2018 Resolutions for Photography and Business
With only a few days left in 2017, it’s about time I set some intentions, resolutions, and goals for 2018 related to my photography and business. 2107 was wildly successful and I believe this was in part to my work through challenges and goals set out in a physical journal. You’ll hear more about that and other things in this post. I’m writing this after writing everything else out and I’m wondering how I’ll be able to accomplish everything. Especially wondering how due to a lot of resolutions relate to what I couldn’t get to in 2017.
You might wonder the same thing. It’s okay.
With some strict planning, calendar use and other productivity tools, I think I can make the attempt. With everything on this list rarely feeling like “work,” I can mark a lot down as personal interest too. I don’t mention a vacation in 2018, but it’s definitely something that will need to happen. A number of trips out to Toronto through the year should occur and I’d love to fly down to Mexico for a week. Even in these places, on vacation, I shoot photos. I’m just too curious about what I can create to leave it alone.
I believe I touch on much of what I want to accomplish over the course of 2018. I know I’m forgetting things and leaving things out, but this post is long enough as it is. ha.
Here are my 2018 resolutions for photography and business:
Consume More, Create More
I’ll give you a moment to catch your breath. I know, I’ve heard the same advice all over the place: Consume less and Create more. As much as I understand the mentality around that advice, I plan to consume more and create more. Before your head starts to spin, let me explain. My mentality around consume and create more is understanding you can consume a create deal of content passively. This means I can be creating all while I’m consuming. I’m sure you’re doing this kind of thing too.
To drive this intention I picked up an all-access pass to CreativeLive and now have access to every single class on the platform. Moreover, I’ll get access to all of the 2018 classes too. Much of my consuming is for my own education and I’m going to be in need of learning how to do a few of the other things on this list of 2018 resolutions. Less consuming will happen in terms of checking social media, analytics data, and watching those darn cute cat videos.
In terms of creating more, there is a bit of anxiety that comes to the surface. 2017 saw a lot of action here. My hope is that I can create as much as possible, constantly shooting more and more architectural photography; however, still being able to make slow progress on some side hustles that could help with branding.
More of Me
So many people are still hiding behind the screen. Myself included. I want to connect and show there is a person behind my photography work. Essentially, I want to work on building my brand in such that it covers my business and me personally. This change will be seen through social media and some other items on this list I want to pursue. Showing my face and what I am into will probably result in lost followers, but I hope to see greater connects develop on a macro scale.
In 2018, I am intending to do at least 1 branding photoshoot for myself. I’d have set a photoshoot already if I could nail down a photographer I’d want to hire. Eventually, this website will be updated with professional images for the about page. I’d also like to create an about video for myself. Hey, know a portrait photographer that is doing some non-traditional type work, I’d love to hear about them.
Architecturally Speaking
In 2018, I want to continue developing my architectural photography all around. I intend on picking up some high-quality off-camera lights and other equipment to up my game — especially with interior photography. I know the Sony A7r III camera will help me a lot with its amazing dynamic range, but I’ve got to get better at making use of additional light if needed too. If interested, you can see my growing kit wishlist on my Kit profile.
In 2017, I really tried to find ways to add tremendous value to my work. In the 2nd half of the year, I found a great way to do this for clients and it was why I was shooting so many buildings. I’d really like clients to leverage everything happening with their projects and level up their marketing efforts greatly. This leans into architecture photos for completed buildings and construction photography at important times during construction to be used in marketing too.
I’d love to continue working with all the clients and companies that made 2017 so successful. It would be awesome to see if I could help out more too. I especially would like to gain a Toronto based client in 2018 and see how that goes. I think if I really go after that goal, it can be achieved. Regardless, I am planning to get to Toronto more often and doing some architecture treasure hunts, personally.
When possible, I’ll be capturing b-roll video for the architecture I’m photographing. I’d like to continue making short promo videos, like below, for the projects that could be helpful for clients and for self-promotion or ads on Facebook.
Drone Flights
I didn’t get to fly my drone as much as I’d have like in 2017. There is no way of getting more comfortable flying than to fly. The desire is to use it for shooting larger scale architecture projects for clients and get closer and closer to creating content that I envision in my head.
Execute. Documenting vs Creating
Don’t laugh, but I’m going to try and vlog again in 2018. My intention is to execute without worrying about perfection. Instead of simply documenting what thoughts, what I’m working on and creating, I always want to try and add the higher production value things — music, b-roll, end screens, whatever. When I tried doing things that way in 2017, the results were nothing impressive and it took me way too much time to publish. The results speak for themselves as I tried restarting a vlog multiple times without any luck.
My goal needs to be something in my grasp. Sure, I love being a practitioner and learning on the go; however, I have basic knowledge of video editing now so that I can keep it all basic. The goal is to execute on uploading a vlog every day in 2018 and growing my confidence in this area.
I also want to set a quant-based goal in relation to YouTube subscribers. To start 2018, I have 27 subscribers. In 12 months, I’d love to see if I can reach 1500 subscribers.
Start a Photography Podcast
Currently trying to plan out the podcast. I would love to get this weekly side-project off the ground in the best possible way, for once. I’ve learned a huge amount of information for starting and I could technically start today. There are a lot of little things to do around a podcast episode though that will take some work. My nature is to try and get this going the first week of January, but I’m not going to rush things on this idea. It will start when it starts!
Much like vlogging, podcasting will hopefully get me out of my shell. I’m so serious that I’ve even picked up some of the equipment necessary. Can’t back out now. Hopefully, I’ll be able to solidify a name for the show before 2018 rings in.
Starting a photography podcast will require a new website for it. Looking forward to making something minimal via WordPress, OceanWP, and Elementor, and WP Rocket.
Journal on the Daily
In the 2nd half of 2017, I restarted a physical journal. No, I’m not talking about a diary. I’m talking about a place that helps facilitate growth in multiple areas of inspiration, business development, learnings from videos, gratitude, and big goals. The inspiration behind restarting a physical journal comes from a guy named Clark on YouTube. Somehow, you know, while I was down the YouTube rabbit hole I found a video about journaling. I love his system and went at it.
There is just something so magical that happens to me when I add ideas, goals, and whatever to a sketchbook journal. I looked back at some of my many sketchbooks and discovered success with many of the hopes I’d written down. I’d stop, and think for a moment if I’d achieved something I wrote down and, well, yep!
Email Updates to Subscribers
I drop the ball on emailing my newsletter list all time.
In 2018, it’s time for me to connect with you at least once a week. To do this, I’m snagging Tim Ferriss’ idea of sharing what he’s digging each Friday. I’ll be sending an email every Sunday (which probably means Monday) about 7 things I’ve been enjoying. I hope it helps people connect with me on a better level and it will be a way to put me in a positive mentality.
There is a desire in me to send a 2nd weekly email. It would be related to updates on my recent content, work, and photos. Updates on the kind of stuff I’ve brought up right here in these resolutions. I’d send these on a Friday as a weekly retrospective. This would be meant to stay connected with clients and customers, but also be helpful for other photographers. I’ll try and segment my list so that I’m sending emails to people most interested certain content.
Please consider subscribing!
Print more photos
Looking back on 2017, I printed more photos than ever. This was mainly a result of the commisioning of the abstract architecture art project. For that project, I printed huge wall canvas art, framed, through Canada On Canvas. I hope to get photos of the art hung up in it’s location in 2018. Because of that project, I printed, using CanvasPop, one of my own pieces really large and framed. I see it every day and love how it gives me energy. I also printed a few photos through Parabo Press (working on a review). I printed a panoramic print and a fine art print. Loved the value of these 3 print companies and I’ll be using them in some form each to print more photos in 2018. One goal is to create a gallery wall here.
Speaking of prints, I’ll be opening up a print store here — as soon as I can a few things finished up. The store will only sell 1 limited edition print each month. I’m waiting on sample prints from Canada On Canvas to see which paper I want to officially go with for the prints. After each month or if the prints sell out, they won’t be available again. I’ll probably give a discount code and get help for which photo to print in future months through my Patreon account. Become a patron for as little as $1 a month to save and get involved. The idea of selling only 1 print each month is to make it a manageable thing for me.
SIDE PROJECTS
In 2017, I found it pretty hard to keep up with these; mainly my side project: Pineapple Supply Co.
However, I did learn that it’s okay to go slow on a side-project. I’m not setting any intention to create new pineapple photo collections each week or release new products for the pineapple shop constantly. Planning out my year, I should be able to commit to a regular schedule though. I’d like to see me add something new at least once a month and provide more value to the awesome people that have supported through the Lifetime Access Membership.
I decided to ditch one idea recently, but a new interest popped up at the end of September 2017. I love neon colours, signs, and light. I quickly popped up a site called Neon Pictures at https://neon.pictures. Easy enough, huh. I’ve seen a huge trend in what I’m simply calling “Neon Photography” and want to learn more. As I learn, I want to share that knowledge with others interested in it too. It’s something that I’ll update as I have spare moments with content and inspiration. This is the first time I’m even mentioning it publically. It’s not really much of anything yet.
I want to see if this website can generate a small amount of passive income over time. If it does, as with other projects, I’ll change up how much time I commit to it. How much passive income? I’d love to see if it can achieve something small that covers the cost of a service I use. For example, if I could earn enough to pay for website hosting or podcast hosting.
I’ll be tracking what happens with these 2 projects over 2018 and sharing it with my patrons over at Patreon.
Continuing to Contribute to Unsplash
You might be asking what all this Patreon talk is about in the last 2 sections. It’s a website where you’re able to support creators. I started one in 2017 and have 4 patrons that send me $1 a month. I look at it as a way to help try and fund the ability to give away free photos on Unsplash and there are some other benefits too. I’ll be refining it soon. I mention Patreon because I’m going to be contributing more photos to Unsplash in 2018.
I’ve currently contributed over 525 photos and they’ve been downloaded over 1.5 million times. I’d like to reach 1000 photos contributed and touch over 5 million people through photo downloads. You can follow all my stats and milestone updates on my Unsplash page here. The more help and support through a place like Patreon, the more photos I can spend my energy on creating.
AUDACIOUS
Lastly, I’ve selected a single word for 2018: Audacious.
“Rainmakers generate revenue by making asks. They ask for donations. They ask for contracts. They ask for deals. They ask for opportunities. They ask to meet with leaders or speak to them over the phone. They ask for publicity. They come up with ideas and ask for a few minutes of your time to pitch it. They ask for help. Don’t let rainmaking deter you from your dream. It’s one of the barriers to entry, and you can overcome it. Once you taste the sweet victory of a positive response, you’ll not only become comfortable with it, you might even enjoy it. But making asks is the only way to bring your dream to life.”
— Ben Arment
Much of what I want to do in 2018 is going test me and it’s going to require me to be audacious. I’ll be making a lot of asks of people and myself.
I also can’t wait for permission to do what I want to do.
I know that I’ll need to be audaciously going after things instead of sitting back and waiting for something to happen. My journal will have new audacious goals for the year. I’d list them out now, but I plan to share much more in vlogs around how my journal is going. I admit the goal of 1500 YouTube subscribers is not very audacious and it should probably be changed to 100,000. I’d love to say 1 million, but I don’t have the skills of a Peter Mckinnon yet. ha. What I do know, creating huge goals requires you to think much differently about how you might be able to achieve them.
All this said, 2018 is going to be exciting.
I’m ready for you 18!
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Oh, and hey, why not list one of your resolutions for 2018 in the comments?! I’d love to hear some!
Originally posted on my blog at https://scottwebb.me/2018-resolutions/
