Q-1 Photo Challenge

1. I resolve to… Want to save money? Photograph a fat wallet or some cash on a table. Planning to eat healthy? Take a pic of the fresh veggies you have stocked up on. Be more organized? Maybe a set of file folders or a clean scrap desk? Share an image that represents some goal you have in 2023. No need to snap a photo yourself for this. Maybe find an image in an ad or anywhere that represents one of your goals.

2. Shut the door! Okay, a simple way to meet this prompt is to take a photo of a door you go through in your life. It could be in your home, at work, entry to a store or restaurant you frequent. Good time to get a last shot of that holiday wreath. Or… is there something you want—or need--to leave behind you right now?


3. Dress for the weather. A great way to represent the season you are in is to photograph yourself all ready to head outside. Are you muffled and wrapped in layers of down and wool? Sporting a raincoat and umbrella? Or a cover-up and sandals and ready for the beach? Or you could snap a pic of your closet to show your options. Don’t forget your feet, or your boot rack.

4. Love is blind. Is there something you love that—looking at it—you wonder if anyone else would? A comfortable chair, stained and warn? A bedraggled looking not-so-furry friend? A food that, although it tastes delicious, looks atrocious?

5. Lucky break. What is something that you believe you are lucky to have? A gift from someone? A “score” when shopping? A momento of your childhood that brings you joy? Maybe it is something you were able to create because you inherited a particular skill, or a piece of art (a card or a scrapbook page maybe?) that turned out beyond your expectations after some sort of glitch. Or something that represents a career or job you “fell into” after losing the chance you were seeking?

6. The first… Snap a pic of anything that represents a first for you. First job? First day back to work after a break? First child or grandchild; first love (take a pic of that person today! Doesn’t matter how old they are)? First attempt at something? First look out the door at new fallen snow. Or, simply, your first cup of coffee this morning.

7. Looking UP! Get a photo of the sky, any time of day. Or night. Can you get a shot of the star constellations? Or an interesting cloud shape? Or, simply take a shot of something that is higher than your head. (easy for a short person like me, for whom EVERYTHING is higher). If you can capture a shot of a child (or a very hopeful furryfriend) looking up at you, that would be golden. Or get down on the floor or the ground and take a shot from there to represent a completely different perspective on where you are right now.

8. Looking down… Take a photo of you boots in the snow, your toes in the sand or the sea, the footprints behind you or behind someone else… Get your lens OVER something to get that perspective. Climb a ladder or a set of stairs and get a photo from the top. If you are outside in the sun, take a pic of your shadow and if you are with a group, get a pic of your shadows as you stand together.

9. Hugs. Get a shot of someone hugging. Or maybe of something that makes you feel warm and loved: a gift or card or letter you received, a cozy blanket your mom or someone else special made. Or of virtual hugs you send to others—gifts, cards, anything that lifts their spirits.

10. All by MYSELF… Here’s your chance to take that selfie. Or snap a pic of something that gives you peace and joy when you are alone? Comfy pillows? A swimming pool? Your scrap supplies? A good book, a favourite TV show or movie, a special treat? Alternatively, snap a shot of someone else enjoying some alone time—a kid in a full NHL playoff game by him/herself in the basement, another curled up with a book in their bed… Just turned the dog out into the back yard and wondering what has them so excited? Take a peek through the window, and snap a photo for this challenge.

11. Fun & Games! Get a shot of the action, whether is of a hard played professional hockey or football game, a fiercely contested board game, or someone acting out a charades clue. No shots of the game itself? Get one of the excitement and joy on the faces of the contestants or spectators.

12. Work it out. Can you catch a shot of someone doing their exercise or yoga routine? Set up a remote camera, or use timed feature on your iphone to capture a photo of yourself in one of these activities? Another take on this may be the face of a schoolchild figuring out his homework, solving a math problem. Or of people working together to construct something—anything from a skateboard ramp to a sand castle…

13. On the Road. I love photos of trails and pathways leading off to some unknown future. Can you get a shot of something like that? Or maybe simply a photo snapped through a windshield of the road ahead as you take a routine drive for groceries or to work or pick up your child from school. If you are walking the trail, pay attention to the little things in the ditch beside you. Can you find something interesting to capture “on film”?

14. Signs of the Season. Here in northern Alberta in January, we can probably count on snow in every outdoor photo we snap from now until the end of March. But other locations will provide the opportunity to photograph seasonal changes in growth and colour. As summer fades into autumn south of the equator, leaves will be changing, fruits and veggies will become ready for harvest. Take a photo that signifies the season you are in. Or, conversely, photograph an actual SIGN—something that tweaks your fancy.
 

15. The Places I’ve Been. If you are on vacation this quarter, this is perfect for you. Go crazy. Get shots of all the details that makes THERE different from HERE. No vacay? No problem. Take some pic’s of the places you go to, routinely: the back yard, the post office, the grocery store, the walking path as you exercise your pup, that little bistro or your friend’s place where you go for coffee…

16. Sculpted I was thinking of snowmen and ice statues, scenes from a winter festival. But I realize that not everyone is buried in snow and shivering in the cold. How about sand castles? Are you making—or buying—Valentines shaped cookies or cakes? A pic of those would work. Or have some fun with your crafting supplies and sculpt something out of texture paste or other medium. Got a kid who likes to shape their hair when it has shampoo in it? Or an older one who has to have every hair in place before leaving the house? Perfect. Oh, and what you photograph does not need to be humanly sculpted. Think of sand dunes or snow drifts shaped by the wind, or rock formations carved by water or sand…


17. - Celebrate good times // As we come out of the Christmas season, there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate at the start of the new year: the Twelfth Nigh and Epiphany, birthdays, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day to all kinds of smaller things that make up the fabric of life like your child getting a good grade, a loved one retiring, a friend moving into a new home, etc.

18. - Planned this // A new year means new plans, new projects. Take a moment to photograph something that's been in the works. Whether you're documenting a work in progress (the different stages of your kitchen redo, a selfie of yourself getting a new hairstyle at the salon, prepping the garden beds for planting, etc.), the finished result or the actual planning (a portrait of yourself working in your planner, the building plans and paint/floor samples for a new home, etc.), it's all wonderful photo evidence of changes you're making.

19. - Unexpected // Life is full of surprises! Some good, others not so. Grab a photo of one of these not-a-part-of-my-plan moments to record the story. Think of neighbours dropping by with some fresh-baked cookies, one of your kids leaving you a note or drawing for no special reason, having to wash the dog after an unsollicited "mud bath" and more.

20. - Quiet time // After the busy Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas/NYE sequence, it's time to settle for a bit and enjoy some calm. Where and how does this more contemplative time of the year manifest itself in your life? Is it the snowy coat outside that makes you feel at peace and serene? Perhaps a more silent hobby you can finally indulge in again such as reading, crafting or breadmaking? Your (grand)kids working on their homework as school picks up again after the break?
 
21. - Yours/Mine // It's the season of Valentines! Observe and capture a relationship dear to your heart. Your go-to morning mugs as a married couple, the shoes/snow boots lined up by the door that illustrate the different generations under one roof, contrasting favourites between you and your sibling/BFF like the books you're currently reading or your differences in taste through a pic of your choices in dishes at the restaurant, etc.

22. - Furry love // They are near and dear to us. They are part of the family. They are our pets. But they can also be the animals at the local zoo you're visiting or wildlife strolling through your yard. Capture the animals around you to record your appreciation for them.

23. - My lucky charm // It's not all pots of gold at the end of the rainbow and four-leaf clovers! In honour of St. Paddy's, capture something or someone that has brought you good luck. Literal charms on a bracelet or necklace, your family coming to support one of the members at a sports game, your athlete kiddo's lucky socks, a rabbit's foot or St. Christopher coin hanging in your car, an heirloom horseshoe that was handed down, etc.

24. - Growth spurt // The first quarter of the year is always a season of change and development. Look around for a sign of significant growth. From needing to purchase new clothes for one of your children to documenting marking all the kids' current heights, from the first signs of rebirth in the garden to your indoors sprouting efforts for new plants, from adding space to your home like a shed or an extra room to getting a larger car, it all counts and is worth capturing!

25. Upon reflection A simple take on this is the reflection of yourself or the landscape in a smooth surface of water. Or of yourself in a mirror. I have always been fascinated by photos that can be taken with repeating images created by two mirrors at an angle, so that the image seems to go to infinity. Maybe try something like that? On a different note, is there something in your life that you absolutely HAD to HAVE, but upon reflection it just has to go? Get a shot of it on its way to the dump or the recycle site. None of these photo op’s? How about a contemplative selfie?

26. Work. Lots of ways to illustrate this prompt. Is there something you accomplished through hard work and you would like to share a photo of the finished product? Do you have a photo of yourself or someone else working hard, practicing skills, doing routine tasks? Perhaps you could simply take a photo of your work space. If you continue to work from home, that space may also include some scrappy items. Or take a shot of yourself at work, using the camera on your computer.

27. EAT What foods are you eating regularly these days? Starting—or resuming—a healthy eating plan after the holidays? Finishing off the holiday treats? Going out to celebrate some milestone with a special meal? Let’s see a shot of your plate, or the spread on the table. Or take a few shots while shopping for groceries. What foods are on special this time of year? Do the prices look sky high to you? Or maybe focus on feeding others. Can you snap a pic of a bird—or a squirrel—enjoying the seed in a bird feeder? Is there a contented puppy chewing on a bone near your hearth?

28. Play Simple. Snap a pic of someone having fun. Maybe during a “friendly” family board game? Or kids playing rough & tumble on the rug, or all dressed up for a tea party. Speaking of party, what about your New Years’ celebrations? People laughing, dancing, enjoying themselves. Or perhaps use this snap to illustrate what exactly is PLAY for you? Maybe a crafty work in progress, your scrappy toys.

29. Relax What can you find to represent relaxation? A crackling fire? Your feet stretched out on a lounge chair by the pool? A baby asleep on your shoulder? A tired puppy sleeping where he stopped running in circles? Time for a second cup of coffee or tea in the morning, or a specially brewed drink from your favourite vendor? A glass or wine or a foaming beer after a long day?

30. Repeat. This is your chance to revisit any of the other prompts and add a different photo to represent that prompt.