52 Clicks | Week 30 | Artificial Light

The last thing we tackled in our Fun with Light theme was artificial light. The Project 52 participants went all out in their creativity, the variety of light sources they used and the stories they told through their imagery. Using artificial light can be technically tricky and challenging, but it can also give you creative licenses to break rules and think outside of the box. I think you'll be inspired by this collection of images.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

In this post we share our Winner and Featured Artists for the July FACELESS Photo Challenge at The Framed Focus!

52 Clicks | Week 29 | Shadow Play

Last week in our Project 52 we focused on having fun with shadows. I love how shadows can take on many roles within an image. They can be the focal point, the main subject. Or they can take on a more supporting role, adding depth and mystery. The p52 participants understood the assignment, and it was so inspiring seeing all their images.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

52 Clicks | Week 28 | Reflections

Last week in our Project 52 was all about reflections. Reflections can be such a fun way to tell a story, introduce layers and framing, and just experiment with creativity. The p52 participants used a variety of reflective surfaces in their images and it was interesting to see what everyone came up with.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. In our Chase the Rainbow project we explore the beauty of a different colour each month. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

"Yellow is the color which is closest to light. We associate the rays of the sun and the stars with it. It is the radiance of the spirit." - Ueli Seiler-Hugova

This month our colour was yellow. Yellow is such a bright and happy colour. It’s the colour of the sunshine, daffodils, sunflowers and bees. It makes us feel energised, positive and hopeful.

Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with yellow! 

52 Clicks | Week 27 | Silhouette

Our Project 52 continued our fun with light month with silhouettes last week. A question came up regarding light sources for creating silhouettes with the thought that they can only be achieved with a pretty sunrise or sunset. That's completely false, of course, because all you need is light of any kind behind your subject. You can achieve silhouettes at any time of day with any light; you just have to expose for the light and your subject will naturally become underexposed to create the silhouette for you.

The p52 participants proved this point with their variety of light sources taken during all hours of the day. Scroll through their images and see for yourself!

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

52 Clicks | Week 26 | Dramatic Light

A new month brings a new theme in our Project 52. July is all about having fun with light. The first type of light we focused on was dramatic light, which broadly emcompasses anything where light becomes another subject in the image. The p52 participants used a variety of lighting techniques, from pockets of light and dramatic shadows to artificial light, specifically with spectacular night photography.

We could spend weeks on this type of light alone, from side light and backlight to starbursts and light painting, but it's time to move on to the next one on the list. Until then, enjoy all the images from our dramatic light week.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

In this post we share our Winner and Featured Artists for the June SILHOUETTE Photo Challenge at The Framed Focus!

52 Clicks | Week 25 | Fire

Our Project 52 concluded our elements month with fire. This might have been the trickiest one for the majority of us, but the general consensus was that it was a good challenge. When you look through the images you'll see that everyone rose to the occasion and produced their customary superb work. The p52 participants continue to impress me every single week.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

52 Clicks | Week 24 | Water

The next up in our month of elements in our Project 52 was water. I think most of us would agree this was the easiest of the elements with there being so many ways to approach the theme. It was great timing as a big chunk of us experienced a heatwave. I personally hid from the heat in my air conditioned home, finding all the water images refreshing as I scrolled through my Instagram feed during our weekly mass post.

See how the p52 participants tackled the water theme. Be prepared to be awed by their brilliance. I know I am every single week.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

52 Clicks | Week 23 | Air

Last week in our Project 52 we continued our month of elements with the theme air. It's been fun exploring the elements and how the p52 participants interpret them with their images. Air is a theme that can embody many atmospheric details, like wind, fog, lightning, etc. But it can also lean into more fun aspects, like bubbles, balloons, kites, etc. How would you capture the element of air?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

Colour is one of the most powerful tools in photography. Colour can evoke emotions, tell stories, and transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. In our Chase the Rainbow project we explore the beauty of a different colour each month. Whether that’s finding the colour in nature, around the house or setting up a scene with colourful props and clothing.

“In the world of colors, lilac is a gentle whisper” - Unknown

This month our colour was lilac. Lilac is a soft, pale shade of purple that feels feminine, youthful and elegant. It’s a soothing colour that creates a sense of balance and serenity. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with lilac! 

52 Weeks | Week 22 | Earth

The month of June in our Project 52 is all about the classical elements, breaking them down into weekly themes. We've never done this before so it'll be a fun challenge and interesting to see how everyone interprets the different elements. We started with earth, and the p52 participants were definitely up to the challenge!

How would have you captured the element of earth?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

In this post we share our Winner and Featured Artists for the May FLOWERS Photo Challenge at The Framed Focus!

52 Clicks | Week 21 | Self Portrait

Last up in our month of genre sampling was self portrait. You cringed a bit just reading that, right? Well, you're not alone, because the majority of the participants in our Project 52 felt the exact same way. We, as photographers, feel much more at ease behind the lens. The minute you force us to step in front of it, panic ensues. Because we understand the level of vulnerability and bravery it takes to put ourselves out there in this way, we are doing this feature blog just a little bit differently. We are including every single image that was submitted for a feature.

Scroll through all the lovely faces (or in some cases, faceless) of the talented people who make up this group project. We all braved the dreaded self portrait week and survived. Not only survived, but created beautiful art that included ourselves, the "face" behind the names we've been seeing since the beginning of the year.

Do you shy away from self portraits or do you embrace them?

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

52 Clicks | Week 20 | Surrealism

The participants of the Project 52 really tested ourselves last week with the next theme in our genre sampling month: surrealism. We thought forced perspective was hard, but this one challenged us even more. Surrealism encompasses a large net, leaving the theme wide open for creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. We were given permission to really go for it, and you can tell by looking through the images that everyone took the assignment seriously. 

We shared our creative processes with each other, and let me tell you how interesting it is to be able to take a peek inside and glimpse the magic behind each finished product. We saw the beginning (SOOC), the in-between (the progress) and all the components used in the process (images, overlays, props, editing steps, etc) that led to the magical completed image. 

Will we go on from this surrealism week and continue to create in this genre? The majority of us would probably say no, but the lessons learned are invaluable. And who knows, maybe we'll see glimpses of surrealism-inspired components in our future work because I think this week left a mark.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

52 Clicks | Week 19 | Intimate Landscape

The next theme the Project 52 participants tackled in our genre sampling month was intimate landscape. If this is a new concept to you, as it was to most of us, think of a wide landscape shot, now narrow it down to where you are isolating a smaller area of that landscape to focus on. That's your intimate landscape. It lies somewhere in the middle of a full scale landscape and a closeup shot of a single detail. 

Because of its broad definition, though, a lot of us were struggling to determine whether we were getting it right or completely off the mark. That's the beauty of our P52, though, we aren't overly picky about the technicalities. It's more about the act of picking up our camera with the intentions of learning and growing.

And, as always, the resulting work blew me away! It appears there is not a challenge we don't take head on and run away with it. See for yourself; and then go out and attempt an intimate landscape of your own. You just may discover a new love.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

"Green is the color of nature’s hope, ever blooming, ever eternal." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

This month our colour was green. Green is a fresh, calm and harmonious colour, the colour of life and growth. There are more shades of green than any other colour. Enjoy looking through all the different images we have created with green! 

52 Clicks | Week 18 | Night Photography

It's a new month, which means a whole new theme in our Project 52. This month we are doing a round of genre sampling, which means we will all be quite outside of our comfort zones for the next four weeks. The challenge will be a great way for us to try new things and maybe, possibly find something we didn't even know we liked. Or...we might just check it off our list and move on because it's not for us, and that's ok, too.

First up in our genre sampling was night photography, and this one proved to be a challenge right off the bat for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere since it gets dark much later this time of year. The group stayed up late (despite their incessant grumblings) and lugged their cameras outside for some jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring images. I have yet to get my own personal night photography image, and I'm both intimidated and motivated by the amount of talent in this group.

xo,

Angie Mahlke

Click here to join!

In this post we share our Winner and Featured Artists for the April WEATHER Photo Challenge at The Framed Focus!