What Did you Achieve in 2008?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Yv
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I had the pleasure of meeting a few local TPers from the south coast.
Had a image used by the BBC science/news website.
I got 1st and 2nd image of the year at my camera club. Won the digital open class, won the enprint league, 2nd in the digital set class, 2nd in the open print class and 3rd in the set print class. First year at the camera club :lol: Linky to my DIOY
I won a camera on thinkcamera.com and a digital frame on photoanswers.co.uk
All in all not bad for me,
Still havn't sold any images though. maybe one day.
Must enter more comps ;)
 
I know where most things are on the camera without having to rtfm! slowly improving the pictures and getting more that I like and are worth keeping. Not a lot really :lol:
 
Upgraded my 400d to a 40d
Bought some extra lenses that allow me to get closer portrait shots
Learned a few new tips/tricks
Done my 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th photoshoot in the space of 2 weeks.
Learned how to process images better in Photoshop
Spent loads of money
Got my first picture on someones Living room wall

oh and got my first booking for a wedding shoot for 2009

Have a great crimbo everyone and a fabby NY


Mike
 
After 18 months using a borrowed EOS D60 and a 28-105 EF zoom I finally bit the bullet and ordered a 40D and 17-85 EFs lens almost exactly a year ago.

Spent some time crawling my way up what felt at times like a very steep learning curve (well steep for someone who had been using film SLRs since 1978 - AE-1 / T90 and a bag of lenses).

Since then have aquired a 50 f1.8, 70-300 IS USM, and recently a 10-22.

This week I had 5 of my images shortlisted for a photography exhibition at work (large London hospital) and 3 were chosen (out of a total submission of 180 images not sure how many photographers this represents).

They will be displayed in a very busy corridor so lots of people passing will see them.

Oh and I had an image I submitted for the same exhibition last year on the cover of the hospital in house magazine.

Small beer I know but nice to see someone else appreciates your work.

David
 
Joined TP
Got my first camera with manual controls (although it is a bridge not a DSLR)
Learned a lot about aformentioned manual controls!

Still have loads to learn and am really enjoying it. Also got promoted into a management position at work which means more cash... which means 2009 will very likely be the year of the DSLR for me! (should that be your first thought when you get promoted?!)
 
i almost got in the top 4 of a tog comp...


other than that i just barely survived the year mentallly in one piece
 
Didn't have to photograph anyone from Big Brother for a change, long may it continue :)
 
for me,getting more involved in this forums and meeting some of it's members...what a friendly bunch you all are.although i'm still a newby to this photography lark,i feel i'm slowly improving..and every now and then,produce an half decent image,and it's at least partially down to you good folk :)

i'm also very pleased,if somewhat suprised at getting an image into the TP calender....

thanks to all,and a very merry christmas :thumbs:
 
i have to say looking back, quite a lot, when i add it all up.
okay, in the order they happened:

- established my first 'real' studio (if you want to be fancy could call it a commercial one, just a warehouse though)
- officially entered into 'photography' (big world)...
- shot my first beautiful model! (she's actually my long term girlfriend)
- officially entered into the photography business.
- got my first photography business website up & running.
- expanded my kit and got some cool new toys! (glass, etc)
- got issued a press pass for my local city (small city though!).
- had a handful of images published in my city's local paper (big whoop, sounds better than it was i assure you!).
- had & ended an affair (okay ignore that, but hey im sure im not the only one)
- did wedding 'jobs' as sole shooter.
- got a teeny place in London (my muse).
- got to work as an assistant/technician (more like a grip or caddy!) in a pro's studio in London (I know the tog well and he's basically what got me inspired into photography when I attended one of his shoots a while back, when they were shooting for Vogue, and I was one of the client's girlfriend's at the time, so got to sit and watch it all! we kept in touch since, nice guy!)
- met the most handsome gentleman in the world, and gained a friend :).
- my first dog passed away, at just 13months old (beautiful Borzoi named Zoasha).
- sold my first 'art prints.'
- left my teens...turned 20 (scarrrrrry! and now feel old & unwanted i have to say).
- and above all, learned a little bit more about who I am, and what I want, and what I want to give to the world.

there.
not a bad year.
:)
 
Someone recommended TP to me.

Bought my first DSLR in October.

Found a few types of photography that really interest me.

Learn't I have a long way to go photographically.
 
^^ don't we all seem to find that we have such a long way to go :), but the sooner we realize it, the faster we can get there!
 
Hmmm...

  • I spent approximately £116,000 buying 151 lenses.
  • I built a web site.
  • I hired out 1339 lenses in 1111 separate orders to 806 different customers, and I only messed up 2 of them (neither irretrievably so).
  • I gave up my career of 22 years and a more-than-decent salary in order to run my own business.
  • I provided work (admittedly not much work) to ten different people.

Bit of a quiet year then.
 
sold a lot of canvas, shot first wedding, comissioned to do three different shoots for corporate work. have canvas hung in reception areas of two independant hospitals.
increased me name word of mouth works wonders.

so moving nicely along.
 
Oh and how could I forget, finally got to meet Don McCullin, he was the reason I got into photography :)
 
Became official photographer to a new race series
-supplying them with pics for their sponsors and press releases
-supplying Max Power for 2 issues
-supplying Redline for 5 issues
-supplying Japanese Peformance for 5 issues
-supplying Banzai for 5 issues
-supplying MR2 only for 5 issues
& hired again for next year

Shot a TVR for a book coming out next year

Started getting media accrediation for club level motorsport. Pictures of which have been published in three newspapers locally including the main regional one several times

Switched to a Mac

Bought a 50D and the 40D became 2nd body.

Amongst others...

I'm pretty pleased with my 2008. I've had a lot of fun and all my costs have been covered.
 
achived quite a lot done 10 wedding's expanded my sports photography done a photo course and done my first abroad job had a really good year roll on 2009
 
2008:

Became interested in photography/bought my first DSLR/within 3 months had spent over £2000 on upgrades/another DSLR.

Assisted in 2 weddings and through this I'm doing my first 'proper' wedding myself in 2009... date still to be confirmed

Started my own photography website, sought work and landed a nice cycling /sport photography deal at a local circuit - within months I was photographing more races and selling prints through my website. Through this I have landed more cycling event deals for 2009.

Became interested in film photography and within a few months I had bought several 35mm and medium format cameras and learned how to self-develop using B&W, C41 and E6 processing.

Went on an intense 2-day photoshop course, learned loads and am constantly improving.

2008 has certainly opened my eyes to photography and I've thrown myself in headfirst and love it. 2009 is bound to be even more spectacular and will open up new avenues and new styles of photography and new pursuits!
 
I just simply gained a lot more confidence in myself.
 
A newfound interest in a long time on/off hobby.

I still cannot believe how similar and so very different an SLR and a DSLR are.
 
I got money for the first time for a Wedding (as a gift).
The photos from that got me my first paid job next year.
Sold my first ever prints from that wedding, actually two different prints.
Got my photos in the paper twice, once on the Front page.
 
Moved from Canon to Nikon.

Loved it.

Moved from Nikon to Canon

Loving it (now).
 
  • Bought my first DSLR
  • Bought loads more
  • Sold some bits
  • And took the odd photo or two
  • Really enjoying watching the improvment, but still so much to learn
  • Spent way too much time on here
 
I finally settled on MY wedding style. No longer aping others I've found my niche and 23 weddings off the back of it. Without advertising I've already closed my books for 2009 and have 4 bookings off the back of a single wedding earlier this year.

In kit terms - aside from upgrading to newer primes if they prove worth it (should Nikon do so) I'm at the point where I'm totally sorted with kit. There's nothing I could buy that would make a difference now.

So, I'm getting there.
 
Got my first dslr and a piece of L glass. Read part of the manual. Found TP where I know I can probably get useful crit of my work when I need it.

Built my confidence up to the point where I am happy to let others have copies of my work for display purposes.

I know that I can now produce images in a couple of areas that I enjoy working in that are better than those being produced professionally in my area (and one area that I don't really enjoy but where there is money to be earnt) - but could I produce that quality to order no matter what the circumstances? Need to set myself some tests on that.

My post processing is getting better but I still struggle a bit working with RAW.

All in all a productive latter part to the year on the photograhic side that might well be pointing to the direction to take for 2009.
 
  • Expanded the wedding side of the business mostly through recommendations from previous clients and bookings are well up for 2009.
  • Did my first overseas wedding.
  • Got my website looking how I wanted.
  • Did a shed load of large shows for the British Equestrian Federation which two members on here assisted with (thanks Dod & Moomike :thumbs:), this led to further work with private clients including a couple of weddings.
  • Finally got most of my processing workflow sorted out.
  • Met up with quite a few TP members some of whom assisted on weddings - thanks guys and gals, I hope you enjoyed it.

2009?

  • Hopefully consolidate and grow the business. I've got some unusual weddings coming up including a 'hip' vicar and his bride who is going to be wearing Doctor Marten boots under her dress and playing the French Horn, a local portrait photographer's wedding and one in Ireland - somewhere I've never been.
  • Get my mono conversions sorted out which is an area I've struggled with but I'm almost there.
  • Improve my marketing.

Good luck to everyone for 2009, hope you have a great year.

:thumbs:
 
1) I got my 'first' robin and squirrel photos after 'trying' for 6 months lol.
2) Got some of my pictures in this month's Digital Photographer magazine which Im chuffed about (its my 'first' time having my pictures published) :)
3) Made some sales from my pictures
4) Set up my own photography site (had fun designing it)
5) Had my first photography job (took photos of water systems for a company brochure)
6) Made some calendar sales
 
Bought a D40 in Jan to see if i liked this photography game.

Decided i did, so sold the D40 and bought a D300.

Bought and sold a couple of lenses.

Bought another bag.

Sold a shot on fotila :thumbs:

Gave one to the map bunch (cant think of their name).

Spent far too much money :lol:
 
2008 was a rather interesting year...

Kit-wise went from 2 intermediate bodies to 3 big guns, painted myself into a spectacular corner in terms of glass needs and lost a wack in flogging all sorts of unwanted / unused items along with all of my EF-S glass...partial mistake that was...

Did a few weddings, would have liked to do more

Discovered the strobist thing and realized I am even more bankrupt than I thought at first after seeing all those nice toys:bonk:

Like Hacker I plan to improve my marketing in 2009
 
Got my first photo published as a book cover, and one in a calender, but the best thing was getting pictures of some deep underground places I never dreamt of finding. Its taught me that pushing oneself and putting up with cold,wet dangerous places and general discomfort is sometimes worth it :)
 
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