With only 18 days left before we leave for Maui to attend the Maui Photo Festival, I still have a ton of things to do to get ready. Our Maui trips are typically relaxing, two week vacations spent relaxing, travelling around the island, and of course, taking lots of photos. This time, however, it’s more about business than pleasure, and I’m really excited about it.

Aside from finalizing the travel arrangements, which are starting to get creative, here’s a short list of things I still want/need to do before we takeoff for Maui.

• Shop around for a new tripod. Something sturdy, lightweight, and with a ball head top
• Finalize the photo selection for my portfolio, finish editing and order the prints. So far, I have about 12 photos, but could easily reach 50 if I’m too indecisive
• Order more business cards from moo.com. I had some made up earlier in the summer, which were awesome. That was before I launched Maui by Photo, though, and didn’t have any contact info on them.
• While at moo.com, test out those cute MiniCards, which seem like a neat way to promote the Maui by Photo site
• Decide on which classes I want to take at the festival. More than a few that fit what I’m after.
• Schedule the excursions at the festival, namely that doors-off helicopter tour.
• Add a Maui portfolio section here at the site, other than just the Viewfinder page.

That’s a pretty big list, and as daunting as it feels to type up, I’m sure there’s still a few things I’ve left off. I’m not too stressed out about it, though.

First of all, it’s Maui, so it’s going to be great no matter what. Secondly, we’re heading to the island 3 days before the festival starts, so we’ll have that time to ourselves and to take in a few sites on Maui that we haven’t gotten to yet. Yes, after 4 trips (and a total of 50 days) visiting Maui, there are still many, many things we have left to experience.

To put the ultimate end to what’s going to be a great learning experience for me, the day we leave, September 20th, is our wedding anniversary. We spent our anniversary on Maui two years ago, and getting to spend it there again is going to be lovely. And we won’t be alone, either, as we’re planning a little get together with some of my Maui friends on Twitter, and there’s a good chance that list is going to get a little longer after networking with other Maui photographers.

As fast as this is all coming together, I imagine the festival itself is going to come and go in the blink of an eye. When it’s all over, I’m sure I’m going to not only know more as a photographer, but also have such a great experience to look back on.

But that’s for afterwards. Now it’s all about just the preparation and actually getting there. More to come, for sure.