2013 Goals

Self-portrait in the bell of a trombone

I don't know that I'd classify myself as a goal-oriented person.  But I recognize the value in setting goals.  I do need something to work toward in order to improve.  I like goals as a way of gauging my progress.  At work I have to write up To Do Lists a few times a week just to keep track of everything I have on my plate.

My mom sent me an article recently on the dangers of excessive goal setting.  I'm choosing to ignore the article and set goals anyway.

I think this will be the first time I've set a specific photography related goal.

After reading "Her View Photography's" free ebook, 10 Challenges, I am going to set a couple goals for myself related to the book.

1) Project 52 - one photo a week on a specific subject.  I'm choosing food.  It's the most consistent and interesting thing I can commit to for an entire year.  I'd like most of these to be with my SLR, but I will be content to use my p&s or even my phone in a pinch.

2) Storytelling, make a book - Being the unofficial-official church ministry photographer, I was thinking making a photobook that tells the story of the church would be fun.  And hard.  I still haven't figured out what story I want to tell.  But I know it will take several months to compile the right images to tell the story.  (And now that I have LR 4, which has a book module included, this should be even easier to accomplish)

3) Street photography - I'm intimidated by this one.  I admit it.  Which is why it's on my list.  I live near a great city for this goal.  I thought I'd start by visiting the local Farmer's Market.  Get a taste of street photography nearby.  Then when I feee comfortable enough with it, go to the city and do it for real.  Visit the tourist stops (so easy to blend in there with a camera) and then maybe venture off to the more local locales.  This could be another great book(s).  The various neighborhoods and spots.

That's it.  3 goals.  But they're daunting.  I need a plan still to accomplish said goals.  But I'll figure it out.  I also need to do a little more research for 2 & 3.  To really look at some storytelling photos and street photographs.  To get an idea of how to compose and how I want to do these.

I need to remember that I'm doing this for me.  My photography is for me.  I'm not selling it (although I've not eliminated it as a possibility).  I'm not trying to impress anyone.  I just like making art.

What if I don't succeed?

• If I skip a week or two here and there on my Project 52, I'm OK with that.  I just want to keep going.  The idea is to challenge and stretch myself.  To not get bored and keep it interesting.
• I'd like to get a good start on the Storytelling photos.  To really be in there taking photos and telling the story.  Even if I don't get it assembled, I want the photos there.  I may give myself 2 years to do this one fully, just because of the grand nature of this project.  And because it's my first one and I don't have lots of spare time.
• Only laziness and fear will prevent me from accomplishing some street photography. This is one that can be crossed off in one day.  Just going out to do it.  So I just need to schedule a Saturday morning to go and then ... go!

Inspired by 10-Challenges

I'm doing the 10-challenges from Her View Photography.  One of the challenges is to tell a story and make a photo book.  Well, I'm not up to that task yet, but I did think that maybe I would try to be more story-telling with my photos.  Here's the story of Audrey brushing her teeth.

10-Challenges

I found a free e-book called 10 Challenges to improve your photography. I'll be working through them and posting the results here. And any other ideas I get from being inspired through this.

The first challenge is to walk around the subject. Take 10 different photos of the subject. So different that you can hardly tell they are the same thing.

I chose my trombone.

I took about 80 photos, narrowed it down to 13 that I liked - some are similar, or copies just processed differently.