Like everything in life, if you don’t set your photography goals, they’re not likely to just happen on by and knock on your door.

Let me ask you, when was the last time you thought about your goals as a photographer? Lots of us keep going out and shooting the same pictures over and over — you know the ones I’m talking about. Nice shot the first few times you got it, but after a few hundred, even you’re tired of seeing it! How does that happen? You get good at a certain type of photography and keep on going out and finding that shot again.

This is a signal that it’s time to tune up your skills, or turn your photography “on its head” and do something totally different.

An assignment I always give students at my workshops is to “go out and get images that you normally wouldn’t — get out of your comfort zone.”

This takes us back to the subject of your goals. It’s a brand new year and a good time to set your goals. Here’s a effective way to approach it by asking yourself questions about your photography:

1. What areas would you like to improve? You might be aware of a few that you know you want to get on top of instead of stumbling over for another year.

2. Are there genres of images you’d like to capture that you haven’t been (nudes, black and white, landscapes, artificial light, etc?)

3. What are your plans to study other’s work? I always recommend that you get out often to museums, exhibitions, or where not possible, look in books. Use your notebook to write down what resonates for you and how the artist captured their subject, used framing, lighting, etc.

4. Are there any skills such as processing or use of equipment you’d like to master to this year?

5. Now here’s the best and most fun step: Write in your notebook all the photos you really want to capture this year (an extension of 2. above, but get down to specific images). Throw logic and self-criticism out the window on this–don’t overthink it–just write them down. Even go crazy and let your imagination have free rein and put down whatever comes to mind. This is in your notebook and no one has to read your fantasies here.

Then just put these all together and set yourself a goal. Oh, one more thing I bet each of us needs to do: Make (not take) more photographs. Unless you’re out there shooting daily, you’re probably not photographing enough, even if it’s with your iPhone.

Do me a favor after you’ve done the exercise above, leave me a comment and let me know what you came up with.

Use this link to set a reminder and be sure to join me in the chat. Bring your own goals to discuss and any questions you may have.

Next week I’ll talk about the steps to take after you set your goals — to make them an actuality and not just be another page in your notebook.