I hope you’ve all had a safe and happy holiday season, and taken many awesome photos 😊
It’s time for a brand new list of Capture52 themes and our first prompt for 2022…
Week 1 (1 Jan - 7 Jan) Self-portrait
Introduce yourself. Who are you? What drives you? Extra challenge: Tell your story without including yourself in the image. No cheap selfies or snapchat filters!! Really put some thought into it.
Tags for this week: 52wc-2022-w1 (for here on 365), and #Capture52 or #Capture52week1 for social media.
If you’re new around these here parts (welcome!), this challenge has been going on in various guises on 365 since around 2016. A theme is posted weekly, and it’s up to you to respond to it however you like. There’s no judging and no winner, it’s just an excellent way to get inspired, challenge yourself, learn new techniques and think outside the box with your photography.
Where did it all start? It started off as the 52 Week Challenge, or the Dogwood Challenge, originally devised by Dale Foshe of Dogwood Photography. In 2019, Dale stepped back and two members of the Dogwood community, Justine Solomano and Alison Crea, reinvented it as the Capture52 Challenge.
I requested permission for us to follow the challenge here on 365, and Justine and Alison very kindly said they were happy for us to do so. All of the theme prompts that you’ll see in the list below are taken directly from their list, which is available at the Facebook group - Capture52 Facebook Group
If you’re on Facebook, do join the group – it’s a very friendly, supportive and positive group catering for all skill levels, I highly recommend it.
You can also check out Justine and Alison’s photography here:
The full list for 2022 is below – I hope you’ll join us for another year!
If you'd like to be tagged in the weekly theme prompts - please comment below and I'll add you to the list.
Week 1 (1 Jan - 7 Jan) Self-portrait
Introduce yourself. Who are you? What drives you? Extra challenge: Tell your story without including yourself in the image. No cheap selfies or snapchat filters!! Really put some thought into it.
Week 2 (8 Jan - 14 Jan) Street Photography
Here’s an opportunity to get out and about and try some street photography. Capture an intriguing candid moment on the street of your local neighbourhood.
Week 3 (15 Jan - 21 Jan) Landscape
Channel the great painters of the past by capturing rolling hills, oceanic views or intricate cityscapes.
Week 4 (22 Jan - 28 Jan) Learn something new
This week we want you to capture an image using settings on your camera that you don’t normally use. High ISO, slow shutter speed, aperture wide open. It’s up to you.
Week 5 (29 Jan - 4 Feb) Sepia
Let’s get nostalgic this week, capture an image using sepia tones.
Week 6 (5 Feb - 11 Feb) Red
Red is the colour of drama and intrigue. Find something red to photograph this week.
Week 7 (12 Feb - 18 Feb) Coffee
Use coffee in your photo this week.
Week 8 (19 Feb - 25 Feb) Leading Lines
Capture an image with strong leading lines, however you can’t use train tracks, roads or paths. Be creative and think outside the box.
Week 9 (26 Feb - 4 Mar) Animal Photography
Pets, local wildlife, or bugs in your garden, tell the story of a living animal with animal photography.
Week 10 (5 Mar - 11 Mar) Ordinary
This week we challenge you to tell the extraordinary story of something ordinary.
Week 11 (12 Mar - 18 Mar) Chocolate
We all love chocolate, resist the temptation to eat it and create a chocolate themed image this week
Week 12 (19 Mar - 25 Mar) Tools
We all have them, we all use them. Photograph them!
Week 13 (26 Mar – 1 April) Something you made
We all make things whether it be a cup of coffee, a meal or an elaborate art/craftwork. Show us what you made. No photo’s of your kids. Yes you made them, but think of something else.
Week 14 (2 April - 8 April) Close up/macro
You don’t need a macro lens to get up close. Free choice of subject
Week 15 (9 April - 15 April) Orange
It’s an uninspiring colour. Prove me wrong.
Week 16 (16 April - 22 April) Tell a story
This week your challenge is to capture a compelling image that tells a story
Week 17 (23 April - 29 April) Odd
Use this as your inspiration this week and show us something odd
Week 18 (30 April- 6 May) Pictures in pictures
Interpret as you like.
Week 19 (7 May - 13 May) Photographers Choice
This week you have free rein to show us what you do best.
Week 20 (14 May - 20 May) Opposites
We like to look at photographs of opposites because they are objects that we don't expect to see together. Opposites give us visual contrast, and when two objects contrast in a big way, they give your viewer something to think about.
Week 21 (21 May- 27 May) Bokeh
Bokeh is both popular and easy to create. Make it the star of the image you capture this week.
Week 22 (28 May - 3 Jun) Pretty
Capture something pleasing to the eye.
Week 23 (4 Jun - 10 Jun) Glass
While using backlighting is the easiest way to photograph glass, it may 'flatten' the glass objects. Try side lighting…Google is your friend
Week 24 (11 Jun - 17 Jun) Umbrella/s
Your photo this week must include an umbrella
Week 25 (18 Jun – 24 Jun) Reflections
Utilise reflections in a mirror, glass or water to create a compelling image.
Week 26 (25 Jun - 1 Jul) Minimalism
Less is most definitely more this week.
Week 27 (2 Jul - 8 Jul) Negative Space
Use the negative space in your image to tell a story
Week 28 (9 Jul - 15 Jul) Perspective
This week your challenge is to capture your subject from a different perspective. Get up high, or down low, choose an unusual lens and get creative.
Week 29 (16 Jul - 22 Jul) Product photography
Take a photo of a product that could be magazine worthy!!
Week 30 (23 Jul - 29 Jul) Details
The devil, as they say, is in the details. this week your aim to to capture the fine details to make your subject jump off the screen.
Week 31 (30 Jul - 5 Aug) Nature
Get back to nature, in anyway you like.
Week 32 (6 Aug - 12 Aug) X Marks The Spot
This is your inspiration this week….think outside the box
Week 33 (13 Aug - 19 Aug) Long exposure
Capture an image using an exposure time of at least 1 second.
Week 34 (20 Aug - 26 Aug) Action
Capture an image full of action this week. You can use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion or a slow shutter speed to blur the action.
Week 35 (27 Aug – 2 Sept) Squares
Give us squares
Week 36 (3 Sept - 9 Sept) Seasons
It’s Spring or Autumn/Fall depending on where you live. Show us the best (or worst) this season has to offer.
Week 37 (10 Sept - 16 Sept) Patriotic
Show us your love of your country in your image this week. Flags and icons are the obvious choice, but try going deeper with a compelling image that speaks to what you love most.
Week 38 (17 Sept - 23 Sept) Distorted
Use one of various techniques to make your photo look distorted eg. through patterned glass, lens ball, fabric, Vaseline, refraction etc. The options are endless
Week 39 (24 Sept - 30 Sept) Celebrations
Christmas, Easter, wedding, wedding anniversary, birthday, baptism etc etc. Show us how you celebrate!
Week 40 (1 Oct - 7 Oct) Fabric/textiles
From the clothes we wear to a simple macro photo of your woollen jumper. Photograph fabrics/textiles
Week 41 (8 Oct - 14 Oct) Imperfections
A fault, blemish or undesirable feature. Capture the imperfections of your subject this week.
Week 42 (15 Oct - 21 Oct) Panorama
This week we want to see your subject framed within a wide field of view. You can stitch together a number of images or use the panorama setting on your camera or phone.
Week 43 (22 Oct – 28 Oct) Faceless Portrait
So many creative options. Those of you that actually like selfies may like to take one but do not show your face.
Week 44 (29 Oct - 4 Nov) Horror
Create an image that invokes feelings of fear, dread, repulsion, and terror. Scare our pants off!!!
Week 45 (5 Nov - 11 Nov) Retro
Retro photography refers to images that provide an aesthetic or feel from the past. Give us something Retro!!
Week 46 (12 Nov - 18 Nov) A pair of…
Could be socks, shoes or simply 2 of anything
Week 47 (19 Nov - 25 Nov) Background
The background can make or break an image. This week we want you to really think about how the background can enhance your image.
Week 48 (26 Nov - 2 Dec) Eyes
They’re the window to the soul, they have it. You can bat them, blacken them, catch them, give them or be the apple of them. Now capture them.
Week 49 (3 Dec - 9 Dec) Potato
Use a potato in your photo this week. Try to be creative.
Week 50 (10 Dec - 16 Dec) Black and White
Look for contrasting light and shadows, interesting patterns, shapes, and/or textures to make your image pop.
Week 51 (17 Dec - 23 Dec) Lights
Make lights feature in your image this week.
Week 52 (24 Dec - 31 Dec) Best of all
Take a photo this week that combines as many of this year’s themes as you like (minimum of 3). Don’t forget to tell us what they are.
All the best for 2022 Mel!
Thanks for keeping this challenge alive on 365. I'm keen to do it again. I managed to complete the 2021 challenge although not 100% in order.
Happy New Year, Mel!
Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022 and many thanks for your faithful posting every week of this great challenge.
I fell off dramatically last year but resolve to do better this time around!
Thanks Mel for this notice. I am going to participate this year as I think it's a great way to get juices flowing, and I like having a week to mull over the prompt.
I appreciate your efforts!
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Thanks for keeping this challenge alive on 365. I'm keen to do it again. I managed to complete the 2021 challenge although not 100% in order.
Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022 and many thanks for your faithful posting every week of this great challenge.
I fell off dramatically last year but resolve to do better this time around!
I've now added you to the list @njmom3 @deekjames @eleheys @yorkshirekiwi @2022julieg @ggshearron @tapucc10 @timspin1986 @jmphoto @sschertenleib @anniebaix @jeneurell @katiebaptist @sousasarie84 - I'll be posting themes on Fridays this year, so look out for the notification!
I appreciate your efforts!