I hope everyone reading this on the day it’s published has had an excellent first day of the new year. 2020 was certainly a year for the history books. From a photography standpoint, I had a lot of successes. I took some photos I was proud of. I learned a lot of new things. I played with Trichrome photography. I got to dive into the world of large format color.

But I didn’t get out and shoot as often as I would have liked. That’s why I’m going to do a Project 52 for 2021. This simply means I will be making time in my schedule, no matter how busy, to go make a photograph at least once a week. Doesn’t matter which camera (although I’m going to set a rule for myself that simply whipping out my iPhone and snapping something to check the box doesn’t count). I did this in 2016 and really enjoyed the consistency. I found it helped me pay closer attention to beauty and light all around me even when I wasn’t actively looking for a photographic composition to capture.

I challenge you to set a specific and measurable goal for yourself in 2021 as well! Maybe you can do a Project 52 like me. Perhaps a photo every month is more your speed, or maybe you can even be more ambitious and do a Project 365. Maybe you want to get your photos hung up in a local business sometime this year, or host an exhibition somewhere. Maybe you want to sell your first print, or try film for the first time. I once talked to someone who wanted to take 100 pictures of strangers in a year as a way of becoming more comfortable with street photography and portraiture. Whatever goal you want to set for your photography, don’t let 2021 go to waste.

I know it’s popular to hate on New Years’ Resolutions these days (after all, shouldn’t we be setting goals EVERY DAY instead of just once a year?), but I find that the start of a new year feels like a clean slate, and gives me some extra motivation and discipline to stick with it. A Project 52 is a realistic goal for me, and I’m excited.

Here’s to a better year than the last.