Archive for new year

A Photographer’s Diary, The AGM

Red and White

After the celebration of the Christmas party, yes I had one and there was a lot to celebrate. The virtual completion of the Healing with Photography course and an invite by the manager at the MIND centre to return in the New Year with a new selection of courses for their group.

Now it was time to sit down and assess the success of the course, where tweaks could be made and decide on the future development of business. So with that in mind and the need to concentrate without interruption of people, phones and emails, I created an inaugural day session dedicated to the well-being of Healing with Photography.

A location was needed where I wouldn’t be disturbed, yet where I could have food and drink on tap whilst being warm and comfortable. As winter has finally arrived in the UK that ruled out an outside rural location or sitting outside a café.

I considered hiring a hotel room though I was certain for a bit of background noise I would switch on the television and end up getting caught up in a programme and bang would go my productivity. In the end, a café at local garden nursery was the best idea, surrounded by beautiful fauna and sat right next to the heater. Read More→

Starting a Photogrpahy Business: Part 15 – The Blueprint

As the first few days of 2011 are upon us I have to confess that any New Year’s resolutions I have made in the past rarely last beyond a couple of weeks for me so I stopped doing them a few years ago and instead I take time throughout the year to add things into my life that help make the day flow a little easier.

Last year I started 2010 with a method that was completely new to me; and I must credit Jennifer McLean at http://www.masterworkshealing.com for these questions and putting the idea into my mind. I sat down and wrote out in detail what I wanted to happen in 2010 as if it had already happened and I focused on several key questions:

  • What do I want this year in my personal life?
  • What do I want this year for my financial life?
  • What do I want this year for my business life?
  • What do I want this year for my spiritual life?

I would read it every so often over the year to remind me what I was aiming for and reading it again just before writing this article it was uplifting to see how many of things I’d written about had materialized and in a far greater way than I could ever have expected. Read More→

Photography 101: Make 2011 Better Than 2010

Here we are sitting on the final week of 2010. I hope that 2010 met you with all sorts of personal growth, new experiences, and an ever-increasing love for photography. As 2010 heads to a distant memory, it is now time to look at 2011 and how to make it a better year than 2010. Just how can you do that? It is not so hard!

1. Don’t leave home without a camera! Yeah, I have said this a lot! It still applies no matter the day, month, or year. Never leave your home without a camera of some sort. You never know when a photo opportunity is going to creep up. Even a simple cell phone picture can tell a novel of a story. Do not end the day wishing you had caught just that one image. Besides, it is a great way to keep your photography skills up to snuff!

2. Network, network, and network some more. It does not matter how experienced or inexperienced you are, networking is the best way to grow your skills, business, and pool of peers. Even if you are just learning the ropes, there are people out there willing to share their knowledge and help you on this fantastic path. Networking also gives you people to just go out to coffee with and discuss why one lens is far superior to another one, or gripe about how cold it is. You know, whatever suits your fancy. The important part is meeting new people, building great friendships, and continuing to learn. Start simple and talk to people on Twitter if that is what it takes!

3. Get critiqued at least once a quarter. If you are honestly looking to get great photos, get a photo critique once every three months. Do not just settle for a “this is a great shot” kind of critique either. Ask what makes it great. Find out how to make it better. If you are told it is a terrible shot, do not get down on yourself. Ask question on why it is bad, how to improve it, what to do differently, or even examples of similar shots. Honest critiques are good for the photographer soul burning inside you. Read More→