Resolutions for the New Year

As the year winds down and everyone begins looking forward to the new year, we asked a few of our Nikon Ambassadors to weigh in on what they’re planning for the upcoming year. Work will bring travel for many, with globe-trotting being the norm again for some. Of course there will be plenty of tradeshows, conventions and workshops to attend—Viva Las Vegas—but other destinations range from lots of local parks, beaches, wetlands and mountains and other hidden gems, from North Carolina to Tennessee, Philadelphia to Dallas, Miami to California, Seattle to Maine, Yellowstone National Park and the Rockies, the UK and Ireland to France and Italy, from Japan to Vietnam, Kenya to Tanzania, Botswana to Namibia, Zimbabwe to South Africa, Guinea to Tonga and Moorea, Iceland to Patagonia and Antarctica, Mexico to Cuba and the Amazon…

And with the new year, many have work or personal project related resolutions. We thought we’d share some of what they told us.

Joey Terrill, known for his many macro images that make you put on your thinking cap to figure out what the subject is, will be taking his water and oil droplet series into motion. Experimenting with liquid in motion—with short and long exposures is a personal project he’s looking forward to working on. He says, “It'll be a really fun challenge that blends technique, technology, and patience!” And, he’ll be producing more instructional videos to share online. “I love seeing other photographers grow and succeed, and sharing some quick ideas and techniques is a great way to connect with photographers around the world,” he adds.

Deborah Sandidge plans on investing more time during the peak spring birding season in order to diversify her subjects; in addition to including more outdoor/natural audio in her videos and diving under the sea to create more imagery using her camera and underwater housing.

Todd Owyoung explains that his New Year’s Resolution with regards to his work is to never be complacent. “It's easy to settle into a groove, but I always want to feel like I'm seeing in new ways and approaching even expected subjects in new ways,” he adds.

Corey Rich told us, “I’m planning on keeping my Z6III with me every day of 2025 and making a minimum of an image a day that feels fresh and requires me to push my creativity.”

Vincent Versace is taking the one shot a day to the next level, planning on shooting and post-processing one image every day in addition to the various gigs he’s going to be doing. As he put it, “For no other reason to see the world around me that I may just walk by.”

Malike Sidibe says he’ll be busy in the next year, “expanding my Pop-up Portrait booth project into a fun space for creatives to connect and network.”

While Mike Mezeul II explains: “I really want to focus on storytelling and introducing more video to my work.”

Joe McNally says he’s realized he tends to overshoot a bit—with digital, don’t we all—so he’s planning to “curtail that and get back to my wire service/newspaper roots and shoot more economically, more to the point.” He’s also tossing around ideas for personal projects in the new year. “I always do personal work, in the background, and will do so again. I’m a big believer in feeding my eye. I don’t like to leave the cameras sleep in the locker for too long, so I will actively seek subject matter that will hopefully break some ground for me, personally,” he says.

D'Ann Boal is going to delve into more videography in 2025. “I'm super excited to utilize the Z6III for this.  It's relatively small, so the perfect size for my gimbal, and I'm so excited to bring some movement into my work,” she says. She told us she plans to experiment with the RED LUTs too.  

Dixie Dixon has a number of items on her to-do-list for the new year including creating one new personal project a month that’s focusing on her fine-art, updating her website and organizing her office and focusing on creating more video and motion content. “I absolutely love directing video so this will be a huge focus in 2025,” she adds.

Jerry Ghionis has a few plans for the new year, including a continuation of a project photographing performers with the intention of publishing a book. He adds: “I want to be more consistent in sharing my work and inspiration on social media; and I want to continue to expand my knowledge in filmmaking.” We’re seeing a theme here.

Ben and Natasha Davis plan on dedicating more time to passion projects and pushing the boundaries of their craft, “We plan to incorporate more 8K workflows into our projects, truly testing the capabilities of the Nikon Z8 and Z6III—and ourselves!” The couple are also looking to mentor filmmakers with regards to both business acumen and the art of creating emotional resonance through imagery.

Sharrone Calafiore says that if she can find the time between jobs, she’d like to do a passion project, something fun that can really challenge her creativity.

Gilmar Smith explains that she uses the time just before tradeshow season kicks in to recharge creatively and experiment with new ideas and techniques, whether it’s playing with lighting, diving into storytelling, or trying out something completely unconventional. “It’s also when I tackle the behind-the-scenes work that sets the tone for my year: updating my website, refining my portfolio, revisiting pricing, and mapping out a strategy to land the dream clients I want to work with,” she adds.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, Gilmar says she’s got a big one for 2025: “Finally turning that little switch on my camera from photo to video. I’m almost embarrassed to admit that despite having the best gear on the market, I haven’t fully embraced video yet. But I can feel this growing curiosity and demand from my clients to explore motion and create dynamic video content. So, that’s my number one goal for 2025: to dive headfirst into the video world. And guess what? I’m dragging all of you with me! If you’re a photographer who’s been hesitating to dip your toes into video, let’s jump in together. It’s time we push ourselves to explore new creative avenues and see where this journey takes us.”

What a great way to kick off 2025!