My New Year's resolutions

I gave up on New Year's resolutions a long time ago when I......I guess I just got real and realized that they didn't work for me. But, in my quest for photographic growth I am willing to try again.  So here I go.  Remember, these are just my resolutions for photography, not my personal life since I'm really don't need to make any changes there(heh, heh, heh).

1. Continue to open my eyes to different ways to view the environment around me.  With my focus on landscapes, I tend to look at things with a large perspective/scene instead of seeing the details within the scene.  As I peruse photography sites and other blogs, I am amazed at the pictures captured by other amateurs that focus on the smaller, more detailed subjects right in front of our eyes, or lenses.  I plan to capture some of those subjects.
   
2. I read alot of magazines, books, webzines, blogs and other media.  I mean, I read alot. The trick is to take what you learn in all this material and apply it.  So often I read about something, I think it seems really cool to be able to do that, and then, never seem to break out of my comfort zone to try and accomplish what I learned. That will change this year.  An area that amazes me is a technique called "Light Painting".  Both my daughter and I absolutely love the imagery that can be created with a flashlight and total darkness and having a camera where the shutter can stay open for long periods of time.  I will definitely try my hand at "Light Painting" this year
3. I recently purchased an external flash unit for my camera.  So far it has come out of my camera bag about 3 times.  The 3 times I have used it, I have not liked my results.  It comes down to the typical expecting great results from something you have no idea how to use.  I must, this year, make a concerted effort to learn more about low light/flash photography.  Once again, I see remarkable results from others using lesser equipment than I have(and possibly less knowledge), but have made the effort to use and experiment with their equipment to learn how to use it. 
4. The next resolution is in regards to equipment.  So far, I have scrambled, scrimped, and saved my pennies to put together a pretty good outfit of equipment to do what I love.  This next year I need to expand the equipment list to some minor pieces(especially for flash photography), and some major items such as an ultrawide angle lens.  All of my equipment is usually paid for thru selling something else I have, trading equipment, earning monies from other side projects like online surveys, or birthday and Christmas presents.  I will need to step this up this next year if I am going to meet this goal.  The wheels are already turning.
5. I definitely need to get some organized training.  In the last year, I have definitely learned that it would be most helpful to, even if for only one day, have a trained "professional" along side me to ask questions of.  We've all been there.  We read about doing something.  We then try to accomplish something ourselves based on what we learned.  Then, we fail, or we at least have 10 more questions about what we were trying to accomplish.  Step #1 of this goal is to find a local camera or photography club to join and see where that takes me.  The next step will be to find a photo workshop in the area.  Those generally are not cheap.  But, good education is usually not free.
6. Many of you know I went on my photo journey this fall to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  A most wonderful time it was and I came back with alot of pics and alot of experience.  I need to do it again this year.  Maybe twice.  Not necessarily back to Michigan, or maybe it will be.  I have ideas in my head of when and where I want to go, but I'll keep those quiet until I decide more.
7. Once again, I have generally focused on landscape photography.  But, I always marvel at the portraiture pics I see online on some websites.  Stuff people do at home, in their basement, or in their backyard.  Once again, lesser equipment than what I have.  I believe it,again, comes down to effort and leaving your comfort zone.  Lord knows, I've got two great subjects here in the house(kids) and  even a dog and cat to practice on.  Get ready for the dog and cat shots everyone.  This may even include "street photography", capturing people you come across in everyday life in everyday situations..  Hard for me to approach strangers and ask to take their pic, but from everything I read and have experienced slightly, most everyone is agreeable to having their pic taken.  My mother- in- law aside.(I swear she's running from the law.)
8. Get more prints made and hung on the wall to share with others.  So many of my favorite shots are still in their holding cell(computer) screaming to be viewed on a regular basis.  Needs to be done.....now.
9. Continue involving my kids in my hobby.  So far my daughter has shown interest in photography(actually into the YouTube video stuff every kid is into now).  Even if she doesn't share the same exuberance I do right now, I know if I keep her involved somewhat she make decide someday that its her calling.  Hey, it happens.  I read about it on the internet.  And even if it doesn't, I know in the last year I've spent some special time with each of my kids when we've just went out to take some pictures. Good times, good times.
10. Continue feeling the pressure to progress and get better.  In other words, have fun.  Believe it or not, this is my kind of fun.  Its my way to unwind, relax, and recoup.  Its my martini. Sometimes I have my martini at 5 a.m. and sometimes at 11 p.m.  And I can have my martini almost anywhere I want.  The pressure I feel to get better is good pressure since it is self imposed.  It's not job pressure.  It's not family pressures.  And no, it's not peer pressure, either. It's similar to the pressure felt to finish a jigsaw puzzle.  You want to see how it turns out.  That's fun. 

So that's it.  My New Year's Resolutions.  If I accomplish these 10, I have no doubt I will have had a successful 2010, at least on the photography side of things.  O.K., so on to the cat pics.(Just kidding)