Photography Goals 1.1.13

The new year for me is a chance to reflect, review and renew. One part of that is writing photography goals for the year. I did this last year and it was a great way to start the year. Thank you again to Courtney at Click it Up a Notch for the inspiration to keep up with my goals!

My goals from last year can be found here - Photography Goals for 2012. I feel like I made a good effort or accomplished 4 of the 12. I wish it would have been more, but time and budget got in the way.  I do think that there is a lot for me to learn from the goals that I didn't accomplish and why. With that in mind, here is what I am working on this year...

1. Complete a Reverse 365 - A traditional 365, even with my phone as I tried last year is just not possible for me. I came across the idea of a reverse 365 in a Photojojo Newsletter. The concept is to post a photo a day but to use photos from the past. With my schedule this seems the most doable and will be a chance to work on my editing skills and to rescue more photos from my hard drive. 

2. Complete a Project 52 - For the past year I have been shooting about once a week and posting at least once a week. Therefore, a Project 52 seems like something I can accomplish and still pushes me to be out and shooting on a regular basis. 

3. Print more Photos - Last year I set a goal to print my photos monthly and was unable to do so. I am trying this goal again in a less specific form. I have a nice collection of canvases, but I want to start either a photo album or board of my work. 

4. Photography Locations List - I wanted to do this last year, to make a list of places I want to photograph and go to 5 of them. I am going to try again!

5. Wide-Angle Lens - I became familiar with my 50mm lens this year and bought and fell in love with a 100mm macro. Next up, I want a wide angle lens for my passion of shooting vistas. 

6. Do a better job of Blog Connecting - In doing Tones on Tuesday every week I have "met" some amazing photographers. I want to do a better job of visiting blogs, commenting on photos and connecting to other people who share this amazing passion. 

7. Continue to take a "Photoshoot Time-Out" - I set the goal in 2012 of taking a 10 minute time out during each photography experience to just be in the moment. I have to admit that I don't always do this, but when I do it is a powerful exercise. The other day I was shooting a sunset at Fort Stevens State Park and I intentionally put my camera away and just took it all in. The sound of the waves, the color of the sky and feeling I get on the beach. When I look at the photo below it means that much more to me because I stopped for a small moment in time to just be.

Settings: ISO 500, 50mm, ss1/125, f/16

8. Continue to Share on My Blog - This year I did 4 posts on things I have learned on my photography journey in my Tips and Tricks posts. I hope to do more of them this year! 

"If you want to reach a goal, you must "see the reaching" in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal." - Zig Ziglar

 

Tones on Tuesday #59 1.1.13

Happy New Year! I hope the coming year will bring you many blessings!

I want to take a moment to say thank you for your comments and for linking up last week. The comments were especially touching and helped me to deal with what I was experiencing as a result of the tragedy. I hope that those directly effected can start to move toward healing and peace.

Now to the showcases...

Frau B. at Weibimpressionen

Stunning color, beautiful dreamy quality of the clouds and the airplane adds a great perspective. Thank you for sharing this beautiful photo with us Frau B.!

NatureFootstep Photography

What a lovely image created with a frosty window and a sunset! Thank you for sharing with us!

Shiju at Cranium Bolts

Amazing catchlights and a beautiful capture of innocence. Thank you for sharing your photo Shiju!

Frau B., NatureFootstep and Shiju please go HERE to grab your showcase button.

Now it's your turn to share your photo with altered tones. Here are the guidelines for Tones on Tuesday:

• The basic idea is to share one photo where you have altered the tones. Such as a black and white, sepia toned, selective coloring or colored photo. Feel free to share the original and edit, or just the edit.
• Please share a photo that you have taken and edited yourself.
• One photo per photographer please. If you have more than one photo in your post please indicate which one is for Tones on Tuesday. If you link up more than once only the first photo will be considered for showcasing.
• Please link up with your permalink and not your blog address.
• Attach the Tones on Tuesday button or a link back here to your post.
• Leave comments for at least 3 other participants, share the love :o)!
• Have fun!

<center> <a href="http://scatteredhorizons.blogspot.com" target="_self"><img border="0" alt="Scattered Horizons" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oheKkR_BFoQ/ToqWTprynwI/AAAAAAAAAJE/eQ5mj0lgqx4/s1600/tonesontuesday2.jpg"></a> </center>

Disclaimer - By participating you give Scattered Horizons permission to share your photo on this blog. Photographers will be given credit for their work.

Settings: ISO 500, 50mm, ss1/60, f/16 (on tripod)

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Joining the link ups below. Be sure to check out the beautiful shots and join the Tones on Tuesday link up found further down!

    

Project 64: Merry Christmas Green 12.23.2011 and Good to Wow SOOC: Happy New Year! 12.25.11

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday! This is my first Christmas as a blogger and I must say I have never experienced a holiday quite like this one. The past couple of Christmases have been tough for me and have left me with some ba-hum-bug feelings that did not have me all too enthusiastic about this holiday. Then I stepped into the holiday as photographed by the most amazing photographers! I was inspired and awed and dare I say anticipating the Christmas season :o). The photos and ideas and sharing that happened in this community are just amazing. So let me say thank you for helping to get me in the holiday spirit and thank you for sharing your talent. I hope the new year finds you and yours happy and healthy. I cannot wait to see what I can learn from you in 2012!

I hope these two photos give back a little of what you have given me! This first one is from a local house that sets lights to music that my family and I decided might have to be a new holiday tradition. It is such a fun experience! I only brought the point and shoot, set on auto, as I wanted to focus on the experience and being with my family. It felt strange to shoot without my DSLR, but it was worth it :o). After opening this in Lightroom and doing a clean edit and a crop I realized it was a great match for the Project 64 color of the week - green.

Settings: ISO 200, 7.7mm, ss1/8, f/2.8 (point and shoot, auto)

This second photo was shot with my homemade bokeh set-up and some pieces from an amazingly fun game I got the family for Christmas (another tradition we have). The game is called Konexi and it a cross between Scrabble and Jenga. Not only is it a fun game, but it makes a great photography prop! I chose to do the word "LOVE" to represent my wish for the new year. I wish that you have love, share love freely and find something you love!

Settings: ISO 800, 28mm, ss1/20, f/4.0 (full manual, tripod, tungsten wb)

"A new beginning is perhaps the best time to say…
It’s so nice to know you…
And here’s wishing our friendship
continues to grow in the days to come." - Author Unknown