My Photography Resolutions for 2021
Happy New Year! A week into the year I have had more of a chance to reflect on what I would like this year to look like in terms of my photography art.
First of all, if 2020 taught me anything is that plans need to leave space for uncertainty and be flexible enough to adapt to the unexpected – like a pandemic! So, I write these personal objectives keeping the lessons from last year in mind and fully knowing that things may change at any minute.
Here are my 2021 goals for my photography journey:
Let go of perfection. Last year I postponed many personal photos because the weather was not great, because the house was not clean enough, or because my pants were stained – toddlers, right? This year, I’m just going to take the photos and do my best to suppress my type A instinct that reaches for perfection.
Get in front of the camera more. I love taking pictures… of others. But when it comes to getting in front of the camera, I somehow end up avoiding it (see number 1). This year, I have a goal to be in more of my photos, even if that means I have to deal with challenges of tripods and timers.
Document the little things. Yes, milestones are important, but I also want to remember the dinners my husband and I had on our deck and that carried into morning hours, our daughter’s glee when she first got on our backyard swing, her first tooth coming out and that adorable smile, and the way my dad hugged her after being apart for 11 months.
Don’t postpone dreams. It’s easy to look for excuses as to why it may not be the right time to do something, but if we wait for the perfect moment we may end up waiting too long, or be sidetracked by events that are out of our control and completely miss an opportunity. In 2021, I want to keep this thought present and work towards the little and big dreams that fill my soul.
Focus on “the joy”. This one translates to my client work. I love, love, love witnessing families having fun together, kids giggling at their sibling’s silly jokes, or the delight in a kid’s eyes when they find “the perfect rock”. These moments are often fleeting and can be lost in the flow of a photography session. So, this year I want to consciously look out for those moments more and be ready to photograph them for the families I work with.
With that last thought in mind, here are some images from a recent outdoor family session that was full of sweet moments and authentic joy. I hope you enjoy them.
