I think it is really important, as with a lot of things in life, to develop some specific goals and a realistic timeframe for my photographic development. Some of these goals are easy to measure, such as purchasing an essential bit of equipment. With other goals it is harder to know when they have been achieved. How can one measure the mastery of a particular skill for example?
I also anticipate that the goals will need to change and adapt as I progress, new knowledge and skills will lead to the identification of new targets and ideas for other things I might want to do in the realm of photography. So ..... the development plan is more a 'work in progress' than a series of fixed targets. Splitting the plan into 'short', 'medium' and 'long' term goals also gives it flexibility and allows me to adapt it as I travel on my journey.
The first part of the plan (short term) is all about identifying what it is that I want to photograph, how best to create and then to develop those images, what I need in terms of equipment and training and how I will share and display those images. The short term development plan includes:
- Searching, viewing and collecting images and art that I find inspiring and to identify the genre or style of photographs that I'd like to take.
- Identifying equipment suitable to create images of the quality that I aspire to ..... and this can be both photographic hardware and also software to run on my computer.
- Finding individuals that can offer advice and information and that teach the skills that I will need, both with the camera and the computer, to create the type and quality of images that I want to make.
- Identifying and then creating access to methods and ways of displaying images that I might make.
I think at this time, with me continuing to work and travel quite frequently, my short term development plan will take the remainder of 2015 and all of 2016 to complete. I'll keep the blog going and update it as I find the time, letting you all know how my photographic journey is progressing.