I’m not really admiring my work, it’s more of my work related activities.
On 08/06/2023 I updated Goals page to get it up to 2023. Until that date, I had not made any mention or update to the page to reflect my goals for this year. In the update, I mention that for this year I will not be setting any goals.
I’m not doing that because I don’t have goals, but because my personal life is getting in the way of me doing the things I love the most, photography being at the top of the list. It is sad to have such a realization and I hope that the things that are stopping me from actually doing more photography will finish in the next few months.
Looking at the previous three years, of two of those years I realized that I had Night Sky Composition on there, 2021 and 2022. To be fair, I did get a beautiful lens that would help me with that goal and have been trying to execute it ever since. But Night Sky Composition in Melbourne is difficult due to the light pollution at night and any of such photography requires a weekend away, or at least an overnight stay. I do love an overnight stay for a night sky photography. I can take out a picnic blanket, sit to watch the stars, take photos and drink a glass or two of red wine in the (cold) open field.
That also means: spending money on accommodation and relying on good weather. The “best time” for Night Sky/Astro photography is in winter due to the length of the nights. Early sunsets give way to early stars and early photography (I’m an early bird and get sleepy very early in the evening). But Winter also has its drawbacks: it is a cloudy and rainy season in Victoria. Those are the two things that really stop any Night Sky photography from being executed.
Spending money is a big issue at the moment. With the interest rates going up and the high inflation we have been facing in Australia, this puts a big strain on my ability to spend money. I’m currently stretched thin on my finances due to an issue that is beyond my control at the moment. Once my situation changes (and this is the few months I’m hoping for) things will be different and these sort of weekend getaways for photography will start happening again. Maybe even with my friend Stephen, who I went to do my first sunrise/sunset landscape photography with. He went with me to Phillip Island with me back in 2021 and we took photos of the Pinnacles and Point Tenby.
Until my finances get back in place, my photography goals and achievements will be very restricted.