The MZM 2018 Photography Challenge
Happy 2018! What better way to kick off a new year than with a Photo challenge? On my Facebook page I will be announcing on Tuesday's what the weekly challenge is. On Wednesday's I will be posting my own response to it and looking for all of your guys' responses too, possibly re-posting them as well! Besides being posted on Social Media, as well as on a page on my Blog (If you look on the right hand side of the page you will see it on top), I will be posting it below as well:
WEEK 1 Story: Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is the first compositional rule most photographers learn; but most don't know why they learn it. The rule of thirds is amazing for telling a story. Tell a story using rule of thirds.
WEEK 2 Technical: SOOC
Straight out of the Camera. No Photoshop. Shoot a compelling image and post it without edits. No cheating! (Be sure and save the image file for the end of the challenge!)
WEEK 3 Artistic: Land
Your inspiration this week is land. This could be a landscape, or an image inspired by the land in some way.
WEEK 4 Story: Mirror
Tell a story using a mirror.
WEEK 5 Technical: Ten Shots
Shoot 10 shots of the same subject. Each shot should be from a different angle, distance, and focal length. Share your favorite image from the set.
WEEK 6 Artistic: Candy
Your artistic inspiration this week is candy. Since this is the advanced challenge... you can't actually use candy in the scene.
WEEK 7 Story: Forgotten
For the advanced challenge tell the story of something forgotten.
WEEK 8 Technical: One Shot
Imagine that it is the last frame on a roll of film, and you have to nail it. For this challenge only take one shot. No deleting, no 2nd shot. The honor system is in play.
WEEK 9 Artistic: Still Life
Your inspiration this week is Still Life. A couple of pieces of fruit on a table won't impress in the advanced challenge though... so really be creative.
WEEK 10 Story: Perspective
Perspective for the purpose of this challenge is the relationship of objects in the scene. If you really want a challenge this is a good chance to use forced perspective.
WEEK 11 Technical: Split Tone
Split Tone is an editing technique where the shadows are toned one color, and the highlights a second color. Split toning is often used with color grading in the media to give a scene a desired look and feel.
WEEK 12 Artistic: Orange
Your inspiration this week is orange. Either the color orange or an actual orange. Or both.
WEEK 13 Story: Golden Hour
The golden hour is the hour before sunset or after sunrise when the sun casts amazing golden tones. Find a way to use the golden hour to tell a story.
WEEK 14 Technical: Panning
Use the technique of panning to capture a subject in movement. Panning is using a slower shutter speed while following the subject with the camera to create the sense of movement in an image.
WEEK 15 Artistic: Hard
Your artistic inspiration this week is hard. Hard is both an adjective and an adverb. Interpret this how you wish.
WEEK 16 Story: Leading Lines
Leading Lines are a very important compositional element that every photographer needs to master. Use leading lines to tell a story. No train tracks.
WEEK 17 Technical: Loop Lighting
Loop lighting is one of the most used portrait lighting techniques. Shoot a portrait using loop lighting. If you don't have an off camera flash setup, get creative with how you light your subject.
WEEK 18 Artistic: Purple
Your inspiration this week is purple. Purple is the color of royalty, magic, and mystery.
WEEK 19 Story: Back Yard
Tell the story of your immediate surroundings. Give us a glimpse into your daily life.
WEEK 20 Technical: Sky Overlay
Sometimes the sky just doesn't cooperate. This week replace the sky in your image. If you need a sky to use in the replacement, search flickr.com for an image to use under Creative Commons Licensing.
WEEK 21 Artistic: Soft
Your artistic inspiration this week is soft. Just like hard earlier in the challenge, soft is both and adjective and an adverb. Interpret this how you will.
WEEK 22 Story: Geometric Shapes
Triangles, squares, and circles. They are all very strong compositional elements in an image. Find a way to use geometric shapes in your storytelling.
WEEK 23 Technical: F/8 Portrait
Shoot a portrait using an aperture setting of F/8. Since this is the advanced challenge, be sure to find a way to isolate your subject other than shallow depth of field.
WEEK 24 Artistic: Green
Your inspiration this week is green. Green is the color of life, nature, and hope.
WEEK 25 Story: Toy Story
Not the movie! Tell a story with toys or about toys. (Kind of like the movie...)
WEEK 26 Technical: Light Painting
Put your camera on a tripod at night, open the shutter for 30 seconds, and paint your subject with light. Flashlights, LED strips, and even laser pointers work great.
WEEK 27 Artistic: Communication
Your inspiration this week is communication. We live in the age of endless communication, so there is inspiration everywhere.
WEEK 28 Story: Portrait as Landscape
Shoot a portrait that is posing as a landscape. Tell a story of the subject using the landscape around them. Fool the viewer.
WEEK 29 Technical: Water Drop
Photographing a water drop is a mix of lighting, macro, and patience. There are plenty of ways to pull this off, enjoy figuring it out!
WEEK 30 Artistic: Family
This time use family as your inspiration. Since this is the advanced challenge no people can be in the image.
WEEK 31 Story: Frame Within a Frame
Another classic compositional tool is to frame the subject within the frame of the image. Use this technique this week to tell your story.
WEEK 32 Technical: HDR
HDR is the technique of combining several photos of the same scene but shot at different exposures to create an image with a High Dynamic Range.
WEEK 33 Artistic: High Key
Last time it was a portrait; this time it is back as inspiration.
WEEK 34 Story: Stranger
Tell the story of a stranger. Try using their environment to really inform the viewer of their story.
WEEK 35 Technical: Stitched Panorama
A stitched panorama is an image made up of several smaller images stitched together during editing. For an added challenge try using the Brenizer Method.
WEEK 36 Artistic: Low Key
Low Key is the opposite of High Key. Shoot an image where most of the tonal range is on left side of the histogram.
WEEK 37 Story: Balance
Balance is the compositional technique of giving each area in a scene equal visual weight. You can achieve balance using color, tone, or juxtaposed subjects.
WEEK 38 Technical: 50mm
Learn to sneaker zoom! Shoot an image using only the 50mm Focal Length. Either use a fixed 50mm lens or set your zoom lens to 50mm. Since this is the advanced challenge make sure the image is compelling.
WEEK 39 Art: Water
Your inspiration this week is water. Interpret this how you will.
WEEK 40 Story: Colorful B & W
Tell the story of a colorful scene. Because this is the advanced challenge, no flowers. Do it in Black and White.
WEEK 41 Technical: Levitation
Levitation is part camera trick and part photoshop. Create an interesting levitation image this week.
WEEK 42 Artistic: Music
Your inspiration this week is music. This is wide open so have fun with it.
WEEK 43 Story: Movement
Capturing and creating movement in a still photo is a challenge for every photographer. Use movement this week to tell a story.
WEEK 44 Technical: Magic ND Filter
Use an ND filter combined with a shutter speed of 30 seconds or even longer to create your image. Try a waterscape or even a busy landmark to see the magic happen.
WEEK 45 Artistic: Cold
Your inspiration this week is cold. Interpret this how you want.
WEEK 46 Story: Landscape Foreground
Many stories are based around portraits, but landscapes can have stories also. Tell the story of a landscape by using the foreground as the subject and the background as the scene.
WEEK 47 Technical: Shaped Bokeh
This year take it a step further and create a scene using shaped bokeh.
WEEK 48 Artistic: Bodyscape
The human form has been the study of art since art was first inspired. Your inspiration this week is the human body.
WEEK 49 Story: Blue Hour
The Blue Hour is the hour after sunset or the hour before sunrise when the sky is dominated by amazing blue and purple hues. Use this to tell your story this week.
WEEK 50 Technical: Full Edit
Use the SOOC shot from the beginning of the challenge and re-edit it to it's full glory. If that shot isn't available feel free to re-edit any of your past work.
WEEK 51 Artistic: Fear
Fear is your inspiration this week. Find a way to show fear in a way that your viewer feels it.
WEEK 52 Story: Your Story
Tell your story.
RECAP WEEK....Post your favorite you took or someone took!
Here is a breakdown of the three different types of Photos we will be taking:
Story Telling: Good photographers can take beautiful images of something. Great photographers can take an image that tells its story. This category makes use of compositional rules and directed prompts to push you towards not just looking at the beauty of something, but to find a way to tell that something’s story.
Technical: Technical Aptitude is just as important as creative inspiration in photography. With that in mind this category is a mix of in camera and post processing techniques designed to expose you to new technical skills and techniques.
Artistic Impression: When this category comes up, you really have room to express yourself. You can interpret the assignment literally or figuratively. Unlike the other two categories that are more focused, the idea of this category is to let your creativity shine.
Sorry for the long blog post, but I am super excited for this year and the photos that are coming!
Email Me - Phone: 1(657) 246-2298 - Website - Portfolio - FB - Twitter - IG - Pinterest - LinkedIn
WEEK 1 Story: Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is the first compositional rule most photographers learn; but most don't know why they learn it. The rule of thirds is amazing for telling a story. Tell a story using rule of thirds.
WEEK 2 Technical: SOOC
Straight out of the Camera. No Photoshop. Shoot a compelling image and post it without edits. No cheating! (Be sure and save the image file for the end of the challenge!)
WEEK 3 Artistic: Land
Your inspiration this week is land. This could be a landscape, or an image inspired by the land in some way.
WEEK 4 Story: Mirror
Tell a story using a mirror.
WEEK 5 Technical: Ten Shots
Shoot 10 shots of the same subject. Each shot should be from a different angle, distance, and focal length. Share your favorite image from the set.
WEEK 6 Artistic: Candy
Your artistic inspiration this week is candy. Since this is the advanced challenge... you can't actually use candy in the scene.
WEEK 7 Story: Forgotten
For the advanced challenge tell the story of something forgotten.
WEEK 8 Technical: One Shot
Imagine that it is the last frame on a roll of film, and you have to nail it. For this challenge only take one shot. No deleting, no 2nd shot. The honor system is in play.
WEEK 9 Artistic: Still Life
Your inspiration this week is Still Life. A couple of pieces of fruit on a table won't impress in the advanced challenge though... so really be creative.
WEEK 10 Story: Perspective
Perspective for the purpose of this challenge is the relationship of objects in the scene. If you really want a challenge this is a good chance to use forced perspective.
WEEK 11 Technical: Split Tone
Split Tone is an editing technique where the shadows are toned one color, and the highlights a second color. Split toning is often used with color grading in the media to give a scene a desired look and feel.
WEEK 12 Artistic: Orange
Your inspiration this week is orange. Either the color orange or an actual orange. Or both.
WEEK 13 Story: Golden Hour
The golden hour is the hour before sunset or after sunrise when the sun casts amazing golden tones. Find a way to use the golden hour to tell a story.
WEEK 14 Technical: Panning
Use the technique of panning to capture a subject in movement. Panning is using a slower shutter speed while following the subject with the camera to create the sense of movement in an image.
WEEK 15 Artistic: Hard
Your artistic inspiration this week is hard. Hard is both an adjective and an adverb. Interpret this how you wish.
WEEK 16 Story: Leading Lines
Leading Lines are a very important compositional element that every photographer needs to master. Use leading lines to tell a story. No train tracks.
WEEK 17 Technical: Loop Lighting
Loop lighting is one of the most used portrait lighting techniques. Shoot a portrait using loop lighting. If you don't have an off camera flash setup, get creative with how you light your subject.
WEEK 18 Artistic: Purple
Your inspiration this week is purple. Purple is the color of royalty, magic, and mystery.
WEEK 19 Story: Back Yard
Tell the story of your immediate surroundings. Give us a glimpse into your daily life.
WEEK 20 Technical: Sky Overlay
Sometimes the sky just doesn't cooperate. This week replace the sky in your image. If you need a sky to use in the replacement, search flickr.com for an image to use under Creative Commons Licensing.
WEEK 21 Artistic: Soft
Your artistic inspiration this week is soft. Just like hard earlier in the challenge, soft is both and adjective and an adverb. Interpret this how you will.
WEEK 22 Story: Geometric Shapes
Triangles, squares, and circles. They are all very strong compositional elements in an image. Find a way to use geometric shapes in your storytelling.
WEEK 23 Technical: F/8 Portrait
Shoot a portrait using an aperture setting of F/8. Since this is the advanced challenge, be sure to find a way to isolate your subject other than shallow depth of field.
WEEK 24 Artistic: Green
Your inspiration this week is green. Green is the color of life, nature, and hope.
WEEK 25 Story: Toy Story
Not the movie! Tell a story with toys or about toys. (Kind of like the movie...)
WEEK 26 Technical: Light Painting
Put your camera on a tripod at night, open the shutter for 30 seconds, and paint your subject with light. Flashlights, LED strips, and even laser pointers work great.
WEEK 27 Artistic: Communication
Your inspiration this week is communication. We live in the age of endless communication, so there is inspiration everywhere.
WEEK 28 Story: Portrait as Landscape
Shoot a portrait that is posing as a landscape. Tell a story of the subject using the landscape around them. Fool the viewer.
WEEK 29 Technical: Water Drop
Photographing a water drop is a mix of lighting, macro, and patience. There are plenty of ways to pull this off, enjoy figuring it out!
WEEK 30 Artistic: Family
This time use family as your inspiration. Since this is the advanced challenge no people can be in the image.
WEEK 31 Story: Frame Within a Frame
Another classic compositional tool is to frame the subject within the frame of the image. Use this technique this week to tell your story.
WEEK 32 Technical: HDR
HDR is the technique of combining several photos of the same scene but shot at different exposures to create an image with a High Dynamic Range.
WEEK 33 Artistic: High Key
Last time it was a portrait; this time it is back as inspiration.
WEEK 34 Story: Stranger
Tell the story of a stranger. Try using their environment to really inform the viewer of their story.
WEEK 35 Technical: Stitched Panorama
A stitched panorama is an image made up of several smaller images stitched together during editing. For an added challenge try using the Brenizer Method.
WEEK 36 Artistic: Low Key
Low Key is the opposite of High Key. Shoot an image where most of the tonal range is on left side of the histogram.
WEEK 37 Story: Balance
Balance is the compositional technique of giving each area in a scene equal visual weight. You can achieve balance using color, tone, or juxtaposed subjects.
WEEK 38 Technical: 50mm
Learn to sneaker zoom! Shoot an image using only the 50mm Focal Length. Either use a fixed 50mm lens or set your zoom lens to 50mm. Since this is the advanced challenge make sure the image is compelling.
WEEK 39 Art: Water
Your inspiration this week is water. Interpret this how you will.
WEEK 40 Story: Colorful B & W
Tell the story of a colorful scene. Because this is the advanced challenge, no flowers. Do it in Black and White.
WEEK 41 Technical: Levitation
Levitation is part camera trick and part photoshop. Create an interesting levitation image this week.
WEEK 42 Artistic: Music
Your inspiration this week is music. This is wide open so have fun with it.
WEEK 43 Story: Movement
Capturing and creating movement in a still photo is a challenge for every photographer. Use movement this week to tell a story.
WEEK 44 Technical: Magic ND Filter
Use an ND filter combined with a shutter speed of 30 seconds or even longer to create your image. Try a waterscape or even a busy landmark to see the magic happen.
WEEK 45 Artistic: Cold
Your inspiration this week is cold. Interpret this how you want.
WEEK 46 Story: Landscape Foreground
Many stories are based around portraits, but landscapes can have stories also. Tell the story of a landscape by using the foreground as the subject and the background as the scene.
WEEK 47 Technical: Shaped Bokeh
This year take it a step further and create a scene using shaped bokeh.
WEEK 48 Artistic: Bodyscape
The human form has been the study of art since art was first inspired. Your inspiration this week is the human body.
WEEK 49 Story: Blue Hour
The Blue Hour is the hour after sunset or the hour before sunrise when the sky is dominated by amazing blue and purple hues. Use this to tell your story this week.
WEEK 50 Technical: Full Edit
Use the SOOC shot from the beginning of the challenge and re-edit it to it's full glory. If that shot isn't available feel free to re-edit any of your past work.
WEEK 51 Artistic: Fear
Fear is your inspiration this week. Find a way to show fear in a way that your viewer feels it.
WEEK 52 Story: Your Story
Tell your story.
RECAP WEEK....Post your favorite you took or someone took!
Here is a breakdown of the three different types of Photos we will be taking:
Story Telling: Good photographers can take beautiful images of something. Great photographers can take an image that tells its story. This category makes use of compositional rules and directed prompts to push you towards not just looking at the beauty of something, but to find a way to tell that something’s story.
Technical: Technical Aptitude is just as important as creative inspiration in photography. With that in mind this category is a mix of in camera and post processing techniques designed to expose you to new technical skills and techniques.
Artistic Impression: When this category comes up, you really have room to express yourself. You can interpret the assignment literally or figuratively. Unlike the other two categories that are more focused, the idea of this category is to let your creativity shine.
Sorry for the long blog post, but I am super excited for this year and the photos that are coming!
Email Me - Phone: 1(657) 246-2298 - Website - Portfolio - FB - Twitter - IG - Pinterest - LinkedIn
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