks. By the way, your own opinion is not a trustworthy measurement.
4. Stay flexible about your path. As you learn, you will see new ways to do things that can alter the route to your target. You may even get some new goals out of it.

Sorry but I could go on for ever on this stuff but you basically need to create a detailed plan and structure on how to accomplish your goals. It won't be every outing but if you see your timeline slipping you may have to make a special trip once in awhile just to get things done and back on track. Challenge yourself.

Hope this little bit helps somewhat. Good luck.

[Iguanasan]

...snip...
If you really want to commit, tell someone else as well and follow-up occassionally. For a skill such as this my best suggestion is to use a mentor if you can find one with a style you like.....

Maybe if you stick to just one person this might work well, however, there's been some recent research that says if you want to accomplish something you should keep your mouth shut about it. Apparently, the "attaboy" you get from the person you tell gives you a shot of satisfaction as if you've actually accomplished your goal when, in fact, you have yet to begin. Here's a TED talk which explains much better than I can...

Derek Sivers: Keep your goals to yourself | Video on TED.com