Photography New Year Resolutions 2020

January Trees

It's the time of year when many of us think about the new year ahead and what we would like to achieve in it. I like to write down my new year resolutions, but not as a list of things that must be completed at any cost, but simply to set myself some goals or to define which direction I want to be going. Typically, I usually succeed in realizing some of the resolutions and failing others, but I don't kick myself for any failures. Instead, I like to think that I did what I could and simply carry over onto the new year any resolutions that I still want to try and accomplish. So I was successful in three out of five of my last year resolutions which means I will carry over onto 2020 two of them. I have mentioned below which two they are.

Here are my 2020 photography resolutions:

1. Start using my DSLR camera again It's been a year now since I bought my first iPhone. I fell in love with it so much that I decided to use it as my sole camera equipment for the whole year ahead. That year is now out, and even though I can't really say I missed my bulky Nikon D7100 very much I feel time has come to dig it out and start using it again. Without my 18mm - 200mm zoom lens I have certainly been restricted in terms of what pics I could take with my iPhone. I want to take the same photos with both my iPhone and my DSLR to compare the image quality and see the actual differences in the photos they produce and what advantage there are in using a "proper camera.

2. One outdoors photoshoot a week. It is the first time I have set myself a target like this. When I was in employment such target would have not been realistic as life would get in the way too often and too much. Now, it sounds more promising although there will still be one or two things to consider. But if I have to skip a shoot one week, I may be able to make up for it the following week.

3. Use my iPhone to take everyday snaps. I seem to only take photos if I am out shooting and looking for photos or creating a still life at home. I have hardly any snaps of people in my life, myself, my dog, anything material or any cherished moments. My best friend from Zagreb is always sending me her snaps, and I never have any to share with her. I'd love to change that now, so I'm going to try taking more pics just for the sake of memories.

4. Produce a 2021 calendar. This is not necessarily to sell at retail outlets, but perhaps just having a few printed for presents for my family and friends. I'll see how it goes. I don't have much experience with calendars having created only one calendar (2019) so far.

5. Focus more on the book cover market photography and try to have more images accepted by Trevillion. This is one of the two of the last year resolutions that I failed at. Since this year I am going to have more time for photography I'm putting more hope into this resolution. It doesn't mean success will be secured even if I do my best, but one thing I can do is try properly, and try I will this year. The thing is that I don't seem to be a natural book cover photographer much as I thought I was. I have a good idea by now what is required; it's just that I naturally wouldn't take such photos, so I need to make a conscious effort. I want to make the effort as for me there is hardly anything more thrilling and satisfying than having your photos used for a book cover and getting paid for it.

6. Refresh my blog or/and set up a new website. This includes having a page where I would sell prints of my work, which was the second of the two of my last year's resolutions that came to no fruition. I quite like the layout of my blog, but I haven't done anything to it for a long time, so it needs a bit of sprucing up. I may stay with Blogger or move my blog elsewhere. I may decide to set up a new website that will also feature a shop for prints of my images or I might set up a photography shop with Etsy. I'm not sure exactly what I'll do at the moment; I shall start investigating very soon.

One thing I do know is that I like to keep things as simple as possible and that I feel keener than ever to take my photography to a new level.

January Skies