Hey Ya'll! How's it going this week? Me? Great! Thanks for asking. Well it's 2025 and a new year is upon us and it's time for resolutions right? Don't know if I've formally done this before, I know I've stated upcoming projects and the such but not really resolutions . So this year I'm going to make a couple and one big one! As you know I have been dabbling with photography for many years and decades. (since the mid 1970's) This will be the first photography related resolution that I make and I'll try not to break them. So let's get on with the resolutions.

Finish Projects. My first resolution is to finish projects that I have set for myself. Mainly my Small Towns Project that I started last year and didn't finish. I also want to complete my Medium Format Film project. I discuss this project in a future blog so I won't go into detail with it. I also have my continuing Posting 365 day project where I post to Instagram each day. I'll leave a link below for you to follow my progress if you want. Dedication and planning will be the key to finishing these projects and with doing so I hope to become a better and more rounded photographer.

NO NEW GEAR! Yes I said it. No new camera gear for 2025! This will be very hard to keep as I am a gear hound with lots of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I have great gear and really don't need anymore, although I do have a lens I've had an eye on! LOL But I'm going to resist because I cover the focal length with lenses I already have. This past year I purchased a lot of gear from lenses to film cameras. Yes that was plural quite a few film cameras. Although they weren't as expensive as one digital camera there was quite a few. So many I'm having trouble picking which one I want to use every day. Hopefully my medium format project will keep me in focus with one film
camera. Maybe? Now it doesn't mean I won't buy stuff that is camera related. Like film or accessories for cameras but no more bodies or lenses. Of course if I come upon a killer , can't pass it up, once in a lifetime deal I will jump. But they hardly ever show up. The money that I spent on camera's and lenses I'll try to spend on trips and adventures instead. Still photography related but not gear. Yes this will be hard for me to control myself. I order so much stuff my wife periodically ask me what I have ordered. LOL She asked me the other day and I didn't have anything ordered . A first! LOL

Fine Art Black and White film Photography. This year I want to work hard on making really great Black and White film photographs. From the metering to the final scan into my computer. I want to perfect the process. I shoot color and process color film too but I do that pretty well but the timeless look of Black and White and shapes and tones that the medium shows I think is stunning. So you will start to see much more Monochrome photo's from me in the future. We have a guy in our club who is new to photography but his Black and Whites are stunning and I wan't to do the same with film as he does with digital. I also want to become proficient in the Zone System of metering which was created by Ansel Adams.  I've already started studying and trying to learn the system. Maybe there will be a blog on this but I must get much better and proficient than I am now before I can talk about it.

Well those are my New Years Photography Resolutions. What's yours? Have you started a Photography Project for the new year? I think they are great and a lot easier than trying to loose weight or to stop smoking. Let me know what kind of photography resolutions you come up with. Until next week Get Out and Shoot! 

Hey if you want to check out my photography go to my instagram account Max Stansell Photography there are over 2000 post there. Here is the link

 Max Stansell Photography Instagram Link