What are your Photography Plans for 2010??? (Update Us, Please!!!)

[klmall]

I need to master more manual settings on my XSi and better use the lenses I have! With landscape and pet pictures from past years I made a 2010 calendar for family members as gifts and everyone really liked it so now I need get some more good shots for next year!

We have a wedding in New Hampshire this summer so maybe I can get more mountain pictures (my fave) and some hiking in!

I still need a decent tripod and a remote shutter release but I will be getting those soon hopefully!

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I am starting year 2 of my 365 project. Though will be doing it a bit differently this year, with not limited myself to 1 picture per day when desired and not having any guilt on post editing any pictures before posting (Last year only 2 were edited)

As for equipment I would love to get a new lens or two

-em

 

[vandort]

I'm just trying to look for something different to shoot at Disney. I'm constantly there, so it'll be nice to sort of shoot something different for a change.

I'm so envious! It's so cold here and WDW feels as though it is a million miles away! I would love to be able to visit and photograph WDW whenever I want!

I'm pretty new to my DSLR and I have a lot to learn. This year, I plan on continuing to learn (and be inspired) from all of you, to read more, and become more proficient in post-processing of my photos (I'm very, very weak here).

I've totally missed photo opportunities like those in the the whole "wide angle cult--thread at WDW", that I would love to explore. However, I need to buy a wide angle lens first!

I'm also hoping to become somewhat proficient in digiscoping. I bought my DH an camera adaptor for his Swarovski spotting scope for Christmas. Learning how to take pictures with this set up is quite challenging. I had read about the challenges before buying the adaptor, but wow!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

I want to learn more about photography. I want to learn to understand the terms. I plan to take at least one waterfalls trip (my favorite thing to photograph) and at least one trip to the res. (preferablly for a pow wow). I would also like to do alot of reading on photography.

Hey how do you create that blur effect when photograph water? I can get the frozen water effect but not the blur.

 

[singjenn]

This is a fun topic!!!

I am going to keep photograhing weddings etc. and trying to grow my business more. I will try to do more contests and giveaways.

I just launched a new section to my website on Jan 1st, The Alphabet Project, so I will focus alot on new ideas and how I can make it better. We are only 5 days into the new year and already I have 11 orders.

Our 10 year Anniversary is this year, and we are spending it at Disney, so I will definatley be bringing a DSLR with me. When we went last year, even though I had 5,000 photos, I didn't have alot of time to spend with creativity. So, I hope to be more creative this time when we go.

I know that whatever God has in store for me will be wonderful. I ahve been blessed to be able to do something I love.

 

[WVDisGeek]

My photo plans for 2010... I kind of feel like I have to get my mojo back! I've got the best equipment I've ever had but I don't feel like I've had the right feelings of creativity. I'm not sure what it is...

I agree! Not sure if it is because we got back from Disney and it was a let down (from a photographic standpoint...) or being so busy over the Holidays or what.

In 2010, I want to get back into a groove. I am starting to learn from each of my outings and I want to get back into the frame of mind. Also, I am going to put a SmugMug site up so I can finally post some pictures here! I need to also get out of my "straight from the camera" mindset and learn to do some PP. One of the friends I shoot with has started paying more attention to his PP and his photos are now much better. More "Pop".

Oh, almost forgot, I think we will taking our first cruise (Disney of course! ) in December so I will have a whole new setting in which to take photos!

Should be enough to keep me busy!
Good luck to everyone else!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I need to also get out of my "straight from the camera" mindset and learn to do some PP. One of the friends I shoot with has started paying more attention to his PP and his photos are now much better. More "Pop".

It would be great if we could get some kind of Post Processing 101 thread going. I mean, starting with the basics.

 

[scoot241]

Hey how do you create that blur effect when photograph water? I can get the frozen water effect but not the blur.

Use a long shutter speed and a tripod to keep everything else still.

 

[Experiment_626]

We were in recently in the hospital here in Tallahassee for several days (it was a good thing -- my wife had a baby!). The walls throughout were festooned with mostly really wide panoramas of Florida landscapes. All of them were really good -- some were jaw-dropping. When I wasn't gazing at my brand-new son, I was wandering the halls and checking out the photography. I left feeling very inspired to shoot more panoramic landscapes. I've done a few, but now I want more! Included in this resolution of sorts is a drive to find at least a few opportunities for vertical panoramas.

I noted the name of the photographer who shot the images hanging at the hospital -- he is Doug Cavanah. After we brought our bundle of joy home, I looked him up online. If you'd like to see them, his site is http://www.dcpanoramics.com/. Go to the Interactive Gallery and wait for it to load (it is a large Flash file), then click on the "Tropical and Beaches" category to see much of what I saw at the hospital. My favorite is the one called "Night Into Day" -- it looks even better as a print that it does on the site!

 

[Groucho]

Congrats on the new kid, 626!

I agree! Not sure if it is because we got back from Disney and it was a let down (from a photographic standpoint...) or being so busy over the Holidays or what.

In 2010, I want to get back into a groove. I am starting to learn from each of my outings and I want to get back into the frame of mind. Also, I am going to put a SmugMug site up so I can finally post some pictures here! I need to also get out of my "straight from the camera" mindset and learn to do some PP. One of the friends I shoot with has started paying more attention to his PP and his photos are now much better. More "Pop".

Oh, almost forgot, I think we will taking our first cruise (Disney of course! ) in December so I will have a whole new setting in which to take photos!

Should be enough to keep me busy!
Good luck to everyone else!

Have fun on the cruise!

I think my biggest problem was that I was spending too much time in Program mode treating the camera like a PnS. One of the coolest things about my camera is the ability to spin a dial in P mode and effectively switch to shutter or aperture priority then press the green button to go back to P, but I haven't been doing it enough! I need to start paying more attention to what settings it is choosing and change them if I don't like them. I am great at looking at the pictures afterwards and knowing exactly what went wrong - I just don't always take the time beforehand!

So, slowing down a little is part of my goal. (This is actually a way that manual lenses help!) I also started re-reading The Photographer's Eye and even in the first few pages, am feeling more inspired again about composition.

 

[boBQuincy]

One of my plans is to sign up for a photo learning expedition with a photographer whose work I admire. Alain Briot offers trips in the Southwest, Kevin Adams has some in Western NC (mainly aimed at waterfalls). These are not inexpensive but no more than a new camera or lens and the trips would probably improve my photography a lot more than new equipment would.

The tough part is the trips cost double, DW wants to go too!

 

[WVDisGeek]

Congrats on the new kid, 626!


Have fun on the cruise!

I am great at looking at the pictures afterwards and knowing exactly what went wrong - I just don't always take the time beforehand!

So, slowing down a little is part of my goal. (This is actually a way that manual lenses help!) I also started re-reading The Photographer's Eye and even in the first few pages, am feeling more inspired again about composition.

Thanks! We actually just got back from booking the cruise a little while ago. Our local AAA office had a Disney rep on site today so we got a few extra $$ for our onboard credit.

Slowing down...That was part of my problem too. I had become more comfortable with my camera on this last trip and "knew" more of what I needed to do to get the shots I wanted, just kept getting caught up in not making DW wait for me to be creative!

Plus, this last trip had rain most days and it just sucked the creative juices out of me. A friend I shoot with and I have been taking mini-field trips around town on our lunch hours and trying to focus on one or two things at a time. It is helping get my creative juices flowing again.

 

[SrisonS]

6 months down..... 6 to go!!!!!

So have you been sticking to your photography plans so far????

And if you're new to the forum, or just plain didn't post; let us know what you've been up to anyway. Or what you plan to do for the rest of the year.

Just wondering what everyone has planned for the new year...... getting new gear??? ...taking a special photo trip???? ....or even to just get better????

I think I might do a 365 Project on Flickr. It'll be Disney of course, but I'll just try to post a new pic everyday. I don't see visiting Disney everyday to take new pics, working out too well. And I'm gonna focus on the "people" of Disney; i.e. regular Cast Members, guests, and some street performers. Absolutely no Disney character pics, unless they have the previously mentioned subjects as the main focus. I'm just trying to look for something different to shoot at Disney. I'm constantly there, so it'll be nice to sort of shoot something different for a change.

The 365 project was definitely too ambitious for me. I still post a lot of Disney pics, but I don't stress myself over it. I did start a photo blog about "Disney's Human Element". So I sorta stuck to my goal.

One other thing I've been focusing on this year, is really learning the ins and outs of post-processing. I finally stepped into the Lightroom world (I'll miss the good ol' days of Picasa and DPP ), and have been a happy camper ever since. So just more learning and experimenting for me!!!!

 

[NLD]

Ha, forgot about this thread!

Planning to learn about flash/lighting! Just ordered a Speedlight SB-600.

At some point I'll also be upgrading from a D60 to a D90.

So the SB-600 did arrive and I have spent some time experimenting, although not as much as I really need. It still hasn't been off camera... learned some things with bouncing it, though.

The body upgrade turned out to be to a D700. And well, what is there to say? The thing is AMAZING. ISO 10,000 anyone?

1/80s, f/2.8, ISO 10000

The switch to full frame meant new lenses. Favorite so far: 85 1.4 It's a hard focal length in that it's just not that versatile, but oh, the bokeh...

Not the most exciting shot in the world, but it just makes butter out of all those colors outside the depth of field...

And I swear it does something magical with greens...

Meanwhile, dd got a new camera this spring, too, so I've been passing on my limited knowledge to her... how to use macro mode for close-ups, holding the camera steady, and filling up the frame. She was actually learning this stuff (and she's six!), and then she broke her arm days after getting her camera. So her camera hasn't been out much lately.

But anyway... budding photographer?

Coming up this fall: a wedding. Numerous pleadings with the bride and many many disclosures about just exactly what I don't know, am not skilled with, along with lots of statements that I cannot promise to deliver photos that are anything beyond snapshots... and she remained insistent. They really have almost no budget and are having friends and loved ones do everything for this wedding--the cake, the photography, on and on. The good thing is it's a second wedding and she didn't have a real photog for her first wedding either, so hopefully the expectations really are low...

But anyway. So now I really really really need to figure out off-camera flash and have to come up with SOME kind of strategy for group portraits.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I recently purchased all new 2.8 lenses covering a range from 24-300mm. My goal this coming year is to learn as much as possible before our June, 2010 WDW trip. I plan on taking some time during the trip to just photograph. Hopefully, by then, I will have the nuances of these new lenses so I can continue my auto racing photography.

After I made my initial order on my lenses, there was a problem and I had to re-order. I ended up with the Sigma 28-70 f2.8, Sigma 70-200 f2.8 and the Sigma 100-300 f4. I used these lenses, including the defective 70-200 during our recent trip to WDW. I was very satisfied with the result. I did achieve the goal of getting some time to myself to just go off and photograph. Next weekend Nascar Nationwide and Cup roll into Chicagoland Speedway for the start of our 10th season of racing. My DW and I manage the Infield Media Center Desk during the entire event weekend. I am hoping to get some time to go out with the pros to shoot. I learn so much about sports photography from the guys who do it every weekend! Its amazing the knowledge this crew possess and I get to pick their brains.. It appears I am achieving my very modest goals. I think my next goal is to upgrade from my current camera. The word on the street is that Pentax may be introducing something just before the Photokina show in the Fall. I would like to have something with a usable ISO greater than the 1600 I'm limited to with my K10. I don't want to purchase a Kx because I need the battery grip which is not available for that camera.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Ok so my goals were to take more pictures and learn to use my camera. Well, ive taken tons of photos. I also wanted to learn to create the blury backround effect. I can do that now.
Goals for the rest of the year:
More photos
Photos of people (portraits)
Outdoor shots near water (Im terrified of getting my camera wet) Tommrow is going to be my first try. The girls have BEGGED me to try out there new slip and slide and I said yes

 

[Mosca]

I'm kind of new here, been posting for a couple months.

I started the year with a new Canon 7D (upgraded from a 40D). It is an amazing camera. But the more I used it, a funny thing happened. Photography stopped being fun. The 7D has an amazing set of options, but all the choices were getting in the way of taking photographs. Or, more precisely, were taking all the joy out of taking photographs. It became too serious.

Mrs Mosca was seriously resisting the plan to take the DSLR to the parks, and I wasn't sold on it myself, but at the same time I wanted more than I could get from the point and shoot alternative that I have, the G9 (which I still love). In early May I had a decent casino win, and bought an Olympus E-P1, one of the new micro 4/3 format cameras, which I reviewed here. And taking pictures is fun again!

Moving to m4/3 is not without sacrifices in image quality, nor without compromises in flexibility. But in return you get simplicity and high quality in a small, light package. I shot some RAW, and then I just said the heck with it, and set the thing to L/F jpg and "vivid" style, and just concentrated on capturing images. It wasn't in my plans to do that, but things change, and that's what they changed to.

This weekend I'm going to return to the 7D, and see what happens, see if I feel any different with it, see if the mojo for the big box is back. I have absolutely no regrets with not having it in the parks, the E-P1 was fine for that.

For the rest of the year, it's going to be targets of opportunity. I have one shot I want to retake, one that I got a couple years ago but that I think I can get better now.

What I think I'm going to do, though, is pick a direction and a time; say, southwest and 45 minutes. Then I'll travel 45 minutes southwest and take photographs of whatever is there.

 

[Mosca]

NLD: that is one fantastic camera, I envy! ISO 10,000! WOW!

 

[SrisonS]

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So did everyone stick to their photography plans???????



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[Gianna'sPapa]

I recently purchased all new 2.8 lenses covering a range from 24-300mm. My goal this coming year is to learn as much as possible before our June, 2010 WDW trip. I plan on taking some time during the trip to just photograph. Hopefully, by then, I will have the nuances of these new lenses so I can continue my auto racing photography.

I pretty much achieved my 2010 goals, as modest as they were. I learned a ton and did pretty well with my auto racing photography. I have some shots that I am very proud of (and somewhat surprised).