Are Your Goals for 2012 Still Coherent?, by Reed A. George
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14mm f2.5
iso160, f5, 1/1600 sec
Well, I have been thinking that the first quarter of the year 2012 is now gone, and so far, I have done a good job at keeping up with my goal of having an active blog that keeps me focused, and also hopefully interests a few people. Based on the page view statistics, I would say I have achieved the second goal. I know I've achieved the first.
I read an article on the B&H blog about setting, working toward, and achieving your photographic goals.
(Click Here) for the B&H blog post.
In the B&H post, three professional photographers talk about photographic goals.
First, Peter Hurley suggests setting three levels of goals: 1) the Major goal, which is not easily achievable; heck, you may not even know how to get there, 2) the Minor goal, one that is achievable, but significantly builds toward the Major, and 3) Incremental goals, which are what you knock off each day in pursuit of your bigger goals.
Next, Zack Arias, Fashion Photographer, talks about how his personal projects are typically related to his work, but with enough of a change to make them fun again. Zack is working to make his projects more personal. He also has a policy of not looking at other photographer's work. I find this one interesting. I gain a lot by looking at the work of others. Perhaps I'm just not confident enough about my own creativity? I understand that we should not copy others. However, I think not look at the work of others would deprive me of a lot of my photographic enjoyment. Finally, Zack needs others to keep him on task with the small stuff - social marketing, email, etc.
Ryan Brenizer, Wedding Photographer, suggests that your annual goal should be to beat last year's "you." I like this one. As long as we're better than we were last year, things are going in the right direction. He also preaches endurance, saying that you need to do that 250th wedding to really have it down. I can appreciate that as well.
Not trying to beat my own drum, but I'm pretty happy with my photographic year of 2012 so far. My two main projects at this point are the 150th anniversary of the US Civil War, and local music from my area, mainly bluegrass. I have shot quite a bit of both, and feel that my work with music and musicians is going along nicely. The Civil War project has been slower. I have been out to the battlefields several times, and to a few events, but now that spring is here, those events will really start to happen with a much higher frequency. There is a third project that I am pursuing - scientific photography - in collaboration with some wonderful paleontologist friends, and some potentially very exciting organizations. I put in some time photographing the fossil collection of the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Maryland, and need to keep at that (we're only ~10% done). And, again, now that the weather is getting warmer, I plan to do a lot more shooting in the field. In addition to my projects, I have been successful at focusing largely (not exclusively) on Lumix cameras and equipment, and have been very diligent in keeping this blog going and lively. Finally, I have hung images in one show (sold one!), have another show scheduled, and plan to do more this year, and have one first place in two categories of a local photography contest (more to come on that when it's announced).
Of course, I'd love to be out shooting more. But, until blogging and shooting the things I love see serious increases in demand and pay (please use those Amazon links on my page more!), I will have another more-than-full-time career (which I also love, by the way). So, all in all, 2012 is going well.
I do find that just being out there shooting, or in here writing, the more I do, the more opportunities I have.
I hope you are enjoying my "work" here as much as I am.
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