Photography Goals for 2011

[WDWFigment]

I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions, but for 2011, I think I'm going to set a few photography goals for myself.

1. Do more with off camera flash and gels - This should be a fun project, but I doubt I will take it to the point where I spend more than $50 on gear. At least, I hope I don't spend more than that.

2. Do some infrared photography - I have been wanting to do this for a while, but it seems like so much work. The filters seem challenging, and modifying a D200 (the alternative) seems too expensive for such a niche area of photography. Not sure how far I'll get with this.

4. Take photos four days a week - With the amount I've spent on photography, I can no longer justify taking photos only on Disney trips. Additionally, the first day or so of two of our trips, I was incredibly rusty (creatively) because I hadn't touched a camera for a couple of months before the trip. I want to keep my mind's eye "fresh".

5. Use UWA lenses enough that I can justify owning two of them - I just bought the Sigma 8-16mm, and while I love it, the aperture and inability to accept filters worries me. I already do a high percentage of my shooting with the Tokina, I'm hoping I can do even more, thus justifying keeping both.

Those are my goals for the year (at least the ones I can think of right now), what are yours?

 

[Gdad]

2. Do some infrared photography -

Funny you should mention this- my IR D100 just came yesterday. This is something that has interested me for quite a while and I finally found a bargain on a modified camera.

Aside from that I want to try to do more with time lapse video and image stacking for star trails.

 

[C&B Young]

A few of my photography goals for 2011:

• More practice with portraiture. I've been asked to shoot some pictures for friends & family and have done so with varying results. And if one really wants to generate income from this hobby taking pictures of people seems to be the route. So I need to get to a place where I'd be comfortable and confident enough to charge for my work.
• More practice with my UWA lens. Our Disney trip in December was the first time I really put the Tokina through its paces, and I look forward to more shooting with it.
• Shoot more photos overall. In Canada winter is an excuse to get lazy and not shoot anything outside of the house for 4-5 months. I need to get motivated to bundle up and go out & shoot, even if it's cold!

 

[WDWFigment]

Funny you should mention this- my IR D100 just came yesterday. This is something that has interested me for quite a while and I finally found a bargain on a modified camera.

Aside from that I want to try to do more with time lapse video and image stacking for star trails.

So unless I somehow get to the parks before you, you'll still beat me to the punch with this IR business? Jeff, have you ever considered moving to the UK? I hear they have great...I dunno...stuff? I think it would ease the pressure on a lot of us if you weren't a semi-local.

Did you get the camera off eBay? I haven't read a ton about this, but it appears that the filters alone aren't "true" IR since there is something in front of the camera's sensor that blocks IR. Based upon that, I'm not sure I'd want to throw away money on a filter.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

1) Shoot more
2) Build a light tent to try my hand at doing some product type shots
3) Build a soft box so I can have some better lighting on portrait work.
4) Print more photos

 

[Gdad]

So unless I somehow get to the parks before you, you'll still beat me to the punch with this IR business? Jeff, have you ever considered moving to the UK? I hear they have great...I dunno...stuff? I think it would ease the pressure on a lot of us if you weren't a semi-local.

But you post things people actually LIKE. I figure an IR-HDR-Topaz-Disney-Fisheye shot can pretty much annoy everyone in a single post.

Did you get the camera off eBay? I haven't read a ton about this, but it appears that the filters alone aren't "true" IR since there is something in front of the camera's sensor that blocks IR. Based upon that, I'm not sure I'd want to throw away money on a filter.

I got it on Nikon Cafe for $300 already modified. It shoots sweet IR with regular shooting right out of the camera. With the filter setup you need a tripod even in daylight shooting. And with filters you still need an older camera body since the internal filters on newer NIkons are too 'good' for it- I've read unmodified D50's work well. I was taking a break but I'll post a couple up on Flickr just for grins.

 

[JoeDif]

My goals are:

1) Build a DIY beauty dish (I've got all the pieces, now I just need to get off my lazy butt and do it)

2) Get more involved in people / portraiture work

 

[WDWFigment]

But you post things people actually LIKE. I figure an IR-HDR-Topaz-Disney-Fisheye shot can pretty much annoy everyone in a single post.

Annoying everyone with a single post is quite a commendable accomplishment, too, though! Especially when they're probably most annoyed by the fact that the shot is so stunning.

I got it on Nikon Cafe for $300 already modified. It shoots sweet IR with regular shooting right out of the camera. With the filter setup you need a tripod even in daylight shooting. And with filters you still need an older camera body since the internal filters on newer NIkons are too 'good' for it- I've read unmodified D50's work well. I was taking a break but I'll post a couple up on Flickr just for grins.

Seems like they're a little more expensive on eBay than that. I don't have any urgent need, so I think I'll wait for one being resold, rather than one being sold by someone who does it for a living (or as a side job).

The use a 1.6 ND filter during the day without too much issue; experiences I've read about with IR filters are pretty comparable to my experience with the ND filter: can't see to compose, can't auto-focus, can't meter. However, I didn't realize the filter wouldn't work with a D40 or D90. I just figured people were using D50/D70s/D100/D200 because the articles I was reading were older...

Looks like, by default, I'll have to buy a modified camera. If I even end up doing it.

 

[Groucho]

So unless I somehow get to the parks before you, you'll still beat me to the punch with this IR business? Jeff, have you ever considered moving to the UK? I hear they have great...I dunno...stuff? I think it would ease the pressure on a lot of us if you weren't a semi-local. .

I'll second that!

I saw some nice IR WDW photos several years ago but not much since then. I've considered picking up some filters a few times but haven't because of the issues that you've said - that you're not getting a "true" IR image. (I'd rather not do it at all rather than fake it - same with tilt/shift, etc.) I had been considering having my old K100D converted to IR but considering that I sold it a couple weeks ago, that will be a bit more difficult now!

I suppose $300 for IR isn't that crazy; that's about what I paid for my LensBaby which is similarly a niche piece of hardware. I might say that some pay much for a fisheye, but we all know that a fisheye is not a niche product but a mandatory tool in all good shooters' arsenal!

 

[Docarino]

Great idea- here are mine:

1. Think more about composition before shooting, rather than taking a shot, reviewing it in the viewfinder, and then recomposing.

2. Take more creative pictures of family/friends/events. I love candid portraiture but over time, these pictures are starting to blend together. Pictures from Christmas this year look remarkably similar to Christmas the last couple years, we just all look a little older. I need to think a little more creatively about these everyday events so these pictures don't continue to become repetitive and boring.

3. Learn more about lighting/flash photography-definitely a weak point for me.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Great idea- here are mine:

1. Think more about composition before shooting, rather than taking a shot, reviewing it in the viewfinder, and then recomposing.

2. Take more creative pictures of family/friends/events. I love candid portraiture but over time, these pictures are starting to blend together. Pictures from Christmas this year look remarkably similar to Christmas the last couple years, we just all look a little older. I need to think a little more creatively about these everyday events so these pictures don't continue to become repetitive and boring.

3. Learn more about lighting/flash photography-definitely a weak point for me.

I feel like this could be my list!!!!
1. Sometimes I feel I use my DSLR like I did my point and shoot. I really want to take my time and really compose my shots. I hope to take quality not quantity.

2. I feel like alot of my pictures do look alot alike. I looked at my Disney trip shots and some them were the same as the year before.

3. I have a new external flash and I don't ever use it, because I am just lost when it come to this.

4. Last by not least, post processing. I would love to use my Lightroom 3 to it's potential.

I think this could take a couple of years lol

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I thought about the IR thing a few years ago, but I decided it wasn’t for me. I like the look of some of the pictures, but I’m not interested enough to dedicate a camera to it.

I’m going to broaden the topic a bit beyond photography goals because I’ve got several multi-media goals.

1. Create a book – I have plans to create a book about the time my kids have spent with my parents. It’ll primarily be a picture book covering the vacations we’ve taken with them in places like Estes Park, CO; Monterey, CA; WDW; and a few other assorted places. I plan to do the entire thing in InDesign. The result should be a nice book that my parents will enjoy today and that my kids will enjoy in the future. Hopefully, I’ll learn a lot more about InDesign while making it.
2. School Play Posters – I’ll continue to shoot school plays this year and won’t change much for the plays themselves. My goal is to start creating posters a week or two before the plays. I’ll leverage my portrait photography skills and try to develop some graphic design skills to put together the posters.
3. Monterey trip – We take this trip most years for spring break. I’ve taken over 10,000 shots in the area and have pretty well tapped out my creativity there. My goal for this trip is to produce a vacation video. I want to do some scenic shots, some interviews, and some general travelogue style shooting.
4. 3D – I’ve been playing with 3D off and on since getting a 3D TV in the spring. This year, I plan to get a stereoscope and make some 3D prints. I’d also like to make some 3D videos using the kid’s new GoPros. I did some side-by-side 3D video using a pair of GoPros and it worked out surprisingly well.
5. Pop-up Christmas Card – My brother sent us some really nice pop-up Christmas cards. I’d like to make our own pop-up cards this year using our own pictures.
6. Training – I’d like to enroll in a studio portrait training class. I’ll probably also sign up for some random seminars or workshops this year.
7. I’m considering getting Corel Painter or learning more about smudge painting with Photoshop. If I get serious about that, I’ll probably spring for a Cintiq.
8. Video Projects – In addition to the Monterey trip video, I’d like to produce a few other videos this year. I want to do another round of interviews with the kids. I want to do a tour of our home. I also want to record a typical “day in our lives” video.
9. Equipment – I like getting new toys to play with and I don’t think that this year will be an exception. I want a better super-wide lens, so I’ll probably get the Nikon 14-24 f/2.8 and an adapter. I might replace or supplement my 70-200 f/2.8 IS Mark I with the Mark II version. I’m also ready to pounce if Canon comes out with a 5D or 1Ds replacement or a large sensor video camera that takes EF lenses. I’m also hoping for a new version of the 90mm TS-E.

 

[Groucho]

One goal I have is to keep working on my steadiness. I think I'm usually fairly still, but when reviewing photos taken at high speed in sequence, they often tend to have somewhat different framing - and I still have to consciously stop myself from moving the camera as I press the shutter. Frustrating!

 

[Todd_H]

For me:

1) work more with strobe lighting - I have all the equipment, now I just need to take the time to work with it. It doesn't help that there's no dedicated place in the house to leave lights/backdrops set up though.

2) create more DSLR video - I picked up a Zoom H4n a couple of months ago to capture more professional sounding off-camera audio. I've shot some video, but need a lot more practice to put something together worthy of posting to the net. I would love to shoot enough video during our upcoming family WDW trip to put together a pseudo-documentary video trip report (maybe half scripted/half reality)

3) do some traveling and shoot more landscapes - I've found that I really enjoy landscape photography, so I'm going to take a few trips this year that will hopefully present some interesting photo opportunities

4) shoot more around my hometown - Tough one for me. I just can't see creatively in the town I live in, however it's so rich with history. I'm going to take a couple of days this year and do photo walks in my own hometown... possibly hook up with a photography club

[*]... I’ll probably get the Nikon 14-24 f/2.8 and an adapter.
[/LIST]

^^I've thought about doing that for a while and I just found that you can adapt a Lee 100mm filter holder to fit the 14-24. On the Canon mount, would you attempt to order the adapter from 16-9.net or go with another adapter? Sure would be a lot easier if Canon would just start producing their own 14-24 (that rivals the Nikkor, of course).

 

[MarkBarbieri]

^^I've thought about doing that for a while and I just found that you can adapt a Lee 100mm filter holder to fit the 14-24. On the Canon mount, would you attempt to order the adapter from 16-9.net or go with another adapter? Sure would be a lot easier if Canon would just start producing their own 14-24 (that rivals the Nikkor, of course).

I don't think I'll bother with a filter holder for the 14-24. It's too wide for a polarizer in most use cases. It would be nice to have an ND filter for it, so maybe I'll look into it.

I'll definitely get the 16-9.net adapter. I'll probably spring the extra money for the AF indicator even though I'll probably use LV focusing almost exclusively.

Canon's 14mm prime is pretty good, but it's not as good as the Nikon zoom. It's also more expensive. It would be more convenient. I'm not ruling it out, but I'm leaning towards the Nikon.

 

[Experiment_626]

Create a book – I have plans to create a book about the time my kids have spent with my parents. It’ll primarily be a picture book covering the vacations we’ve taken with them in places like Estes Park, CO; Monterey, CA; WDW; and a few other assorted places. I plan to do the entire thing in InDesign. The result should be a nice book that my parents will enjoy today and that my kids will enjoy in the future. Hopefully, I’ll learn a lot more about InDesign while making it.

I'd be interested in seeing how this goes for you -- I use InDesign quite a bit at work and I like the idea of doing something like this for my parents and my 84-year-old grandmother. Unfortunately, page layout is the most torturous of design tasks for me; I know how to do it, but it never feels natural for me. You need a design that will work for every page you'll create, meaning it has to accommodate every photo you'll use. For some reason, this just gives me fits and new gray hairs every time I do it.

I’ll probably get the Nikon 14-24 f/2.8

I so want one those -- and an FX body to make having it worthwhile.

Scott

 

[Revan]

1 - absolutely shoot more with my DSLR - read more photography books as well

2 - get involved in dpreview challenges and really try to improve my shots

3 - complete a 365 project with my iphone - totally different - but the camera is perfect for this kind of project - I wish there was a solid app that would let me save, catalog and present these. I'm using "Path" right now but don't like the fact that I can't export my images into something like Flickr.

 

[WDWFigment]

I don't think I'll bother with a filter holder for the 14-24. It's too wide for a polarizer in most use cases. It would be nice to have an ND filter for it, so maybe I'll look into it.

I'll definitely get the 16-9.net adapter. I'll probably spring the extra money for the AF indicator even though I'll probably use LV focusing almost exclusively.

Canon's 14mm prime is pretty good, but it's not as good as the Nikon zoom. It's also more expensive. It would be more convenient. I'm not ruling it out, but I'm leaning towards the Nikon.

Why don't you just pick up a D700, too?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Why don't you just pick up a D700, too?

It would be too much trouble to deal with two different systems and I'm not really inclined to switch over to the dark side. Also, for the sort of shots I want the 14mm for, I want more resolution than the D700 offers.

 

[Mom2SamandJames]

I am a total newbie to this. My husband ordered me a Nikon D60 for Christmas, and it will be my first SLR camera. My goal is to learn how to use the camera and maybe get some decent shots of my two children.

I have been learning a lot from reading your posts. Love all of your photos!

Dawn