52 Clicks | Week 28 | Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is just a fancy term for using contrasting elements (big/small, old/young, right/wrong. animate/inanimate, etc) in your frame. You can use it to evoke emotions, tell a story, add emphasis, infuse humor, highlight irony and much more. If you think you've never used this in your work before, you're likely wrong. You're probably using it without realizing it. That photo you took of your kid on a hill with a big sky behind them? Juxtaposition. That photo of your mom cuddling your baby? Juxtaposition. That photo of an old building among a bunch of new ones? Juxtaposition. Since you're already using it unintentionally, imagine if you used it intentionally?

The Project 52 participants dug deep last week to do just that, and it shows! Look at their work and see how using juxtaposition can cause tension, emphasize a certain point, aid in storytelling and much more. And if this is something that calls to you, you might just be ready to join a project like this. If so, it's not too late.

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 27 | Negative Space

Negative space is a great way to emphasize a certain mood, focus attention on the subject, highlight scale, and be creative in your composition. It's easy to hear the term "negative space" and think a majority of your frame needs to be empty or blank, but it's really more about the breathing room around the subject. This could be an uncluttered background, textured space (think: big sky, grass, trees, water, etc) or a blurred background that allows the focal point to stand out.

Look at the various ways the Project 52 participants used negative space last week. Is this a compositional tool you use often? If not, I encourage you to experiment with it! We're focusing on different perspectives all month, so feel free to jump in our p52.

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 26 | Frame Within a Frame

For the month of July, we will be exploring different perspectives in our Project 52. The first one was to focus on adding an additional frame within the image. The frame could be super obvious (think: door frames, mirrors, windows, etc). Or it could be something more implied (think: layering with foreground/background items). Or the framing could be something creative (think: light painting, double exposure, etc). Whatever the chosen frame, the p52 participants showed off last week with their images.

If you're wanting a challenge like this, there's still time to hop in the project with us.

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 25 | Favorite Place

If you had to choose a favorite place, where would it be? That was the final theme for our favorites month in our Project 52. The p52 participants chose either a favorite place they like to take pictures or a place that is special to them.

It's been a fun month exploring our favorite things, and I'm going to be a little sad to move on. But we have lots of weeks left in the project with plenty of other fun things to dig into. If this appeals to you, join us!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 24 | Favorite Time of Day

Do you have a favorite time of day? Either to grab your camera and snap away or to simply enjoy life's little pleasures. That was last week's prompt in our Project 52. The p52 participants documented a time of day they gravitate toward when taking pictures or some part of their day they find extra special. 

So what time of day would you choose for this theme? You could always hop into the project and do just that!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Weeks | Week 23 | Favorite Viewpoint

Most of this photography project is spent going out of our comfort zone and learning new things. New techniques are introduced. We're encouraged to try different compositions. The point is to discover the great big wide world of photography. So now that we're hitting the pause button with our favorites theme, it's been fun focusing on the things that bring us joy. It's been a great reminder that we don't always need to strive for the next goal. Sometimes we can just do what makes us happy.

Last week we explored our favorite viewpoint, and I think you'll agree with me that the p52 participants really understood the assignment! If this appeals to you at all, we'd love to have you in our Project 52.

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 22 | Favorite Subject

Sometimes the easiest way to find your way out of a creative rut, or to rediscover your original joy in photography, is to focus on all your favorite things. The month of June in our Project 52 is all about our favorites. We started with our favorite subject.

As it always seems to happen with open-ended themes, we may have spent a fair amount of time overthinking things. Once we got past the idea that we didn't have to pledge our undying love and devotion to one single subject as our most favorite, then things got rolling. 

Scroll down to see what the p52 participants chose as {one of} their favorite subjects. It's an interesting mix of people, pets, wildlife and nature.

What would you choose as your favorite subject to photograph? If a month of favorites sparks your creative flame, you can still hop in our project!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 21 | Chiaroscuro

The fun thing about any photography project is learning new things and challenging ourselves. That's how we learn, right? And isn't that the goal? Last week in our Project 52 we introduced a term that is brand new to most of us: chiaroscuro. It's a word that is even hard to pronounce (a Google search gave me differing pronunciation so it still remains a mystery to me), so it seems big and scary. But the interesting part is that once people discovered what it meant, they realized they've already been doing this technique all along. They just never had a name for it.

So what does this intimidating term mean? Literally it translates to bright-dark. And to break it down in simple terms, it's just an artistic technique that emphasizes the high contrast between lights and darks with the goal of creating a three-dimensional image. Google it to learn the art history behind it if you'd like! 

In the meantime, scroll to see how the p52 participants used the technique. I bet after seeing these examples you'll realize it's something you've been doing all along, too.

If you'd like a weekly challenge like this, it's not too late to hop in the group!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 20 | Silhouette

Silhouettes rate up there as one of my favorite photography techniques. They're a fun way to get creative, but they can be challenging. The trick is to make sure your subjects don't turn into indistinguishable black blobs. Scroll down to see how the Project 52 participants tackled this theme.

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 19 | Shadow Play

Using shadows in your images is an easy way to add drama, interest and contrast. It's what was up next in our month of playing with light in our Project 52. Whether you use the shadows as a subject in your image or a compositional tool, there are so many possibilities. Leading lines, pockets of light, textures, storytelling cues and various other creative techniques are at your fingertips with shadow play. The p52 participants used them so brilliantly. Go take a look and then decide how you'd like to use them in your work.

If you're wanting to have some fun with light, you should join us! There's still time to hop in the project. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 18 | Reflections

We studied light earlier in our Project 52, and now we're having fun with it! For the month of May, we will explore different ways to use light creatively. We started with reflections, which is one of my favorite ways to add interest, drama, and storytelling. The p52 participants proved to yet again be creative geniuses with this theme. The various reflective surfaces they used, the compelling compositions, and the beautiful storytelling blew me away! 

If you're wanting to have some fun with light, you should join us! There's still time to hop in the project. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 12 | Editorial

We finished our month of storytelling with a brand new theme for us: editorial. Oftentimes when we have such a broad theme, especially one that is a bit trickier, we tend to overthink. I prefaced the theme by instructing the p52 participants to first think of what sort of publication they'd like to shoot for (fashion, food, landscape, parenting, a hobby one like fishing, knitting, photography, or a newspaper). Then once they got that sorted out, then brainstorm what story they wanted to tell. As you look through the images, try to guess what kind of publication they chose.

If themes like this inspire you, you can still jump in the project! Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 11 | Decisive Moment

When all elements in your frame come together is what we call the decisive moment. The subject is in just the right place. The composition is spot on. The light is beautiful. The timing of all these things comes together at the same time for you to click the shutter and capture that perfect image. That was what we were working on last week in our Project 52. See what decisive moments the p52 participants captured for this theme. There's still time to join. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 10 | Emotion

I think it's safe to say we all want to evoke emotions with our work. We want people to feel something. That was the goal last week in our Project 52. There are so many ways to approach the theme. The most obvious, of course, is to capture human emotions. Laughter, tears, pouting, joy. But you can also make people feel something without the outward display of human emotions. By your composition, perspective, use of color, atmospheric details, light, and so many other tools. The p52 participants utilized these and more! There's still time to join. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

Understanding photography lighting basics can transform the way you shoot. This beginner’s guide covers natural light, artificial light, light direction, and common lighting mistakes… plus how learning to work with light can bring more consistency and intention to your photography.

52 Clicks | Week 9 | Movement

With the light month complete in our Project 52, we're moving onto storytelling. One of the easiest and most visually interesting ways to tell a story in photography is to add movement. Whether the movement is stopped, blurred or implied, the action provides great storytelling context. 

It was fun watching the p52 participants experiment with new techniques like panning and intentional camera movement. That's what the project is all about after all, learning and trying new things. If this appeals to you, there's still time to join. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 8 | Artificial Light

Artificial light is one of those things that most photographers avoid. We prefer natural light. But understanding how to use artificial light can be a great tool for your photography, and a fun way to infuse creativity into your work. Let's see how the Project 52 participants used artificial light last week, and maybe you can get inspired to dig into this type of light for the future. You can still join us! Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 7 | Directional Light

Directional light is technically light that comes in from any direction, but as photographers we often think of this as being the dramatic light coming from the side. Think deep shadows and slices or pockets of light. This type of light is fun to play with and use creatively. But directional light doesn't necessarily need to bring the drama. It can be soft front light and diffused window light and subtle ambient light. This week's theme in our Project 52 was really open to any and all light, and I think you'll see this while looking through the participants' images.

If you're looking for a little push to be creative this year, you can still join us. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 6 | Backlight

The light last week in our Project 52 was all about embracing that backlight. Backlight can be a tricky one to master if the light source is strong and unfiltered. It can be great for more artistic shots, like silhouettes, dramatic rim light and starbursts. If the light is filtered (behind trees, curtains, etc) or at a time of day when it's softer (golden hour, for example), you can use it to create beautiful portraits. See how the p52 participants used this type of light last week.

And if you're wanting to join in our challenge, it's not too late. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke

52 Clicks | Week 5 | Low Light

February in our Project 52 is all about light. The first type of light we tackled was low light. This light can be tricky, forcing you to switch out of auto mode to manual to have greater control of your settings. Don't be afraid to bump up the ISO, though. If exposed properly, you are able to minimize the amount of noise in your image. Another trick for focusing is to use manual focus since our cameras can struggle to grab focus while in autofocus in these low lit conditions.

Look at all the ways the p52 participants used low light last week.

There's still time to jump in the project. Sign up now!

xoxo,
Angie Mahlke