Setting Goals

So there is a photography certificate program at IPFW (IU, Purdue Fort Wayne).  It consists of one year with 6 classes, 1 at a time.  I really, really wanted to do it so I could push my photography skills forward.  I definitely work best in person with people that I can ask all my questions to, as opposed to online.  But I was on the waiting list, and never got in.  Boo.  However I decided to set some goals for myself to help me grow, and was able to pick the exact things that I want to learn, or to get better at.   So this is my plan for the next year.  I know goals are supposed to be measurable, and these really are not, but oh well.  Also, I hate how much time I sit on the dang computer, so I am trying to avoid it as much as possible-so that is why I will be using lots of books.  Anything you would add? Am I being too ambitious?

Processing and Posing

1.       "Get" white balance, skin tones, removing color casts, etc.

a.       Flawless: The Secrets of Skin by Sarah Wilkerson

b.      Get my monitor calibrated.

2.       Learn to remove stray hairs.

a.       Online tutorials

3.       Posing

a.       The Portrait Photographers Posing Guide by Nigel Holmes

b.      Create inspiration files/boards

Light

1.       Improve understanding of natural light

a.       Practice

b.      Watch light

c.       Shooting in Sh*tty Light by Lindsey Adler and Erik Valind

d.      Natural Light ebook by Mitchell Kanashkevich

e.      The Luminous Portrait by Elizabeth Messina

f.        Learn to use reflector and scrim

2.       Learn to use speedlight indoors

a.       Shooting in Sh*tty Light by Lindsey Adler and Erik Valind

b.      The Strobist “Lighting 101”

c.       On Camera Flash by Niel van Niekirk

Vision and Inspiration

1.       Shooting portraits that tell a story

a.       People Pictures by Chris Orwig

b.      Play with light

c.       Read 2 photojournalism books:  Photography as Activism by Michelle Bogre and ????

2.       Creating Vision

a.       Picture Perfect Practice by Roberto Valenzuela

b.      Read Film is Not Dead by Jonathan Canlas

In Action (In addition to general practice and working through instruction books...)

           a. Shoot 2-3 individual female portrait sessions.

           b. Shoot 2-3 in home family lifestyle sessions.

           c. 2013 365 project (I will take and post a photo a day for the year.) 

           d.  Maybe not next year, but someday:  Online Mentoring Session with Yan Photography!

And one final note, I bought a domain name!!!  So my blog is now www.leitiamchugh.com instead of www.mrsmchugh.blogspot.com.  If you follow my blog somewhere, you may need to update?  I was lucky my domain name was still available ;)

Oh wait, a photo.