I would not call these resolutions, but some things I am planning on completing (or at least pursuing) in the new year. I would be very interested to hear what folks here are planning in 2026. For me, In approximate chronological order…
Finish the Norway 2026 calendar I just started in 2025 (i.e., two days ago!). I have made several other calendars in years past, and it is a lot of work–especially because I like composite plates (3-12 images on a theme) for some months.
Get my webpage set up–long story short, I used to have one using WordPress and Bluehost (which I have dumped for a variety of reasons). I am kind of stuck on this now (and I get very busy with work at times). I am thinking of just hiring a web designer, having them set it up according to my specifications and turning the keys over to me…
Trip to Japan: My wife and I were planning on doing it this year/2025, but stuff came up! Hopefully in 2026. We are thinking of a three-week trip to Tokyo, Kanazawa, and Kyoto/Osaka (Naoshima island is very tempting). I am looking forward to all the endless natural and cultural beauty, as well as some night photography in Tokyo. There is a famous moss garden in Kyoto, and I must see it!
Get back into digitizing my vast reams of old Kodachromes. I have done a couple hundred using Nikon dSLR, 40mm macro, and Nikon ES-1 slide copying adapter, etc. This yields very nice 24 MP raw (.nef) files, but it is time consuming!
Get another exhibit scheduled. I have had five so far, but the most recent one was nearly a decade ago at the SFO Museum in 2016 (Kevin J. Carpenter: Microbe Worlds | SFO Museum). A dream exhibit would be an installation at the Bilbao Guggenheim or the Norton Simon (near where I live in Pasadena, CA).
Improve my knowledge of color management, printing, RawTherapee, GIMP, and LINUX! (Dump Windows forever is the ultimate plan) I am way behind you guys on this!
I’m hoping to emphasize less on landscape photos and try to get more wildlife photos… But at the same time I’m planning to get to more remote access landscapes.
I’d also like to try my hand at home film development.
Replacing my Nikon D750 which has intermittent issues with either a D780 or a lightly used D850…I’m not sold on switching to Mirrorless yet.
I think I might consolidate a few lenses I have. I might sell the Irix 11mm , Tamron 17-35 and Samyang 20mm replaced with a used Tamron 15-30mm. I find the 11mm while sharp corner to corner its tricky to use and heavy. The Tamron 15-30 is slightly heavier, but you do it a nice zoom range with stabilization. The Samyang has this weird blue color cast in the far corners, which is hard to remove completely. I thought it was a bad copy, so I exchanged it only to find it on the new copy as well. It is a sharp lens. I would get rid of the 17-35 just because it would be a duplicate of the 15-30mm. I also plan on getting my 24-120mm repair…it suffered a liquid mishap a few years and the zoom ring is now stuck.
As for trips…nothing till March
I plan on taking Amtrak down to Baltimore in Late March to see the Cherry Blossoms and then in Mid-April up to Hartford & New Haven to see their Cherry Blossoms. Then in May I will be taking a Vacation to Ocean City,Maryland , Richmond - Fredericksburg,Virginia and Annapolis,Maryland. I might go to Canada in the Fall…and maybe throw in a day trip to Boston & Providence.
I’m hoping to talk a lot less about taking photos, spend much less time watching videos and reading stuff about taking photos, and spend much more time actually taking photos.
I have to do at least one still life photo in 2025! Done:
As for 2026 I have to go with the flow that my family lets me do. But I really want to do more portraits as they seem the most rewarding type of photos when looking backwards.
I’d like to try and be more creative with photography and with RT (once I’ve learnt lots more). I see so much creativity on this forum and this has inspired me to explore my personality I my photography.
A trip to Alaska (June) should yield good opportunities for wildlife and wilderness/landscapes. And a trip to Scotland should be similar, perhaps in winter for a different experience.
This. For my calendar project this year, I made some test prints and noticed how much more satisfying it is to actually look at a bunch of physical prints of my finished work compared to just having them on the computer.
I still have to figure out how to store/organise them, though.
Find a new project for the next calendar. Though I think this is nothing I can force, so I rather have to wait for a project to show up on its own.
Also, I hope to use my antique bellows camera a bit more often, before the film and developing chemicals spoil…
I bought an A3 photo printer this year, and printed my own calendar. One A3 page per month, compiled in the last few days of the previous month. That was so satisfying! I’ll definitely continue this tradition.
Been doing wildlife photos. Those in Matrix seen them. And I do have a bluesky account, which is not hard to find. My goal is to do people models as well. Jobless and no accepted job application, but will get there to do the othet one. I do have a dream of making beautiful, sensual, and feminine portraits of both men and women, and also with emphasis on diversity.
I’ve just been through a huge certification exam for the second time and I felt better than the last time, when things twirled up and anxiety ate people from the inside during the winter when seasonal depression kicked in. Anyway I’m glad it’s over, and that of course means that I’ve got much more time to go taking pictures and actually develop them from now on, which I’ve done way too little in my confession. Huge pile of raw images and only around 3% developed, haha. Sigh
Also shame that I haven’t had the change to take a better look at the city I’ve moved in for a while, so in the coming months I’d like to go around looking for some good scenery.
As for the equipment, actually my family was kind enough to offer an upgrade as a gift, which I declined. Partly because I don’t want to feel like owing them more after so many years of support, and partly because I still think myself as the bottleneck rather than the 15-year-old gear, which has been robust and trustworthy (as long as it’s not dark, or it really struggles). So the journey continues with my good ol’ D90, hooray!
I’d like to also try some more dynamic and creative shots, and take pictures of people which I’ve been unintentionally avoiding. I’d also like to know some more people, irl or online, with interest towards photography.
It’s really easy to be emotional during this time of the year, I guess. To conclude, I’d like to try out new areas in photography, and generally be more open to people and new ideas. Prime time of my life, no? And wish you all a wonderful adventurous new year. May your good shots be many, and your out-of-focus few. Peace.
Remember to take the camera to other than my personal-niche events. Remember to use it on those occasions. Improve my photographic eye for pictures among my every-day ordinary.
bring a real camera, any camera, with me at all times
Get used to working in Darktable and master AgX
Do many more prints, if nothing else at least so the inkjet nozzles don’t dry out and clog between uses
Make photo books
Get back into studio portraits, figure out speedlight portrait photography
Paint my own large Oliphant style backdrop, it’s going to hang from the ceiling in our living room when in use, where there is perfect natural light for portraits. I’ve found good extra wide fabric at the local fabric and sewing shop, just need a place where the family won’t go crazy on me if I occupy a 3x5m floor space to paint canvas on for a few days…
No, the Canon Pro200. I don’t print all that much, and I’d rather have eight top-of-the-line dye inks than an all-in-one office/photo pigment/dye hybrid. I have comparative prints from a Pro1000, too (12 pigment inks), and strongly prefer mine.
I’ve been blown away by the ET 8550 , It was recommended to me after my Canon Pro 100 died. If you put the images side by side you won’t be able to tell the difference.
That’s good to hear! I knew I’d never be able to stop wondering about more inks if I’d bought the ET8550, so I got the Pro200 instead. But if ever this one dies, the ET8550 is first on my list for a replacement.
I’ve printed over 80 prints so far and have barely used any ink…paper thats a different story and I need a new photo book for storage. A Set of Ink for the 8550 is around $105. I’m using Canon Photo Paper as it’s cheaper than Epson.
