PhotoChallenge.org

Today’s theme for the 2009 Challenge is LOW POINT OF VIEW.

You may need to get dirty for this one. Get on your belly, and shoot something from a very different angle. Get under a flower, and shoot up at it. Get below your young kid, and capture them with a fresh angle.

No matter what you shoot, it should be wonderfully new and fresh!

"Hostile Takeover", by Brian Auer

Once you’re ready to submit your work to Flickr, you’ve got to do two important things. First, make sure you tag your photos correctly; “2009challenge″. Also, if you haven’t already, join the PhotoChallenge group on Flickr. Then, submit each day’s photo to the group’s pool.

"Low point of view", by O Positive

"Low before I knew low", by i_shot_that

Popularity: 2% [?]

Today’s (January 6, 2009) theme for the 2009 Challenge is BREAD.

I’m not interesting in parsing words on this one. Many of us have a wide variety of breads in our lives. Some don’t even consume any bread at all. No worries, even if you don’t eat it, there are many people in your life who do.

"Citizen Cake Bread", by disneymike

Once you’re ready to submit your work to Flickr, you’ve got to do two important things. First, make sure you tag your photos correctly; “2009challenge″. Also, if you haven’t already, join the PhotoChallenge group on Flickr. Then, submit each day’s photo to the group’s pool.

"Homemade bread - Manual Labor 11/2008", by Jer Kunz

"Making the bread at Mancini's", by sduffy

Popularity: 4% [?]

Last year, I participated in the 2008 Challenge. It was a great experience, and I learned quite a bit from it. I have compiled the resulting photos into a video and written up some thoughts about the experience. In summary:

1. Planning is essential
2. Don’t wait until the last minute
3. Make the project public
4. Tag the photos and make a set

Trevor has graciously permitted me to link to the entire post on my blog.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Today’s (January 5, 2009) theme for the 2009 Challenge is WINDOW.

You can focus on the view out a window, or the window itself. You can capture a large number of windows, or just one special one. There are so many options in photographing a window. Give us a view of the reflection. Give us a nice color bounce. Do something new, and challenging!

We all have windows in our lives. Don’t forget that windows aren’t just on houses and buildings. You’ll find them many other places too.

"Windows of New York", by Thomas Hawk

Once you’re ready to submit your work to Flickr, you’ve got to do two important things. First, make sure you tag your photos correctly; “2009challenge″. Also, if you haven’t already, join the PhotoChallenge group on Flickr. Then, submit each day’s photo to the group’s pool.

"Glói doing some more thinking ...", by Dalla*

"Hey! Up here!", by Trevor Carpenter

Popularity: 5% [?]

Books come in all shapes and sizes. They can be colorful, plain, textured or smooth. Let’s see your interpretation of the theme Books for day 4 of the 2009 Challenge. Don’t forget to post your shot on your flickr or zooomr photostream and tag it with “2009challenge”.

"Books, books, books, books, books, books, and books." by kennymatic

"for the love of books" by Chocolate Geek

"Nothing like a good book..." by Sam Kelly

Popularity: 7% [?]

Today’s topic for the 2009 Challenge is pretty broad: Music

What does Music mean to you? How do you capture something that cannot be seen in a photograph? Shoot your interpretation of Music and upload it! Don’t forget to tag the photo with “2009challenge” when you upload it. Here are some examples to get you going. Now get out there and shoot!

"bandsman with sheet music" by florriebassingbourn

"John Peel Day" by Garrettc

"Psychedelic Furs, Plate 1" by Jeremy Brooks

Popularity: 9% [?]

It’s day 2 of the 2009 Challenge, and the topic today is PENS. Fountain pens, ball point pens, markers, promotional pens, you name it. It can be a photo of just a pen, or a photo with a pen in it. Here are some examples to get you inspired. Ready? Go!

"Art from both ends" by kreg.steppe

"let the writings begin" by t3mujin

"Crayola" by Thomas Hawk

"Seven Pens" by Jeremy Brooks

Popularity: 12% [?]

Well, with the 2009 Challenge now announced, I’m sure you’re getting ready to shoot daily, all year long.

Oh yeah, it’s gonna be great!

But, don’t forget about our bimonthly challenges. This year, we’re hitting the ground running. Right away, you’ll also need to plan on shooting once a day, for the January Challenge.

What will we be shooting? We’ll be shooting ourselves!

Since the 2009 Challenge is much like the standard 365 self-portrait projects, it only made sense to have you shoot yourself at least for a while. So, for the whole month of January, we’ll be taking a daily self-portrait.

I’m fine with the standard shot in the mirror, where we see you and your camera. However, you’re going to need to venture out and get a bit more creative eventually.

So, break out the tripod, and use your timer (if you don’t have a wireless or cable shutter release). Plan ahead and model for yourself. Pose yourself and look good, why don’t you! Get dressed up. Put on an odd costume. Ladies, put on some makeup. Get creative with some lighting. If you don’t have the ability to shoot with off-camera flash, then get a dramatic lamp, and use it, holding real still.

Oh, and ladies, those over popular shots of your legs, in knee-high, multicolor socks is getting old. Try something original!

A few important guidelines for you. Make sure you submit the photos on the same day that you shoot them. The goal here is to actually shoot and publish on the same day. Oh, and it had better be you in that photo, or else!

Once you’re ready to submit your work to Flickr, you’ve got to do two important things. First, make sure you tag your photos correctly; “januarychallenge2009″. Also, if you haven’t already, join the PhotoChallenge group, on Flickr. Then, submit each day’s photo to the group’s pool.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Have you seen those 365 day, self portrait photo projects? If you’re on Flickr, you probably have. You set out to take a self portrait of yourself, (that’s what a self portrait is), and shoot one every day, all year long.

I’m not so sure if I could pull it off. Oh, I could take my own photograph, that’s not the issue. The issue is whether or not I could shoot one everyday, all year long. I’d probably do well, until about March. Then, I’d tank.

However, there are some good things out of digging down and finding the endurance to remain committed to a project like that. I’d like to harness a project like this, and use it to our advantage. What? We’re going to do a similar Challenge, just with a twist!

This year, 2009, we’re going to be shooting one photo-a-day. Yup, you read that right! Not one a week, like the 2008 Challenge. Nope, we’re going to shoot one shot a day.

Now, let’s get one thing straight. I’m not sure if anyone of you will actually succeed at a fresh shot, every day. There may be a few, but I doubt it. Is that a negative attitude? Probably, but I don’t care. It’s just true.

HOWEVER, I want to let it be known; I don’t care if you jump (back) in the middle. Go ahead and take a break. Go ahead (those of you reading this several months from now) and join us, right where we’re at. No need to be worried, JUST START TAKING PHOTOS!

What are we going to shoot?

We’re going to be shooting a new topic each day. OMG! How will they do that?! You’ll just have to keep coming back too see.

Today, I’m announcing the first topic, for just January 1st, 2009.

Read all the way to the bottom, for it. Each day, you’ll need to return, and get your next challenge. Additionally, you can choose to submit your email and subscribe to getting an email each day, when we announce the topic for the day.

What are you waiting for? Get out there and shoot!

Oh yeah, you need a topic. Well, why don’t you go out and find us the best photo you can, of a chair. That’s it, a chair.

Also, when you post your photos, be sure to tag them with “2009challenge” so that we can find them.

Popularity: 38% [?]

Hi there! My name is Jeremy Brooks, and as Trevor mentioned, I will be joining the photochallenge.org blog staff.

First, a little about me. Professionally, I’m a senior software engineer. In my spare time, you can find me tinkering with microcontrollers, electronics, and gadgets of all sorts, and of course shooting and processing photographs. My photography is mostly urban, with a special focus on neon signs, both vintage and modern. I have lived in the San Francisco Bay area for the last 10 years.

I have been playing with cameras for as long as I can remember. My mother always had a camera with her (as evidenced by the massive collection of photo albums in her basement). I started shooting with an old 126 film camera, moved up to my parents 35mm cameras, and finally ended up with my own Vivitar 35mm SLR. This camera served me well for many years, and is still in my possession. In the early 1990’s I started shooting with a digital camera, and gradually got more interested in carrying a camera with me all the time. This led to the purchase of a Panasonic FX3 in 2006, a great little point and shoot which has since been replaced by a Canon XTi. In early 2007, I discovered the idea of photowalking and joined up with Thomas Hawk for a walk through Chinatown. I was hooked, and began shooting on a daily basis.

In 2007, I also discovered photochallenge.org. I wasn’t sure if I could keep up with the challenges, but decided to give the December 2007 challenge a try. This challenge was to take a portrait of a different person every day. Portrait photography was not something I was comfortable with, so this was an ideal way to challenge myself to try something different. It was difficult, but I ended up more comfortable with portrait photography, met some interesting people, and really enjoyed the experience.

Buoyed by the positive results of the December Challenge, I jumped on the 2008 Challenge, and completed it this week. The 2008 Challenge was particularly rewarding, as it inspired me to learn more about the city I live in, and I made some interesting discoveries.

I also participated in most of the bimonthly challenges during the year. The July Challenge was especially enjoyable, and I still find myself looking for interesting light fixtures to shoot.

Each challenge has been a great learning experience. Commiting to shoot something every day really makes you think about what you are shooting and makes you plan to get out and shoot every day. I encourage you to try it. Even if you miss a couple of days, you’ll still grow as a photographer from the experience.

I’m really looking forward to the coming year of challenges, and I am very excited to be joining Trevor here at photochallenge.org! There are some exciting and interesting challenges coming up in 2009, and we will be posting every day. We are also going to be using twitter to send updates and announcements. It’s going to be an exciting year! Plan now to join us!

Popularity: 17% [?]