As usual, we can’t really set goals without quick reflection on those set last year:
Review of 2025 goals
1/ Continue to improve my compositional skills – achieved ✔️
I think I’ve done this by not just thinking more carefully about composition but also by attending more workshops, experimenting with different compositions and setting varying crop ratios in-camera.
2/ Grab more quality wildlife images – not achieved ✖️
I don’t think I have achieved this, but I haven’t photographed much at all this year in terms of deliberately aiming for wildlife.
3/ More workshops with pro photographers – achieved ✔️
I achieved this by attending workshops with Justin Minns (Iceland) and Gill Moon (creative macro) but feel I cheated a little as I booked them before setting this goal.
4/ Improve my editing skills – partially achieved ⬆️
I have refined my editing approach by trying to tone down some elements of “over cooking”, particularly by not touching contrast or dehaze and using minimal clarity.
I’ve been using Nik Collection a lot more and combining all of this, I hope my image output quality has improved, or been more consistent.
I also learnt the basics of editing infrared images.
2026 Goals
1/ Shoot new locations
I would like to visit some new places to photograph.
2/ Continue to learn more editing skills
Make some progress with learning new editing techniques or PhotoShop.
3/ Shoot more ‘different’ images including infrared images
Continue to think about shooting different images, whether this be different compositions, ICM, multiple exposures, infrared, wide apertures, or out of focus / softer images.
4/ Photograph more wildlife
Increase my opportunities to capture wildlife images.
Final thoughts
I did OK with my goals for 2025 and worth noting that I had an image chosen to be on display at Norfolk Wildlife Trust’ Cley Nature Reserve, which must surely count as a worthy mention.
My 2026 goals are balanced and achievable.
There are loads more goals, but I reckon I need to retire to have any chance of moving them forward.
Onwards and upwards.