Personal photography projects & goals for 2016
While I was compiling my list of Best photography purchases of 2015, I went back to another post from a year ago – Personal photography projects for 2015 – and I realized I had done none of these. None. Zip.
Mostly, it is that in the quieter winter months it is easier to plan these things … and then as the new year progresses, work and commitments escalate. I simply ran out of time and opportunity to do these things – or became involved with other projects and events.
Some of these ideas mentioned in the 2015 post, transpired in different ways. For example:
- “An ongoing semi-documentary portrait series with a friend who is a stage performer and entertainer. Life behind the mask. The direction with this will most likely unfold as we continue the project.”
This translated into hanging out a few times and meeting up for dinner twice. Good times … but came nowhere near fulfilling the premise of a photography project!
- “I want to a themed B&W shoot with Olive, a model I had started working with in 2014.”
Olive and I did meet up once for a photo shoot, but it was much more colorful than it was B&W. And it wasn’t anything that was close to an actual narrative theme. Still, we had fun working together during this photo shoot.
Even though those ideas never quite turned into something larger, the intent to be creative and have fun with photography, did happen. In that thread on best photography purchases of 2015, I mentioned how I’ve started on new directions in my photography work. I do believe that is an important part of keeping up with new fields and new trends in photography – to explore. Always that forward momentum.
The photo at the top is of my favorite 70’s British punk band, Gang Of Four, during their March 2015 concert in New York. I had a close view from the balcony and grabbed some photos with my Fuji X-E2 and the Fuji 35mm f/1.4 lens (affiliate links). Camera settings: 1/180 @ f/2 @ 3200 ISO. Even at that high ISO, there is very little digital noise to be seen. The Fuji sensors are magical.
So this was the camera I went to concerts with to take a few photos as mementos. So much better than the iPhone.
Another favorite band in concert, The Waterboys, during their April 2015 concert in New York. Standing in the crowd near the front, I used my Fuji X-E2 and the gorgeous Fuji 56mm f/1.2 R lens (affiliate links). The 85mm equivalent focal length gave a tighter view than the 35mm would’ve. Camera settings: 1/1000 @ f/1.2 @ 3200 ISO. I happily keep the Fuji X-E2 at that high ISO, and work the shutter speed to make sure the images are crisp.
So that’s just a tiny glimpse into the personal photography I did in 2015. Nowhere near as grand as a self-assigned project, but I did have fun with it. And that’s the key word – fun. Oh, and I even attended a wedding in 2015!
So you may well laugh that I didn’t get to any of those ideas I held forth for myself a year ago, but as I mentioned then – I do believe it is important to have some kind of personal roadmap to progress in your personal photography and grow artistically and become stronger technically.
So here is that same list of personal projects and goals, adjusted for a few changes. I would still love to do this.
For 2016, my tentative plans for personal photography projects:
- I would like to do a themed B&W shoot with Claudia, now that Olive has moves from NYC to Oregon. Something with a dramatic narrative that I knew a versatile model like Claudia would be perfect collaborator for.
- I still want to do that artistic video clip using Anelisa. A short video clip that is colorful and dreamy and mysterious perhaps. That gimbal will come in handy for this.
- The long-term semi-documentary portrait series with my friend who is a stage performer and entertainer. Life behind the mask.
- I bought an infra-red converted Canon 5D mark II in 2013, and like the results. But, this camera can also shoot video. I’ve never seen infra-red B&W video, so perhaps this is an avenue I need to check out too. Done well, it could look ethereal. (I’ve been on the fence about this camera – wanting to sell it, but also loving the images it produce. )
- The dream-like photographs in the book, The Architect’s Brother, have lingered with me. I want to aspire to something as grand and mysterious as that!
- Perhaps, perhaps, a long road-trip through the USA, coast-to-coast with cameras, time-lapse gear, a drone, and all kinds of photography toys.
So there again is the similar rough draft of intended projects. And even if they remain half-finished or shelved ideas again, hopefully they will trigger other interesting and inspiring events. We’ll have to see again how things unfold.
What plans do you have for your photography in 2016?
I’d like to hear from you what you are contemplating with your personal photography projects for 2016? What has caught your interest and what has intrigued you enough that you’d like to get into? What themes or ideas or techniques do you want to explore?
So let’s make it fun, and inspire each other. Post your ideas and plans in the comments section.
To make it interesting, one of the entries was picked to win a book prize – On-Camera Flash. The contest is now closed, but you are more than welcome to post further comments.
On-Camera Flash Photography
This is a comprehensively revised edition of the best-selling book, On-Camera Flash Photography. The book is based on material that I have honed over numerous workshops, and expanded on by articles and tutorials published on this website. The material has been expanded into a cohesive and thorough approach to getting the best from your on-camera speedlight.
Particular care was taken to present it all with a logical flow with the intention that it will all progressively help the reader attain a better understanding of flash photography.
You can either purchase a copy via Amazon USA or Amazon UK. Also check out the Amazon Kindle store.
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FYI – Here is an Infra Red video example done by Vincent Laforet using a RED Infra Red Body on a MoVI rig.
Thank you for posting this – it certainly is an unusual effect.
There is of course a lot to learn as well from the linked article Vincent wrote about the setup and the technical details.
I’ve been on a personal mission to shoot less at weddings. Now down to a shoot to keep ratio of 1.5:1. Makes editing so much easier.
As for non work personal projects I’ve got a series of shoots planned in with a young lady who shoots for the England archery team. I’m looking for on location dramatic as well as standard portrait shots.
Additionally I want to do more with video / still photography fusion slideshow so getting to grips with this 24fps lark is big on the agenda!
I tried my hand at Fusion for a year or more … and then figured it to just be a dead-end for a few reasons:
To edit the video and stills together in a meaningful way, just takes too long. It works best when the video sequences end with appropriate photos. This means you have to figure out the timing so that it isn’t jarring or jumpy. This takes much longer than it would to just edit the video on its own.
Because it takes so long to edit the Fusion clip, you have to charge a fee that is appropriate …. but when the the final product is say 5 – 7 minutes long, it becomes difficult to sell in comparison to proper video.
So I let it slide. But I genuinely would love to see your Fusion clips, and hear if you have any success with it.
My main goal for this year as far as personal projects goes is learning to light my subjects in a Baroque painting style. I love Bill Gekas and Mariska Karto. I love the look of their images!!!
I plan to improve my lighting and technique by doing a series of Form and Texture images. Photographing the human form across all generations with an emphasis on textures in fabric. I did a practice shoot last year and have since found a direction to springboard from in Serge Marshennikov style. I’m good with window light but want to improve my studio lighting and once I’ve mastered that, to move on location with speedlights. I’m impatient to get started!
Sounds like I’m on the same path with mood and lighting as Frank (above comment). Already aware of Bill. Checking out Mariska now.
Cheers
Deborah
PS. First project is to re-do my website so it isn’t so embarrassing and is more reflective of where I’m at at the moment.
What intrigues me most is light. I want to become acquainted with the use of light by the great masters (e.g. Vermeer, Caravaggio…), to understand their choices and then use this knowledge in my photos.
Hope you had a good new year Neil.
My goals for this year are fairly simple, I’d like to do more destination weddings as I love to travel, I have my third coming up to Cuba in April this year which I’m looking forward to. I also have a couple of images fixed inside my brain (how they got there I don’t know) one is of a Gothic looking wedding couple sitting on some furniture in the middle of a pond, the other involves lots of butterflies and a model. I’d like to do a bit more studio work too, and one thing I need is some decent photos of myself, I hate most photos of myself but I need a couple that I can use for my website and social media.
Only one of my projects is only 100% photography related at this time. The first, and simplest, project is a “366 Prints” project of both existing as well as new work – pretty much anything that excites me enough to print.
The second is a proposal to an entertainment group on a photo documentary. I’ve suggested it to one of the founders and her response was “I’d love that”. Now to pull together the proposal including the final product (online story? print book? magazine article?)
I am also looking at a “life” blog which by it’s nature will include photos but it’ll include much more than just that and have been contacted about a regular column for an online magazine – again, would include some photographs but much more than that.
This year I want to really improve my headshot photography. I love the styles of Peter Hurley and Dylan Patrick – understanding their lighting and their style is what would make my work a head above everyone else in my area.
I’ve been toying around with a (not so new or unique) project that I’ll call “hands” for lack of a better description. Basically, I envision a series of portraits characterized by shallow DOF focusing on an individual’s hand rather than his or her face. The remainder of the image would have sufficient information to give context and hopefully some artistic content. (picture a rider on a horse with gloved hands in focus and the remainder of the rider and horse being out of focus to varying degrees). I have a number of aging friends who I’d like to capture doing whatever it is they do in a way that captures not only the activity but also identifies the subjects in a way that is personally reflective of them as individuals. So far, lots of ideas, but little action.
Thank you for giving so generously of your time and knowledge – best to you and your family in 2016
Hi Neil,
Thanks for the great posts (long time reader, first time poster :) )
One of my goals this year is to continue to improve with blending use of on-camera and off-camera strobes. I was at a gig yesterday and a new wedding photographer with a few weddings’ experience gave me her thoughts at length on why using only natural light was better than using any kind of flash.
And while I do use on-camera and off-camera flash at the moment, it’s always something I see others doing and think “this is definitely a part of my game I can improve”. So that’s one of the specific goals for this year – really take it to the next level in the lighting department.
So thanks for the posts and have a great 2016 :)
Cheers,
Jon
Jesus Tirso with entry #8 wins the book prize.
Thank you to everyone who wrote in.