Goals for 2008

i would like to shoot at least one or two engagement sessions and hopefully become a second shooter for a couple weddings . but i need to expand my gearlist as well. (it's hard being a newbie)

Believe in myself!

Interesting to see so many wanting to increase their confidence level.

That's my major goal for next year too...although I wonder if there's something deeper we're all experiencing? I really want to finish next year and be very happy the product I've delivered to my clients.

Oh...that and be in the black!

I have no goals. I am getting more work than I really want so I guess I just want to survive

Develop my brand, get more wedding bookings (one a weekend with some time off would be great), move into portrait and baby photography, develop my crm tool and develop additional revenue streams - I have two ideas in mind I just have to get time to do them. I want to do less IT for other people, and start working purely for myself.

2nd shot my first wedding (pics in blog) this past weekend. Now that wedding season is almost coming to an end I have to start planning out for 2008. I need to:

0. Create packages and finding some vendors for albums, prints, etc.
1. Create the photo gallery on my site, now that I have pictures to put up/ site update
2. 5d Mark II Purchase depending on specs
3. More wedding gigs as a 2nd shooter at least 2-3
4. 5-10 Main photographer weddings
5. Enjoy the beginning of a new lifestyle and maybe career, hopefully.

Do at least 13 weddings, would love a destination, raising prices a bit and thining out choices (we have 6 packages) Getting better at technique..keep moving forward, no matter what happens! Finish buying the equipment I need for the business and maybe start to make some money in 2008!

I just set 2008 goals this past weekend. My goal as far as weddings is to be prepared and equipped to start booking my own weddings at the end of 2008, so during 2008, I want to second shoot as much as I can (would like 10 weddings to start a portfolio), book 3+ portrait sessions a month, and cover 2 events per month (I'm talking with the local paper about doing freelance for them, so maybe more there).

That's about as much as I can handle while still working 4 days a week at my day job, I think, at least without feeling like I'm missing too much family time. If I find that I'm getting more efficient with my workflow, I'll adjust my objectives and marketing strategies to keep my photography work hours where I want them.

1. Book 20 weddings for 2008 (8 so far!)
2. Improve, Improve, Improve. From Technical stuff to Posing and Creativity. Have lots of things I want to work on.
3. Build up Childrens side of the business, have ideas and some shoots lined up all a matter of implementing them
4. Blog more, again lots of ideas just a matter of actually getting round to do them.
5. Work on the admin side of things, streamline templates be more organised.
6. Create a high end package with a second shooter who I have lined up but just (again) need to get round to tweaking and adding to the site.
7. Photograph more of everything, not just weddings
8. Buy more gear, I'd really like to upgrade next year to a 5D and I have total cravings for a tilt and shift (which I know is not needed at all for weddings)
9. Develop a more definite style, brand etc
10. Just be better!

I am wanting to finally get that WOW web site with all of my galleries updated.
Advertise and get moe business ( more than the 6 weddings I did last year )
I would like about 12-15 weddings this year.

Question::: Hoe do I get more business as far as advertising.. All of mine were form word of mouth, so advertising did me no good this year.. Any ideas?

Equipment: 70-200 F2.8 IS /

My dream would be for my full -time job, be my part time, and do photography 5 days a week.

Then new equipment / camera / would be second.

To get some clients that actually pay would be nice.

Would like to continue with more portrait work.
Start booking weddings.
Compile an album portfolio
Shoot sports events
Get on the books of my local newspapers for freelancing.
Apply myself more with pp
Upgrade equipment, i.e 40D, 17-55 2.8is, 580ex, 70-20 2.8is L, 10-22, 50mm 1.4, 100mm macro.
Win the lotto

I decided to participate in here seeing as the thread was renewed.

My plan was to start out in 2009 buuuuuuuuuut that has semi-changed.

Shoot 1 or 2 weddings in 2008
Before than practice, practice, practice.
Get some new equipment (new body 5D or 5D successor, 1 or 2 lenses)
Do some general photo work for friends
Shoot more bands -- I slacked off for the most part this year but it's a non-paying thing so that's why I'm planning the move into other paying avenues