2011 what are your GOALS?

[Richard P Walton]

OK so a lot of us have just been to the great convention last week and have no doubt come back with a mind full of ideas we want to put in place and make reality.

I have a list as long as my arm, one of personal goals this year to achieve 20 photos worthy of a fellowship panel, the other major goal is to take somebody on in my business to run the boring (what I find boring) side of things, I have a lot of avenues ready to embark on which will hopefully turn over enough money to pay somebody a decent wage.

What are your goals, ideas for this year ahead. Lets all make 2011 one to remember 

Richy

[StuartWalkerPhoto]

Excellent thread mate 

For me.. continue to develop under the guidance of the Big Dog.
Associate panel perhaps, related to pet photography.
More pet photography work!
Feeding back my meager knowledge to people that are where I was all those weeks ago 

[Matthew Bridge-Wilkinson]

Great idea Richie...

Well 2011 is the year I intend to take it up a notch... so I have big plans...

I am planning a personal project that I hope to support a charity with and hopefully maybe even exhibit them. I also would hope that I can work hard on my photography and start aiming towards an A standard of shots. I also intend to enter the monthly competition, every month.

[BSM1976]

mine are:

to devote some 'proper' time to developing.
Starting MMOS on Monday
Getting out and taking more images
to enter 5 images into the monthly comp each month.

[Richard P Walton]

Excellent thread mate 

For me.. continue to develop under the guidance of the Big Dog.
Associate panel perhaps, related to pet photography.
More pet photography work!
Feeding back my meager knowledge to people that are where I was all those weeks ago 

Great mate sounds good, I think that is one of my major things to look at, I need to focus my studio on one thing as apposed to trying to juggle everything, I mean my business needs weddings, babies, families, model portfolios etc at the moment but if you think of each of these areas as a liable business on it's own I think things will seem a lot easier.
For example you would be better off being known as the best pet photographer as apposed to being a good all round photographer. I need to be known for my styles this year a lot more, a lot of people still book me because I am a photographer not because they like my style as an artist.
Not sure if this all makes sense it's been a long day or a long few weeks even.

I have many many positive thoughts and ideas for my business this year, I think we really should all get stuck in together and help each other achieve our own individual goals.
It's fantastic that you have an opportunity to be mentored by Damien, I am sure this will accelerate your goals a lot quicker.

WOW! I feel like I could write a book right now, I have a mind full of ideas, not enough hours in the day and a slight head ache.

I'm off to enjoy some food and beer with friends have a good weekend Stu.
 

[Tracy Willis]

My goals are-

Get my L as soon as poss then work on my A
Enter 5 images a month in the comp (and get more than my 3 golds and 6 silver in 6 months, so need to enter it more)
I have an 'unusual' project I am working on with my baby photography
Expand my 'femal form' photography
Learn as much as poss at MMos on monday


Thats it for now but the list will grow! 


Was great to meet you by the way Richard 

[Iain Gomes]

Photography objectives:

20 weddings
A gold in every category of the monthly competition*
A successful A panel
Find a mentor

*no chance but aim high

Personal/non photography

Improve parenting skills
Achieve Directorship at work
Eat 5 a day
Cycle to work at least once a week
Implement strict diet to protect my rather poor kidney function

Goodness me that is a lot to do in a year.

[TURTLEC]

Get the new studio up and running

Crank up the marketing to get more bookings
Get some 1-2-1 decent training
Work towards my A
Enter the monthly comp lore....and get more golds


Year has started not too bad:

1: Attended Convention -- Brilliant
2: Been booked fo 2 Bridal Fayres
3: Managed to get a school formal contract that I've been chasing for a few years

[Matt 'Spamalot' Cain]

Achieve L. Make a good start if not achieve A.

Get golds in monthly comp.

More business in instead of just making sure I cover business costs every month.

More schools bookings. More portraits.

Stop smoking.

Work smarter not just harder.

[Michael Martin]

For work;

Push the Portrait side of business more.
Try and fit a learning day in every month.
Get my work out there more.
Earn more.
Maybe submit a panel as I have been inspired by all you guys.

For me;
Loose two stone.
Get out cycling again.
Get fit. Then I can turn a proposed ride from Paris to Bordeaux into a cycling and gastronomic adventure. 

[Cai Graham]

Professional Goals
* Achieve my 'L'
* EMbrace MMOS - starting Monday
* Launch my new website - by the end of February
* Enter the Monthly competition - at least once would be an improvement on last year  
* More portrait bookings
* Specialise on Boutique weddings ( if there is such a thing ) ... small and classy
* Get an assistant


Personal Goals
* Get Jack - my son - through A levels and off to University
* Get Alice - my daughter - through GCSEs and into 6th form
( it's going to be a hectic and turbulent 6 months ...  
* Pay more attention to my darling husband ( I think he feels neglected ... which, in truth, he has been )
* Exercise at the gym - at least twice a week
* Travel more.

The personal goals are always top of the pile.

[Sunburst]

1) Drink more.
2) See less of the family.
3) Take up smoking.

4) Make sure I attend the SWPP 2011 Conference to facilitate 1 and 2.

(Only kidding!)

SB
 

[David Butcher]

Professional Goals
1) Resign from my boring but well-paid day job (actually, I did that yesterday, but I have to work until my contract ends on March 31st)
2) Relocate to Dubai (can't do that until April)
3) Continue working on business and marketing plans until then (using many fantastic tips passed on during convention last week, plus a few hair-brained ideas of my own)
4) Try to hit the ground running on arrival in Dubai, to start up a successful photographic business from scratch as quickly as possible
5) Find time to continue training - especially for my weak sales and marketing skills
6) Attempt new photographic styles - including boudoir, maternity and baby sessions
7) Increase efficiency by speeding up my existing photo sessions and reducing post-production times
Start a Facebook Fan page to promote my photographic business
9) Get my "L" here, and start entering competitions

Personal Goals
1) Support my fiancée with her fight against stage 4 cancer
2) Loose 5 kg weight and get fitter
3) Get married to my fiancée (will need a cheap tog, any volunteers ??)
3) Try not to have a heart attack worrying about how I am going to achieve any of the above !!

[Mark 1]

1) Resign from my boring but well-paid day job (actually, I did that yesterday, but I have to work until my contract ends on March 31st)

Go David, Go David, Go David! Brave man. RespeKt (however the "Youf" spell it now)

3) Get married to my fiancée (will need a cheap tog, any volunteers ??)

I love your personal goals (the business ones are pretty good too!). Will any "cheap tog" volunteer? Well if you want the wedding in Dubai and paid the flight I've a feeling many of us (cheap or expensive) would say yes (me included!). As for a UK based wedding... I'm sure there might be several volunteers in this very forum who would do it under the Photographers For Charity (i.e. what can we get donated from your friends for Cancer Research). Where are you based? Give us a clue so we know who can reach you easily.

[David Butcher]

1) Resign from my boring but well-paid day job (actually, I did that yesterday, but I have to work until my contract ends on March 31st)

Go David, Go David, Go David! Brave man. RespeKt (however the "Youf" spell it now)

3) Get married to my fiancée (will need a cheap tog, any volunteers ??)

I love your personal goals (the business ones are pretty good too!). Will any "cheap tog" volunteer? Well if you want the wedding in Dubai and paid the flight I've a feeling many of us (cheap or expensive) would say yes (me included!). As for a UK based wedding... I'm sure there might be several volunteers in this very forum who would do it under the Photographers For Charity (i.e. what can we get donated from your friends for Cancer Research). Where are you based? Give us a clue so we know who can reach you easily.

Our wedding will definitely be in Dubai, probably towards the end of this year for a number of reasons (hopefully I will be paying the essential bills with my photography by then, and the temperatures will be comfortably warm rather than hotter-than-hell). We were planning on using a couple of the guys that I know in the local Dubai photographic club, because I hadn't thought of the Photographers For Charity. I like that idea, obviously we would gladly pay for the photographers flights and hotel accomodation .... sheeesh, you have just given me another goal to add to my list ....

5) Raise as much money as possible for Cancer Research from our guests and providers for our wedding