Welcome to the very first challenge of the 52 weeks Photography Challenge.

The challenge this week is: Study.

Let’s go over the challenge and complete it together!

 

The Photography Challenge : Study

The first of the 52 challenges is to study. This is a special challenge, because it’s the only challenge where you will not use your camera, and will not take a photo.

 

Challenge Explanation

What do I mean exactly by “study”?

Well, for this week, the challenge is to get inspiration for the year to come. Get inspiration for your next photographs. One of the best ways to improve your photos is to study the work of other photographers.

 

Don’t just look. Study.

It’s very likely that you’re already spending a lot of time looking at images. This is good. But it’s definitely not enough.

If you want to improve as a photographer, you need to use all that time you spend scrolling through images on Instagram, 500px or travel photography blogs.

Take it one step further. Study the images.

Are you wondering how you should go about studying images? I’ll give you a very easy 3-steps technique to study a photo:

Look at a photo &

  1. Decide if you like it or not
  2. Ask yourself “Why do I like this image?” or “Why don’t I like this image?”
  3. Take the time to put into words why you do or don’t like it

 

Challenge Benefits

How is this going to help you be a better photographer? It’s going to help you in 3 main ways:

 

1- Identify what you love

By taking the time to study photos, you will start to identify what is it that you like in a photo. What colors, color associations, techniques, composition and so on, that make you think “that’s a good photo.”

 

2- Replicate what you love

Once you have identified what you love, you can start to replicate it. You will unconsciously start to add these elements in your own photos, and they will look THAT much better!

 

3 – Develop a long-term routine

Looking at images is great. It evokes feelings. It amazes. It inspires.

But if you’re a photographer, looking at images is the perfect way to get better.

If you take this challenge seriously, and thoroughly study the images you look at this week, you will start to build a routine. A photo-studying routine.

After the challenge, instead of passively looking at the images, you’ll surprise yourself taking the time to study the images, finding what you like about them and what you don’t.

This will have a strong impact on your own photos.

 

Where To Start?

Do this challenge for any image you see:

  • A billboard in the streets;
  • A photo on social media;
  • Movie posters;
  • Newspapers images;
  • …

If you’re looking for really good pictures to study, you will find plenty on Instagram. It’s my favorite platform for inspiration, there are just so many talented photographers on there!

If you’re looking for even more inspiration, you can check out my photo series:

 

To go to the Main Page of the 52 Weeks Photography Challenge, click here: 52 Weeks Photography Challenge (live on Monday 7th January!)

If you want to download the list of all the 52 Challenges, click on the button below

 

 

To add the challenges to your calendar, click on the button above

(click on the “Photography Challenge” folder>download the “Photography Challenge Calendar” file>Open it and it will automatically add the 52 challenges in your calendar)

 

 

Alright, that’s it for this week Photography Challenge! Now start studying the images you see!

I’ll talk to you next week for the Photography Challenge of Week #2, and we’ll start taking photos!

Until then, take care.

Kev