First Coffee 2012Wow! Can you believe it, we’ve made it to 2012! throws confetti I’m so very excited for what this new year will bring for me both personally and professionally. Yesterday, my daughter wrote the very first post for 2012 and I couldn’t agree more with her words ~ she said instead of sitting back and complaining about how bad last year was, take the initiative to make this year better and that’s exactly what I intend to do. I plan to make it better and to learn a lot along the way.

Last year, I had a lot of fun getting used to my camera by participating in different challenges such as Shades of Autumn and Shoot. Edit. Submit. Those challenges forced me to look at the world differently, more creatively. So this year, I want to branch out more and learn how to operate my camera on manual. Right now I mostly shoot in Auto but I have noticed a difference in the quality of pictures between Manual and Auto. I also plan to do more portrait photography.

My goal is to teach myself portrait photography in two ways. The first is to use myself as a model through a 365 Project. My 365 Project will consist of daily pictures of myself, not because I’m vain but because I think the best way to get others comfortable in front of the camera is to learn how the body works, which poses photograph best, etc. and I need a ready model. And, well, I’m always with me. Do you see what I did there? I won’t bore you with those pictures on my blog but if you want to check them out, just go to my flickr stream by clicking here.

The other set of pictures I will share here though (along with any photo challenges that I decide to participate in). I’ve thought long and hard about how to learn to photograph others and I came up with a 4 week project. My 4 Week Project is pretty exciting and daunting. My goal is to take pictures of 4 elderly strangers and tell their stories through words and photographs. This challenge has me nervous and excited. Nervous because, well, I’m going to have to talk to people and ask them to trust me ~ a complete stranger ~ with both their images and their lives. And excited because this is something I never would have done or thought of doing a year ago.

I so look forward to sharing this journey with you all. And, please, don’t be shy, give me your feedback ~ both positive and negative, that’s what I’m counting on to help me grow and develop as a photographer and a writer.

Have you set any challenges for yourself this year?