I’m trying to be more serious about photography this year. Not that I want to be a professional photographer but I want to take it up as an artistic hobby. It will get me out of the house and give me something to do. I found my interest in photography piqued when I visited Japan in 2018 and 2019 and decided to pick it up as a hobby shortly after. However, I often find myself putting my camera down for large periods. That’s why I am once again trying to take part in a 52-week photo challenge.
My history with photography challenges
I’ve tried to do photo challenges in the past but I always fall off the wagon. In a way, I’m treating this year’s photo challenge as my new year’s resolution.
There are tons of 52-week challenges out there. The first one I explored years ago was the Dogwood Photo Challenge. This year, I found one posted to Reddit run by Chelsea London. London’s 52-week photo challenge is in its fifth iteration. What I like about this year’s challenge is they modified it based on previous years’ feedback. Instead of one challenge per week. They provide several prompts and give you a month to get your submission in. So in reality, it’s a monthly photo challenge.
Here is an example of this month’s prompts:
January: Setting Goals
Each year we start out by considering why we’re participating in this project. Whether personal or professional, identifying goals makes the following year more meaningful and intentional. For this month, the prompts are all focused on helping you to identify how to make the most out of the project.
- Past experiences with photography. Every participant comes to this challenge at a different stage in their photographic journey. Show us where you are – in whatever manner you prefer.
- Another hobby or passion. One of the best ways to get good at photography is to join it with something else you’re passionate about. Use your other hobbies as inspiration for this photo.
- Artistic fears. A huge hurdle to get over is identifying what scares you about your art. Take this as an opportunity to face one of those fears.
- A main photographic goal for the year. What do you hope to get out of this challenge? Make a photo that illustrates what you hope to achieve photographically in 2023.
Conclusion
While my blog tends to focus on libraries and teaching, I do like to sprinkle in my personal interests as well. With each month’s challenge, I will create a post containing my submission to the photo challenge. My plan is to also reflect on the prompts and what went into my photograph to document any artistic decisions I made along the way.