The beginning of the year is a great time to “take stock.” By this I mean take a critical look at your work from the previous year and review the progress on any goals you made the year before.
This is something I try to do every year, usually starting in late November and continuing through into January. In last-week’s blog post I posted my favorite images from 2011, identifying these images is part of my review process. I will critically review these and other images from the year and determine what specific areas I need to work on. I also go through the photographic goals I set the previous year and note progress against each. Additionally I will review my purchase wish-list and make a plan of what items I would like to acquire during the coming 12 months and when I would like to have them – taking my other photographic plans into account. Finally I will think about where I would like to visit and at what time of year. I outlined the location list for this year in a previous blog post. As the year progresses, I will further refine this list, research the areas, prepare a travel budget, organize accommodation etc.
I also make a list of goals for the year – these are like a compass, if I don’t achieve all of them I won’t lose too much sleep, but I use this list to keep me moving in the right direction.
Here is the list I compiled for 2012:
- Improve knowledge of image composition and 2-dimensional image design.
- Improve knowledge of photographic printing and papers and improve printing skill.
- Have a portfolio review and print favorite/best images on winter and summer solstice.
- learn something about the history of painting and art.
- learn about the weather.
- Catch up on reading.
Of course, do as much shooting as possible!
So that’s the list, now what? The list is purposely left fairly open-ended. I now break the list down into smaller actions where possible and plan to spread those actions throughout the year so that by year’s-end I have achieved most, if not all of what I set out to do.
I hope that this was useful to you and gave you some ideas that you may use un your own planning.
