2010 Wrap-up and 2011 Resolutions

So as 2010 comes to a close, I thought I would write down some of the highlights and low points from 2010 as it relates to my personal life as well as my photographic life. This is a quick entry that I am writing from my iPad on the new Squarespace iPad app, so I apologize for any weird spelling mistakes.

2010 started off on a very low note for me, as I lost my mother to cancer. The 7 months leading up to late January were difficult and painful, and the 11 months since her death have been even more challenging. My mom’s passing away made me realize that I am getting older, and that many of my personal and professional goals are still hanging over my head. So here are some random thoughts on 2010 highlights, as well as 2011 and beyond goals.

Betty Biggs (1941-2010) and Christian Biggs, 2008

2010 Safari experiences

I spent about 12 weeks out on safari this year, split between Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa. 15,000 raw files and 120,000 frequent flier miles later, I think I came home with some images that I am quite happy with. I tend to ignore the processing of my raw files until many months after returning from a trip, and 2010 was no exception. I can probably say that 2010 was one of my most productive years to-date, even though I screwed up on my February Tanzania safari with my 6x24cm panorama camera. Stupid me. I didn t have any other major equipment failures or mess-ups, so that was a good thing. Some safari destinations visited: Okavango Delta (Botswana), Linyanti concession (Botswana), Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania), Tarangire National Park (Tanzania), Lake Manyara National Park (Tanzania), Tuli Block (Botswana), Mala Mala (South Africa), Exeter (Sabi Sands, South Africa), Tswalu Kalahari (South Africa), Madikwe (South Africa). Leslie joined me in South Africa this year, and this was the first time she has been on safari with me since 2004. That was the absolute highlight of my year, as Leslie got to see what I have been up to and how my running of safaris has changed in the past 6 years. Gosh, so much has happened since 2002, which is when I started my safari business. Maybe I will do a blog post on my most favorite wildlife experiences to-date.

Other workshops and trips

I spent time in Santa Fe, Moab and the Galapagos Islands, and loved every second of each of those workshops. I think 2011 will have similar workshops, and I already have the Galapagos Islands trip on the books with only 2 cabins left if you are interested in joining. The trip will be led by Randy Hanna this time around. I also found myself in Vietnam for Gura Gear related business, and I am sure I will be back in 2011.

2011 Resolutions

Love my family and show it every second of the day

This seems obvious, but we all need to tell our loved ones through actions and words that we love them and that we want them near us. With my travels, this is even more important for me to get my nose out of my computer when I am at home. My office/studio is about 1 mile from the house, so my commute is very easy. I rarely get to the office before 9am, and I am usually at home by 5:30. This allows me to spend time with Leslie, Christian and Will for breakfast, as well as dinner. I also get bathtime duty, which is a free-for-all splashfest and also filled with smiles and laughter.

Get better organized

I need better filing systems, as well as ways to manage my image archive and related backups. I think I have the technology in place, but I need to be better disciplined about how I store things and how often my backups are executed. I also need to keep the office clean, as it always look like a pit. Too many Gura Gear prototype bags, too many inkjet paper boxes, and too many other things junk the place up.

Web site

I need to update my web site, and I think I am going to re-build the site around Photoshelter and Wordpress. This is a huge item for 2011, and will take some time to get nailed down. Oh, and guragear.com also needs a refresh.

I also need to update my Photoshelter archive from scratch with new keywords. Oh, and submit more images to the Library of Congress for copyright protection.

Blog blog blog blah blah blah

Ok, more informative and helpful blog posts. I know, I know. I don t find writing blog posts or tweets to be very fulfilling and it probably shows. My apologies. I have so many things that take up my time and these types of activities need to take a front seat. 2011 will be better, and my goal is to have a meaningful blog post each week. That s 52 of them, plus any other filler type posts like my Photo of the Day type entries.