The New Year is a completely arbitrary thing to celebrate, but there’s something about adding another number to the year that fills it with palpable significance. So it’s not surprising that this change is prompting many people to think about what they can do differently in the coming twelve months.
We’ve all thought about things we could have done differently, in the hopes that writing them down will serve as an inspiration and reminder as the year goes on. So here are our photographic New Year’s resolutions.
Michelle
find flash
Flashes have never been a particularly big part of my photography. I’m somewhat familiar with the basics, enough that I can generally get the results I’m looking for, but I’ve never had an external flash unit or done much playing around with flash setups in particular. Haven’t spent the time to see what works, what doesn’t, and why. I would love to do this this year, to get a deeper understanding of when and where to use flash.
shoot less with my phone
In 2024, I took about 2,400 photos and videos using my iPhone. Some of them are completely functional: photos of receipts, parts I have to buy from the hardware store, business cards, etc. However, most of them are snapshots that I use to remember my life; I have a terrible memory and scrolling through photos I took is the best way for me to remember what I did in a year.
“In 2024, I took about 2,400 photos and videos using my iPhone.”
However, my goal for the next year is to be kind to my future self and make sure I almost always have a dedicated camera for taking these types of photos, whether it’s a point-and-shoot or whatever camera I have at the moment. Working on a review.
take more pictures
This may be more of a therapy solution than photography, but I currently feel unable to go up to random people and ask to take their pictures the way I’ve seen my coworkers do so many times. This is obviously a skill that has developed over time, but it’s a skill I didn’t learn at all. My ultimate goal this year is to at least work in that direction, probably starting with asking people I know if I can take their pictures and slowly moving into my social circle. It would be inconvenient – my social skills are so bad that I’ve let several people call me the wrong name for hours because I was too embarrassed to correct them – but I think it would be a worthwhile endeavor.
richard
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| It’s possible to put together a very reliable video kit without taking up too much space. I just need to get back into the habit of doing the necessary planning. |
I’d love to be able to make a simple promise like “I plan to shoot more wide-angle in 2025,” but the gear I shoot with is almost entirely dictated by that. What is launched during the year. So, instead, I’ll be a little more vague and say that it’s my ambition to put myself in photogenic situations more often.
The combination of complacency about Seattle and periods of staff shortage on the site meant I often opted to remain at my keyboard, crafting another article or focusing on a review, rather than out with the camera. To get out, to the past. A few years.
“The combination of complacency about Seattle and periods of on-site staff shortages meant I often opted to remain at my keyboard.”
Beyond the confines of the working week, I like to carry a camera with me, but I don’t always find myself doing things that inspire me to pursue photography. So my resolution is to go out when the light looks good and say ‘yes’ to things I wouldn’t normally do, to force myself to face things I wouldn’t normally look at. Or, at least, to try.
Also, I would really like to get back into the habit of shooting some short videos. Again, this is something that will have to be given less priority while we’re all a little worn out, but using the video features of the camera is just as important as going out to explore the photo features. I enjoy the creative challenge of working out how to shoot and edit something to convey a story, so my ambition for the year is to create more opportunities to shoot video as well as stills .
valley
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In 2024, I started giving away some of my old cameras and lenses to aspiring young photographers. Will my Canon PowerShot G3 (above, left) be next? Photo: Dale Baskin |
give me camera gear
Over the years I’ve collected a lot of camera gear, but I haven’t been very good at parting with it. Now, I have shelves full of cameras, lenses and accessories that I’ve acquired, usually for good reasons, that I no longer use. I could sell it, but I’d rather give it away.
This year, I gave my old Canon EOS 7D, Panasonic GH3, and Panasonic GH1 cameras along with lenses to some nieces and nephews. As a result, all three became interested in photography. I’ve decided that enabling and inspiring others to explore photography is more valuable than making a few dollars on eBay, so I’ll be looking for opportunities to give away more gear in 2025.
shoot more with my phone
When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When you’re a photographer with a lot of camera gear, everything seems like an opportunity to use that gear. I used to carry around a lot of luggage for fear of missing the photo of the century because I didn’t have the right camera or lens. Over time, I’ve become ruthless about how much I bring in. Now, I rarely own more than one or two lenses unless a project specifically requires it.
“I used to carry around a lot of luggage for fear of missing the photo of the century because I didn’t have the right camera or lens.”
In 2025, I’m challenging myself to only use my smartphone for my more casual photography, like family and travel. The image quality may not be as high, but I expect it to be an enjoyable experience. challenge? My job as an editor at DPReview requires a lifestyle of constantly testing new tools, so we’ll see how this works out.
Print more photos
I suspect this is a scenario many of you can relate to. Over the years, I have taken thousands of photographs. Whether they’re from personal projects, the work I do at DPReview, or just from friends and family, I have thousands of untold photos on hard drives and servers in my office.
Many of those photos have been published online or in print, displayed in public places, or donated to organizations I have supported. However, I have surprisingly few photographs on display in my own home. What good are they if I can’t enjoy them myself? One of my goals in 2025 is to print more. I just need to find a way to keep my cat from trying to kill the printer whenever she hears it starting a print job.
And you?
How are you? If you’re being honest with yourself or feeling ambitious, what do you intend to do in 2025 to encourage and improve your photography?
