Photographic Goals for 2013

Happy Holidays

Here is a question I ask my participants that leads to some great group discussions.

Everybody has goals for the new year. How about photography?

What are you photographic goals for 2013 ?

What do you hope to learn?

John Slonina
Slonina Nature Photography Tours

1) 2013 will be my busiest year to date in terms of tours and workshops, so I hope to come away from each one with happy and satisfied clients.

2) I really hope I don't spend nearly as much on gear this year.

3) I must complete the web redesign I've been talking about for the last several years. Now that I'm on the hook for some expensive software related to this project, there are no more excuses.

Max

1. Cross off a few more on my bird "nemesis" list!
2. Finally learn how to use my super-macro lens
3. Be able to travel for photography a bit more

Sandy

1. Get a web site going
2. Continue to learn from NPN how to expand my vision both in the field and on the computer.
3. Work on making quality images under less than ideal circumstances. There's a lot of wonderfulness in nature in places that don't have glacier carved mountains, curvaceous rivers, etc. and I think it's important to recognize and share that.

This is more procedural than creative, but my sincere hope is by the end of 2013 to be doing all my photo processing on something other than Adobe products. Just to see if I can make it work, in the name of competition in the market.

My goals actually in reality are endless but here is a good start.

1) to have more artistically acceptable images next year vs this year through improved compositions and image quality
2) to focus less on the gear and more on the outcome or output
3) work to maintain and improve my online presence through my new website

My goals are pretty simple.

1. Get some prints into shows and galleries.
2. Make some sales.

In the right venue, I think my orchid shots are marketable.

Late in 2012, I started working on a series of high-key orchid portraits. It was the first time I ever though about creating a coherent body of work. It was great fun and a learning experience. I recommend a series as a project, especially if you've never done one before.

My goal is to be earning enough from my photography that I can cut down, by one or two days, the time currently spent sitting unhealthily at my desk at what is now my full-time job. To achieve this I plan to cut back on time-wasting sites like Etsy and Fine Art America and concentrate on my proper website, selling prints and getting into shows and galleries. Also, since our book on the historic Hudson Valley and Catskills will be published in the spring, I hope this will help get my name out, and I surely plan to do talks and presentations to push the book and my work.

The announcement and release of the long-delayed Olympus E-7 DSLR camera.

Good photos of a Resplendant Quetzal.

Good photos of Red-legged Kittiwakes.

I hope to continue to improve upon my bird photography, and add a ton more TROPICAL birds to my portfolio. Of course this means I will have to spend a good amount of time in tropical locations. Oh darn.

I actually do set goals every year, and look back to them. For this year, I wanted to learn how to use flash bulbs and take my train photos with them. I did that. I also set a goal to take more photos of people, especially railroaders working at night. I've done that too. For the coming year I'm wanting to:

1. Learn how to better use my vintage cameras for night shots.
2. Learn more about the history of photography
3. Continue to take on the job photos of railroaders (especially at night.)

Night photography seems to be my special niche.


Kent in SD

Get out and make some images! [in contrast to the drought of the past six months ...]